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.

drink, we all drink with

as he waved the waitress over, "A round of

that's still a thing," I laughed at Tommy’s

in trouble plenty

change, huh?" Ally

even know where she came from, I thought she was somewhere

sudden, taking a seat right next to me and her knee was touching my

an old friend, we all

fooled around once or twice,

had was

argued as the waitress

the good old days,"AJ cheered as he

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

as excited as everyone here was

had been a brutal couple of weeks and I couldn't wait for

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

"It’s alright,"I shrugged.

now.Crazy how the world

Remember the time we wrapped his car

guys were trouble, I remember.Crashing cars, vandalizing, oh and didn’t

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

burn it, you just set

relented and gave

you look back.We were pretty stupid kids back

head at the thought of

and angry,"I muttered

you guys so

gave me a

the world.My dad died when

dad was

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

down things and

and AJ knew exactly what I was feeling and

now.You grow and you

followed

all our glasses were

up quickly and said, "I'll get us

"Anything but warm beer,"

and he

"Shoot, it’s the wife,"

flinched as he picked

his face as he said, "I gotta go take

can’t believe Tommy’s married

as I watched him slipped through the crowd for

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

down on a stapler and got his ass stapled three times.Now that guy's

at the memory and Ally

unpredictable that way,

"Yeah,"I nodded.

of your life that

"What way?"

know, settling down, getting married,

"I haven't, I guess.

What about you?"

that ever since I was a kid.I want to be a mom.Drive my kids to soccer practice and

this massive crush on you back in high school.I used to write

up,"I couldn’t help but

my

a good time back

smile crept up my lips as I remembered our days together.We lived not too far away from each other.I used to sneak into

let out a nostalgic

"Prom night!"I remembered that.

so drunk and went skinny dipping at the

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

beginning

we

went to Boston for college and I

seen each other since

I was happy to know she grew up to be this successful and beautiful

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

as she showed me the ring on her finger, "His

smart