Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

IAN's POV 

"Ma, I’m going out.Don’t wait up,"I was making my way down the stairs, heading straight for the front door.

But mom was quick.

She ran over and intercepted me, standing right in front of my way.

"Now, when you said you're coming home for Christmas, I thought you were coming home for Christmas.But we barely see you,"

"I promised the guys I'll have a drink with them.I'll be home all day tomorrow, promise,"I put my hands up in defeat.I never win an argument with my mother.

"All right then.You have a great night with your friends,"she paused for a second before continuing, "Don’t get into any trouble!"

"Relax mom, we're not sixteen anymore,"I laughed.

I said I wouldn’t argue with her, didn’t mean I didn’t get into trouble in the good old days.I was a bit of a troublemaker back then.I had trouble following the rules, But then again, I guess I still do.

"Who'd ever guess that at twenty four years old, my son would graduate grad school and become a teacher?"

"Not me, that’s for sure,"Oh, the irony.

I used to give my teachers such a hard time at school.That was if I bothered showing up at all.

And now here I was, your average good old fashioned high school teacher.

" l am so proud of you, lan.Your father would be so proud of you too,"she smiled tenderly.

The atmosphere got a little somber as the mention of my dead father would always do that to her.

"Thanks,"I said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek, "

"I'm off,"

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning,"she called out as I stepped out the door.

"See ya," My friends wanted to hit this new club that just opened downtown.

I couldn't care less where we were going or what we were doing, I just wanted to get away.

I thought leaving Georgia would do the trick, but it was like she was following everywhere.  I couldn't get her out of my mind no matter how far I went.

"I love you,"

Her words were still ringing in my ears.

I went to bed thinking about her, and I woke up with dreams of her.  Ending things with her was the right thing to do, but why did it have to feel so fucking bad? Every time I saw her face around at school, I felt like I was being punched in the gut.

It hurt so bad, I couldn't keep my eyes straight for two seconds.Sometimes I’d hear her voice.

She would talk and laugh with her friends.

I felt like such a creep, listening to her or watching her from the far, but that was all I could do.

And what I should have been doing from the very beginning anyway.It just sucked.Really sucked.

Knowing that there was a girl out there that loves me, and that I love in return, but we could never be together.

At least, not in this lifetime.

"Bro, why you bein’ so quiet, man?"my boy Tommy came over and sat down next to me.

"Yeah, it's depressing, dude," AJ followed after.

Tommy and AJ were old time friends of mine.

We went to high school together, we got into all sorts of trouble together.

But now Tommy was married with three kids and AJ became one of the top real estate brokers in the state.

And as for me, you know what happened.  We got a table at this club and AJ invited a whole bunch of people.

Everyone was having a good time, drinking, dancing, and talking about their new year’s resolution.

I tried to stay engaged, but my mind kept wandering back to her.

She’s in Georgia, and she’s happy and safe.

That's all that matters.

"Just leave me alone, man.I just need a drink," I said to the guys as they were waiting for an explanation.

a drink, we all

he waved the waitress over, "A round of scotch for us please, and

thing," I laughed at

us in

things never change,

I thought she was

seat right next to

an old friend, we

or twice, but we never

had was warm beer when we were sixteen, but we can

as the waitress came back with

old days,"AJ cheered as he picked

the great new ones to come,"Ally added as she

everyone before downing the drink.I wasn't as excited as everyone here was about

been a brutal couple of weeks and I

How’s teaching?" AJ turned to me as he sipped

"It’s alright,"I shrugged.

hear you're a teacher now.Crazy how the world turned out,

used to prank Mr.Sheehan every day after school? Remember the time we wrapped his car in

oh and didn’t you guys burn

burned stuff inside the warehouse.We didn't actually burn

rolled her eyes, "You didn’t burn it, you just set it on

relented and gave her

when you look back.We were pretty stupid

head at the thought of all the

and angry,"I muttered in

you guys so angry?"she

gave me a

world.My dad died when I turned sixteen,"I

dad was

died suddenly in a car crash, a drunk driver hit him.It was so out of the

you know? Burn down things and trash places just because you're mad

exactly what I was feeling and

grow and you learn,"I said as I raised my

followed after

this time, all our glasses

got up quickly and said, "I'll get us

"Anything but warm beer,"

replied and he

"Shoot, it’s the wife,"

as he picked up his vibrating

worried look splashed across his face as he said, "I gotta go take

believe Tommy’s married with

watched him slipped through the crowd for the

right.I see him around town sometimes, playing football with his kids.Can

down on a stapler and got his ass

at the memory and Ally

that way, I

"Yeah,"I nodded.

ever thought of

"What way?"

settling down, getting married,

"I haven't, I guess.

What about you?"

I was a kid.I want to be a mom.Drive my

used to have this massive crush on you back in high school.I used to write my name Allison Hayes

couldn’t help but

my friends, they all

had a good time back

too far away from each other.I used to sneak into her room after her parents were asleep and we’d make

prom night,"she let out a

"Prom night!"I remembered that.

so drunk and went skinny dipping at the

the next morning with a tattoo on my arm, I didn’t remember getting it, but it

the beginning

we all parted

went to Boston for college and I went to

each other since

happy to know she grew up to be this successful and beautiful woman I knew she'd

the way.I heard you're engaged,"I said to her

brightly as she showed me the ring on her finger,

be a smart