Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

EMMA’s POV : 

"Can you believe it? We're officially high school seniors,"

Carrie exclaimed as we walked down the long hallway and rows of lockers.

"l suddenly feel so old,"

Mark said as he put his arm around Carrie.

"I think I'm having senioritis already,"Tiff added, rolling her eyes.

 "Look alive, Tiff.College applications are coming up,"Carrie said.

"I’m not gonna go to college.I'm taking a gap year to backpack across Europe,"Tiff announced proudly.

"Are you really?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"My parents think it's a good idea.This way I can figure out what I really want in life.I also have an aunt that lives in Barcelona.She’s gonna let me stay with her,"

"Wow, your parents are the best,"I admitted.

Tiff really had the coolest parents out of all of us.

They were these vegan, hippie, and earth loving type of folks.

They were always happy, positive, and Zen.

They encouraged their kids to explore and live life boundlessly.

I would say they did a great job because Tiff turned out to be an amazing girl.

"God, I wish I could do that.My parents would never let me,"Carrie sighed.

"Me too.They‘re dead set on sending me to college ever since I was two.When I told them UC Berkeley is my first choice, they actually laughed at me.They said UC Berkeley's a safety school.They don’t want anything less than Ivy Leagues or MIT and Stanford,"

Mark rambled about his home life.As student body president, his whole life was dedicated to college.This was his moment.

"My parents met in Berkeley,"Tiff cut in, 

"What, your parents don't think UC Berkeley is good enough for you?"

"Clearly, you've never met my parents,"he replied.

"Yeah, and trust me, it’s better that way,"Carrie scoffed ,

 "They actually think that I was the one that poisoned Mark into wanting to go to UC Berkeley,"

"But it’s kinda true though? Mark’s only applying to Berkeley because you wanna go to Berkeley," I pointed out the obvious and Carrie glared at me.

"Yeah, but that’s not the point now is it?"

Carrie slapped my arm playfully and I laughed.

"How about you, little miss perfect attendance? You thought about where you're applying to?"

"A bunch of schools in the east coast.And like, one school in the state,"

I sighed when I remembered I had to apply to one, "Safety net,"

"The east coast? Like what?"Mark asked.

"Some schools in New York like the CUNYs, Fordham, Barnard, and Columbia.Also Princeton and University of Pennsylvania, but I wouldn't count on those,"

"Why not? You're definitely Ivy League material,"Carrie stated.

"Yeah.You scored a 1500 on your SATs, your grades are amazing, and you did a bunch of extracurricular activities,"Tiff added.

"And teachers love you.I bet they'll write you a kickass recommendation letter,"

Mark chimed in.

I bet,"Carrie

and nudged me to the direction of a teacher that was walking towards

nodded to us. Mark still had no clue and

Mr.Hayes,"Tiff and Carrie said

pausing for a second before

his lip as he noticed how short my skirt was.He narrowed his eyes

"Hi,"I said.

meant to say it to everyone, but

Carrie were having a

I muttered

shoving Tiff and Carrie to keep them

making this situation awkward as hell, but lan was unfazed by

let out a small chuckle

portfolio, by the

breath hitched as soon as I caught his delicious masculine

of five,"

smell is

smirk as he knew the effect he

friends one last time before turning to

him as he walked away,

was gonna be a

AP Art class so I had

foolish of me to think that things wouldn't be awkward with us in the same

course, he wasn't gonna let me

do I

had a free period today after lunch, so I decided to meet Mrs.Ash, our guidance counselor for

was a small red- haired woman

year she said she was retiring, but she never did.Her office was this small square room with a desk

‘The Only Way to Guarantee Failure is to Never Try" or "Discipline: When a

so I had ample time to read through the motivational posters

letters, these students really loved and thanked her for helping them

was known to

tell you straight up if you weren't

she would make sure you know about it and

call , Sorry about the interruption.My husband forgot where he put his keys,

okay.I hope he

her eyes and grabbed a brown file

my name on it and she started flipping

several schools out of state.And one school in

parents think we might not have enough money for out-of-state

summer.I'm working on the weekends too.I've been

there are financial aid and scholarships available.I can

would be great,"I nodded

look at your grades,"Her

so I took

scored very well on your SATs.You've got marvelous grades.And your teachers all have nothing but nice things to say about you.And your extracurricular activities are superb,"she said as she put

good chance at Princeton, Columbia, or U

answer

deep breath and watched me intently."That's possible,"she said finally, "With the right college essay, Ms.Sinclair, I think you can go far," I let out a

tell me, why these schools in particular?"she paused for a moment

is also a good school.But you don’t seem to care

school, but..." But that’s not where lan and I

the east coast next

not an Ivy League school,"I said

set on the Ivy League, then I must tell you, they're not easy," she said in a commanding

college essay should be priority number one.And then you need to prepare yourself for an interview, either with a staff from the school or a_

suddenly everything looked so daunting.That tone of voice hers wasn’t helping

you can handle all that?"she said

hard at her question and my mind

the future—about how it could