Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

EMMA’s POV : 

"Elliot...I...l.."

I took a deep breath and steadied myself, finally saying, "I'm sorry, but I can't give you an answer right now.This is a lot and it’s serious and I have to think about it first..."

"Oh,"his mouth formed an ‘O’ and the look of hope and excitement in his eyes faded into disappointment.

"I have no idea you're even considering something like this.You never even told me about it,"

I said to him.

"That's what I'm doing now, I'm telling you.This is what I want,"he paused for a beat before continuing, "Is this not what you want?"

"l...I mean, it’s a big step..."I stammered.

"I’m just turning twenty-two this year...and I may look like it, but I don’t feel like an adult.I still feel like I'm just a child and I don’t even know what my life is gonna be like a month from now.You know what I mean?"

"I understand,"

Elliott put his gaze down and sighed.

He closed the little velvet box and shoved it back into his jacket pocket.

The air suddenly felt cold and I could hear the faint whispers and murmurs of the people watching us.

I didn’t dare to look, I was afraid I'd be faced with judgmental eyes or pity smiles.

"Ehem,"

Tristan coughed awkwardly as he stepped towards us.

I was glad that he decided to come in at this point.

He was saving us from the awkward ‘now what’ conversation.

"You got your hot dogs?"I said to him.

"Yup..."he replied.

"So...uh, is there any other place we should go to before we head back?"I said to both Elliott and Tristan.

I was trying to make the situation as calm and as normal as possible, but Elliott wasn’t buying into it.

"I think I'll just go home,"he said, pausing for a moment before continuing, "You two can keep going, I'll take the train back.I could use the time to think,"

"Are you sure...?"I asked cautiously.

"Yes.I'll see you at home,"

he let out a small smile and leaned towards me for a kiss.

I didn’t move away, and I thought he was going to kiss me on the lips, but he kissed me on the cheek instead.

I didn't say another word.

I just watched quietly as Elliott turned around and walked out of the park.

Meanwhile, Tristan was studying my face intently and he let out a long deep sigh once Elliott was out of sight.

"Whoa, E, what in the world happened just now?"

"I don’t know, T.I don’t know where this is coming from.We never talked about marriage or anything like that.Elliott’s just always so...unpredictable," I started babbling out of control.

"It’s like Paris all over again.We never talked about being together, but suddenly he wants to come follow me to the States.And okay, so he wants to have a relationship with me, I can handle that.But this? A marriage? All of a sudden? Like...how?"

I only stopped talking to catch my breath.

Tristan fished out a bottle of water from his hot dog doggie bag and handed it to me, he knew full well that I was thirsty after all that ranting.

I quickly took it from him and gulped down half the bottle at one go.

All this talk about marriage was suddenly making me dizzy and dehydrated.

"I'm not ready for a marriage, T.I mean, look at me, I can barely walk in high heels!"

I continued the rant as Tristan laughed.

"I just got out a super heavy relationship with lan and all I wanted was something easy and light and fun, not a marriage!"

"To be fair, you and lan broke up, what almost two years ago?"

Tristan raised an eyebrow.

dating for almost a year.You can’t blame the guy if

sure, but a marriage?

be twenty-two in a couple of months!" Tristan wasn't buying

the

through this before, T.I know not to make the

you mean?"he

feel like Elliott's proposal is more of a Hail Mary to save

you get that

just say...I was faced with a similar situation

blinked a few times before saying,

smiled bitterly

high school.We were broken up, or actually, he broke up with me because he thought he was doing me

"And...what happened?"

he moved to New York City

"I see..."

some Band-Aid you put on the relationship, thinking it's gonna save it.In fact,marriage is only gonna highlight the

a

and fake

finding this situation amusing," I

what are you gonna tell Elliott

know what I feel and what I want to tell him, but I just don’t have the right words for now.But, I'll get there.I just need to

he said, "Hey E, can

"Hmm?"

love even

"Of course!"

and

a yearlong relationship with a man I

and I've seen you and lan together, and the way you look at him compared to the way you look at lan, they’re

Tristan argued.

lot of

I stammered a little.

I love my family and I love you and

way you love lan?"Tristan was quick

"Exactly..."I admitted in defeat.

I couldn't decipher and let out a small

looking at

said love, not

probably just misheard you,"I

me you're talking to.You

face and I knew he was

admit it out loud, that I was still hopelessly in love with

gonna do? I’m gonna lose

exasperation, "If I say no to Elliott, it might be the end

say yes, I know I'm lying to myself

that I don't love

before, I'm scared of ever loving someone

be loved, but I just need some time to

things out? To see if you can love him the

that sound

you

him as much as you do

I'm afraid

have a

just continued walking aimlessly while our

a

"Anything,"he said quickly.

homme? He’s alone in a foreign place, he

just need to take a walk and

reassuringly,

"Thanks, T,"

that Elliott took, he turned back to

at each other,

and he

the next second,

for, I was left

walking about

I looked up at the street sign,

seem like much when your

my old ritual

didn’t write it down or anything, but

lot more pros than cons to

really good guy and he loves me

a