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.

line rang for a few times before he finally picked

"Hey, you,"

said over

and fine,

I heard about? You're not attending

"Nope,"he said simply.

"Why?"I asked.

it's an

person when you can basically do everything

if he was joking, but I could

going on,"I pressed on.He sighed and

Fine.

don’t know what I'll

worried about

the phone.Will you come over after you're done over

you'll tell me

"Every little detail,"

see you in a few

I made my way back

going on and

Carrie watched him as if he was a sight

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

change of

"He is?"

Tiff pretended to gasp.

I've overheard some teachers talking about it.Apparently, he signed a contract for two years but suddenly

that such a

I asked cautiously.

"For his career? Yeah,"

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

"What do you mean?"

that he

Ms.Diaz, right? She

Carrie let out a

wasn't relieved,

went on one date!

my elbow to

quickly recovered and said, "Never

Let’s go

little bit too

quickly and led me out of

"Thanks for that,"

I whispered to her.

happening? Is

"I think so,"

he did it

"Of us.Yeah,"I sighed.

a moment before saying, "He must

I really like

hey, at least

said with a

talk, Tiff and I went around looking at the

colleges, but I

to sacrifice so much..."I hated the word

he didn't have to sacrifice

to have everything he ever

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

would that even be worth it?

fair and parent teacher conferences, I told my parents I

of course, I was making way

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

it looked like he had been sending a

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

looked at a bunch of schools.How

"It's alright,"he shrugged.

trailed and paced

pretended to play

"lan, what's going on?"

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

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

crossed my arms and

does that even mean?

I’m serious about us.

my future

"But if your parents meet me now as your teacher and someday

That would be confusing.

got a good

did it because you didn’t wanna meet my parents as my teacher..but

I asked cautiously.

gentleman caller, whatever you wanna

chuckled and I couldn't

me

tilted my chin up

he coaxed me into a

we pulled away, he noticed something was off

What’s with that

away slightly

thinking about

About that word ‘sacrifice’.

I don’t know how I feel about you quitting