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.

a year.You can’t blame

sure, but a

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

really the thing that’s standing between you and saying

before, T.I know not to make the same mistake again twice,"I

you

more of a Hail Mary to save the

you get that idea

say...I was faced with a similar

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 a favor.But being apart from each other, he realized he’s

"And...what happened?"

college, and he moved to New York City to start the gallery.And I guess you know the rest of that

"I see..."

thinking it's gonna save it.In fact,marriage is only

like a true once engaged

chuckled and fake

us is finding this situation amusing," I rolled my eyes at

what are you gonna tell

to tell him, but I just don’t have the right words for

quiet for a beat, but suddenly he

"Hmm?"

love even

"Of course!"

said quickly and somewhat

think I'm in a yearlong relationship with

and I've seen you and lan together, and the way you look

Tristan argued.

love a lot

I stammered a little.

and I love you and Sophie too, and

way you love lan?"Tristan was quick to

"Exactly..."I admitted in defeat.

with an expression I couldn't decipher and let out a small

are you looking

said love, not

just

on now, it's me you're talking to.You don't have

face and I knew he

admit it out loud, that I was still hopelessly in love with a guy that left me almost two years

gonna do? I’m

no to Elliott, it might

I'm lying to myself and to

that I

hurt so bad before, I'm scared of ever loving someone the

deserves to be loved, but

more time with Elliott to figure things out? To see if you

that sound bad?"I

don't know, E.What if you

him as much as

the thing I'm afraid

have a

now, we just continued

me a favor?"I said after a

"Anything,"he said quickly.

alone in

to take a walk and reorganize my thoughts, alone, but I'll be back

reassuringly, "Sure, of

"Thanks, T,"

ran towards the direction that Elliott took, he turned back to me

smiled knowingly at each other,

nodded and he

next second, Tristan

asked for, I was left alone

walking about fifteen blocks

looked up at the street sign,

when your mind was clouded

old ritual of making a pros and

it down or anything, but it was

more pros

really good

got a