Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

EMMA’s POV : 

----- THREE MONTHS AGO - - - - -

 "You're gonna do great,"

Elliott said as he took my shaking hands.

"You got this, E,"

Tristan gave me a reassuring smile.

Elliott, Tristan, and I were standing in front of the massive structure that was the Hudson Yards in New York City.

It was a very special day today, I was having my first ever job interview in the famous New York Magazine.

I was absolutely over the moon when I got the call for an interview.

Sophie, Tristan, Elliott, and I were having dinner together at a restaurant when I got the news.

They were excited for me too.

So much so, that Tristan offered to drive me to the city for the interview.

Sophie had a meeting with her professor today, so she couldn't come.

But she promised that she would be waiting at home with pizza and champagne.

We were gonna celebrate this moment no matter what, because whatever happens, at least I got to tell people that I was getting interviewed by David Haskell, one of the greatest editors of all time.

This was pretty much my dream job.

If I ace this interview, I could be the next editorial assistant to David Haskell or to the other great editors that worked in the magazine.

I would be living in New York City right after graduation, working at one of the greatest publishing companies in the world.

I mean, what else could be better than that? "Oh God, I'm so nervous, I think I’m gonna hurl,"

I was taking deep breaths and trying my best not to hyperventilate.

"Just go in there and be yourself.You don’t have to worry about anything,"Elliott said.

"Yeah, they'll be crazy not to hire someone like you,"

Tristan agreed.

I still didn’t feel ready, but there was no more time to waste.

I nodded at them, took another deep breath, and curled my hands into fists.

With confidence as strong as the croissant I ate this morning, I turned to my heels and climbed the stairs towards the entrance.

"Here goes nothing,"I mumbled to myself.

Walking into the grand lobby of the building, I suddenly felt so self-aware that my heels were too loud.

Slowly, I made my way to the receptionist and told her I was here for the interview.

She directed me to the waiting room area and told me to wait there.

There were several other people waiting alongside me.

There was a guy who kept twitching and fixing his glasses every ten seconds.

And there was a girl with a severe case of the hiccups.

I waited for about twenty minutes before they finally called me in and said David Haskell was ready to see me.

I saw a glimpse of the room where the interview was taking place and I gulped instinctively.

I saw David Haskell sitting there, alongside two other people who I assumed were other senior editors in the magazine.

"No matter what happens, I’m here for the experience,"

I repeated the sentence like a mantra as I stood up.

"I'm proud of you even for just going in here and trying,"

The lady that escorted me into the room probably thought I was weird, talking to myself like this.

Excuse me, but I had never been so nervous in my life before.

This interview was gonna determine my future for the next, I don’t know how many years.

And with that thought in mind, I took a deep breath and stepped into David Haskell’s office.

"So? How'd it go?"

were full of questions and expectations

I stepped down the

tall high heels today, as I wanted to make a good

however, I might just

"It went...kind of great!"

I told them.

smile forming on

at first, but David Haskell is

glad it went

knew you

soon as I

me on the cheek and smiled

in there for a while, what

Tristan asked.

work

heavier on the journalistic side than the New York

emphasized on lifestyle, culture, politics, and the

preferred something more like The New York Times or The

had to wait about twenty minutes for David Haskell

with the hiccups, but anyway, I went in after them and we did the typical introductory stuff like where you're from,

department which happened to be great friends with him,

took a look at m resume again, saw some of my portfolio, and then he asked me if I was willing to relocate to

the words ' you're hired’, but I still think that was

"Wow, that sure does,"

someone will be in touch

I continued.

details? Dude, that pretty much means

Tristan said matter-of-factly.

I don’t wanna get my hopes up, but I sure

my fingers crossed

totally a great opportunity for me, or

to start working right away after college and in a place like the New York Magazine, this

news, right? We should

do you have

a couple of hours to kill, maybe we can start with

great sushi place

Tristan said.

haven't eaten all day because I was afraid I’d

said and motioned for Tristan to lead

"Ew, TMI,"

Tristan rolled his eyes.

for lunch, E.You’re gonna be a paid salary woman

a salary woman brought a smile to my

picture it; me in my high heels and silk blazer, walking up those flights of stairs every morning with

out New York, here comes Emma! "Fine.Get whatever you want, lunch is on

"Yes!"

his hands

called Sushi Seki

day in mid May, so we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and

probably the best sushi I’ve

walk around Central Park

were not made for walking,

and Tristan with me so

left arm was linked around Elliott's waist and my right hand held onto

this is New York

were wide in wonder as he took

flowers were blooming, people were

been in Philly for almost a year and you never visited New

Tristan said.

and looked at me for confirmation, saying, "I guess we just never got a

nervous laugh

we never got a chance to come visit, there were plenty of chances to

fiancée kissed another girl and we broke up

traumatic, to say the

we come here

Elliott muttered casually.

you know...I was busy with

side to avoid eye contact with Elliott, but I caught

his face said

exactly why I never wanted to

it was like we

him about lan, didn’t you?" he asked with

don't you say a word!" I warned

each other in awkward silence for a few more seconds before Tristan coughed and shuffled