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

"Hey, you,"

said over

healthy and

that I heard about? You're not attending parent

"Nope,"he said simply.

"Why?"I asked.

it's an archaic

you can

if he was joking, but

on,"I pressed on.He sighed and paused

Fine.

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

about meeting

I don't wanna do this over the phone.Will you come

tell me

"Every little detail,"

see you in

I made my

on and on about

look on her face but Carrie watched him as if he was a sight to

and guys, have you heard? The art teacher, Mr.Hayes is resigning

of topic piqued

"He is?"

Tiff pretended to gasp.

signed a contract for two

such

I asked cautiously.

"For his career? Yeah,"

in the world, "My theory is that it's probably

"What do you mean?"

he might be on to

to date Ms.Diaz, right? She probably broke his heart

let out

I wasn't relieved, I

one date! And she

to stop me

recovered and said,

NYU! Let’s

a little bit too loud

quickly and led me out

"Thanks for that,"

I whispered to her.

happening? Is Mr.Hayes

"I think so,"

did

"Of us.Yeah,"I sighed.

out,"she paused for a

I really

he has to sacrifice so much, but hey, at least this way you two

said with

talk, Tiff and I went around

thinking about colleges, but I couldn't help but be reminded of Tiff's words from

has to sacrifice so much..."I hated

have to sacrifice anything

to have

he had to give up teaching, his job, his

would that even be worth it?

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

of course, I was making

normal sleeping clothes, no shirts and a

laptop was on and it looked like he had been sending

how was your day?"he greeted me with a quick kiss on my

at a bunch of schools.How about

"It's alright,"he shrugged.

trailed and paced around

to

"lan, what's going on?"

point blankly , ‘Why did you ditch

wanna meet your parents.But not like this,

 I crossed my arms and

even mean?

I’m serious about us.

future with

pausing for a moment before saying, "But if your parents meet me now as your teacher and someday we tell them that we're dating, how do you

That would be confusing.

got a

wanna meet my parents as my teacher..but

I asked cautiously.

gentleman caller, whatever you

I couldn't

took a step towards me

tilted my chin up

and he coaxed me into a

something was off

What’s with that look on your

pulled away slightly and bit

thinking about

About that word ‘sacrifice’.

quitting your job, throwing