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.

bet,"Carrie laughed

love you,"Tiff winked and nudged me to the direction of a

us. Mark still had no clue and I intended to

Mr.Hayes,"Tiff and Carrie said

Tiffany,"he greeted everyone, pausing for a second before giving me a look and

was eyeing me from head to toe.He bit his lip as he noticed how short

"Hi,"I said.

great first day,"he meant to say it to

were having a

too," I muttered

shoving Tiff and Carrie to keep them

this situation awkward as hell, but

he let out a small chuckle

on your art portfolio, by the

as soon as I caught

of

smell is

a naughty smirk as he knew the

nodded goodbye to my friends one last time before turning to his

couldn't stop watching him as he walked away, all cool and

year was gonna be

finished my AP Art class so I had no

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

wasn't gonna

do I like

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

was a small red- haired

year she said she was retiring, but she never did.Her office was this small

Way to Guarantee Failure is to Never Try" or "Discipline: When a man is sufficiently motivated,

the phone for a while, so I had ample time to read through the motivational posters and letters from her previous

letters, these students really loved and thanked

was known to

tell you straight up if you weren't

something good in you, she would make sure you know about it and not

finally finished her call , Sorry about the

hope he

rolled her eyes and grabbed a brown file

my name on it and

schools out of state.And one school in the state.The University

plan.My parents think we might not have enough money

working all summer.I'm working on the weekends too.I've been saving up.I think I

there are financial aid and scholarships available.I can help you look into

be great,"I nodded

your grades,"Her eyes busily scanned the papers

appreciatively a few times, so I took it as a

your teachers all have nothing but nice things to say about you.And your extracurricular activities are superb,"she said as she put

I have a good chance at Princeton, Columbia, or U

didn't answer right

a deep breath and watched me intently."That's possible,"she said finally, "With the right college essay, Ms.Sinclair,

these schools in particular?"she paused for a

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

of Georgia is a great school, but..."

the

an Ivy League school,"I said

Ivy League, then I must

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

tone of

handle all

at her question

thinking hard about the future—about