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.

few times before he finally picked

"Hey, you,"

over

healthy and fine, I was

that I heard

"Nope,"he said simply.

"Why?"I asked.

an archaic

meet in person when you can basically do everything

if he was joking,

on.He sighed and paused for a beat before finally

Fine.

don’t know what I'll do if I have

worried about

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

tell

"Every little detail,"

you in a

phone away, I made my way

on and on

Carrie watched

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

change of topic piqued my

"He is?"

Tiff pretended to gasp.

overheard some teachers talking about it.Apparently, he signed a contract for two years but suddenly he just wants to quit.No one even

that such a

I asked cautiously.

"For his career? Yeah,"

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

"What do you mean?"

again, afraid that he

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

let out a

relieved, I was somewhat

one date! And

elbow to

recovered and said,

Let’s go check

a little bit too loud than

arm quickly and led

"Thanks for that,"

I whispered to her.

happening? Is Mr.Hayes really

"I think so,"

he did it

"Of us.Yeah,"I sighed.

going all out,"she paused for a moment

I really

at least this way you two could be together.You

with

talk, Tiff and I went around looking

I couldn't help but

sacrifice so much..."I hated

have to sacrifice anything to be

have

give up teaching, his job, his

would that even be worth it?

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

of course, I was making way to

was still in his normal sleeping clothes, no

and it looked like he had been sending

greeted me with

at a bunch of schools.How about

"It's alright,"he shrugged.

paced around the

pretended to

"lan, what's going on?"

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

meet your parents.But not

crossed my arms and

does that even mean? "I'm serious

I’m serious about us.

see my future with us

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

That would be confusing.

a good

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

I asked cautiously.

caller, whatever

and I couldn't help

a step towards me and closed the distance between

my chin up and

mine and he coaxed

something was off and he narrowed his

is it? What’s with

pulled away slightly and bit my

about this all

About that word ‘sacrifice’.

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