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.

a few times before he finally

"Hey, you,"

over

and fine, I

that I heard about? You're not attending parent

"Nope,"he said simply.

"Why?"I asked.

an

in person when you can basically do

chuckled as if he was joking, but

going on,"I pressed on.He sighed and paused for a beat before finally saying,

Fine.

parent teacher conferences because I don’t know

worried about

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

you'll tell me

"Every little detail,"

see you in

phone away, I made my way back

was still going on

on her face but Carrie watched him as if he

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

change of topic piqued my

"He is?"

Tiff pretended to gasp.

a contract for

that such

I asked cautiously.

"For his career? Yeah,"

thing in the world, "My theory is

"What do you mean?"

asked again, afraid that he might be on

Ms.Diaz, right? She probably broke his heart

let out a

relieved, I was

one date!

nudged my elbow to

recovered and said, "Never

It's NYU! Let’s go check

little bit too loud

quickly and

"Thanks for that,"

I whispered to her.

happening? Is Mr.Hayes really quitting?"she

"I think so,"

he did

"Of us.Yeah,"I sighed.

all out,"she paused for a moment

I really

he has to sacrifice so much, but hey, at

with a

I went around

about colleges, but I

so much..."I hated

he didn't have to sacrifice anything to be

wanted him to have everything he ever

up teaching, his job,

would that even be worth

teacher conferences, I told my parents I was hanging

of course, I was making way to lan’s apartment

got there, lan was still in his normal sleeping clothes, no shirts and a pair of

on and it looked like he

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

at a bunch of schools.How about

"It's alright,"he shrugged.

and paced around

to play

"lan, what's going on?"

asked point blankly , ‘Why did you ditch parent teacher conferences? And why don’t you wanna meet

parents.But not like this, Emma.Not as your

my arms and raised my

even mean?

I’m serious about us.

see my future with

meet me now as your teacher and

That would be confusing.

got a

because you didn’t wanna meet my

I asked cautiously.

gentleman caller, whatever you wanna call

chuckled and I couldn't

step towards me and closed

my chin up and

coaxed me into a long,

was off and he narrowed his

with that look

away slightly and

been thinking about this all day

About that word ‘sacrifice’.

quitting your