Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

EMMA's POV 

"Don't forget to check out Duke, Rice, and Vanderbilt,"

Mom said as we made our way through the booths at the school’s college fair.

"Oh yes, I heard Vanderbilt's got a strong liberal arts program,"

Dad nodded in agreement.

The school’s holding a college fair this Saturday, along with parent teacher conferences.

All the junior students are required, or as they say, encouraged to attend the college fair.

I wasn’t complaining though.

I wanted to spend my precious Saturday looking through colleges all around the country.

The only good thing about it was at least my best friends had to do it too.

I spotted Tiff and Carrie over at the University of Florida’s booth, and I knew what to do next.

"Okay, I got it.You two go meet my teachers and hear about what a great student I am.I’m gonna catch up with Tiff and Carrie,"

I said, waving my parents away.

"I'm really looking forward to meeting your teachers.Especially your AP art teacher, Mr.Hayes,"mom said and I quickly turned back.

"What? Why?"

"You worked so hard on his class.

You spent almost every day after school working on your art portfolio.

He must have nice things to say about you, I wanna hear about it all,"

she said as she turned to her heels towards the art room.

"Oh, you don't have to —"

"The line at Duke is empty.Go, go check out the schools.We'll regroup here in an hour,"

Dad shooed me as he walked off with mom.

My parents are meeting...my boyfriend.

At parent teacher conferences.

Oh crap.

Making my way over to Tiff and Carrie, I sighed dramatically as I pushed past the row of kids.

Tiff and Carrie turned to see me and they immediately knew something was up.

"What's going on?"Carrie asked.

"My parents are meeting Mr.Hayes.I totally forgot about that.I am so screwed,"

"Don't worry about it.I’m sure he can handle your parents just fine,"

Tiff replied.

"Actually, you don’t have to worry at all,"Carrie added, "

My parents went by earlier.

They wanted to see my art teacher too, but he wasn’t there.

Something about a personal emergency.

He’s doing his conferences with parents via email,"

"Oh...that’s very smart of him,"

It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

"See? He’s a smart guy.He’s handling it,"

Tiff said as she grabbed a few brochures from the University of Florida.

"In the meantime, I think you should check this out,"  "The University of Florida’s a total party school,"

Mark chimed in suddenly, appearing out of nowhere.

"Hey, babe.Did you see Rice and Duke already?"

Carrie greeted him.

"Yeah, you guys should see it.

Duke has the best engineering program—"

Mark was about to ramble on this topic for the next ten minutes, I could just tell.

"I have to make a call, I'll be right back,"

I said to Tiff and Carrie before slipping away from the crowd.

I found an empty, cozy spot at the end of the hallway and I dialed Ian's number.

for a few times before

"Hey, you,"

over the

sounded healthy and

this personal emergency that I heard about? You're not

"Nope,"he said simply.

"Why?"I asked.

it's an

when you can basically do everything

was joking,

on.He sighed and paused for a beat

Fine.

conferences because I don’t know what I'll do if I have to see your

worried about

phone.Will you come over

tell me

"Every little detail,"

in

putting my phone away, I made my

still going on and

face but Carrie watched him as if he was

guys, have you heard? The art

sudden change of topic

"He is?"

Tiff pretended to gasp.

signed a contract for two years but suddenly he just

such a

I asked cautiously.

"For his career? Yeah,"

it was the most obvious thing in the world, "My theory is that it's probably because

"What do you mean?"

he might be on to

right? She probably broke

and Carrie let out

I wasn't relieved, I was somewhat

one date! And she

nudged my elbow to stop

and said,

NYU! Let’s go check it

bit too

quickly and led

"Thanks for that,"

I whispered to her.

really happening? Is Mr.Hayes

"I think so,"

did

"Of us.Yeah,"I sighed.

going all out,"she paused for a moment before

I really

much, but hey, at

said with a

I

about colleges, but I couldn't

sacrifice so much..."I hated the word

to sacrifice anything

wanted him to have

had to give up teaching, his job, his career...all for a girl.A silly, silly

even

college fair and parent teacher conferences, I told my parents I was hanging

of course, I was making way to

there, lan was still in his normal sleeping clothes, no shirts and

it looked like he had

greeted me with a

at a bunch

"It's alright,"he shrugged.

trailed and paced around

pretended to play

"lan, what's going on?"

you ditch

wanna meet your parents.But not like

my arms

even mean? "I'm

I’m serious about us.

future with

now as your teacher and someday we tell them that we're dating, how do you think that’s

That would be confusing.

a good

didn’t wanna meet my parents as my teacher..but as

I asked cautiously.

gentleman caller, whatever

I couldn't help

a step towards me and closed the distance

chin up

he coaxed me

something was off and he narrowed his eyes at

What’s with that

pulled away slightly

had been thinking about this all day

About that word ‘sacrifice’.

don’t know how I feel about you quitting your job, throwing away your