Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

EMMA’s POV : 

By 9 PM, I gave up.

I never felt so humiliated in my life.

I asked for the check and paid for the four glasses of mocktail I had and left a nice tip for my waiter.

The hostess smiled a sad smile as she saw me walking out of the restaurant alone.

I just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

I went back to the apartment because I didn't know where else to go.

I saw my reflection in the mirror when I walked in and I looked so pathetic.

I did my hair and make up, I put on a dress and everything, only to be stood up by him at my birthday.

I was angry, embarrassed, and frustrated.

But mostly I was sad.

I thought tonight would be special, but no.

It was just any other day for Ian.

He had other things that were more important and I just had to take the back seat.

Feeling stupid, I took off the dress and put on an oversized sweater instead.

Tears were running down my face and it totally ruined my make up, but who cares? It wasn’t like it was important anyway.

I scrubbed my make up off angrily and pulled my hair into a messy ponytail.

I looked around the empty apartment and I debated on what to do.

I could stay here and wait until he gets home and hear about how sorry he was that he missed my birthday dinner, and tomorrow he'll go to work and ignore me again completely.

Or… I could pack my bags and leave.

There was a train running between Philly and New York City every day and if I leave now, I could make it before the last train leaves.

I didn’t think too much about it, I knew what I had to do.

I couldn't believe what I'm saying, but I needed some space away from him.

It would be better for us both.

My heart was hurting too much and I couldn't take it anymore.

So, I quickly packed my bags and I wrote him a note.

Dear Ian, You don’t have to apologize.

I know you're busy and I'm not a priority at the moment, and that’s okay, I understand.

But I think it’s best I leave so you can focus on your work.

No hard feelings.

Emma.

It sounded petty, but whatever.

I was too upset to be nice.

My uber was now waiting for me downstairs and I took a moment for one last glimpse of the apartment.

Leaving the spare key on the kitchen counter, I turned off the lights and closed the door shut.

I turned off my phone for the rest of the night.

I didn’t wanna hear any more ‘I'm sorry’ or ‘I'll make it up to you’.

I had enough of his empty promises.

I was tired of all that.

I put up with it all summer long and I needed an out.

At least when we were far away and he was busy with work, I didn’t have to feel this hurt because I could blame the distance.

and there was nothing else

truth was that I didn’t

loves me, sure he

moment, I couldn't see it and I

all I wanted now was to get

to realize

him.I got back to Philly late that night.I took a cab to my new apartment and

I spent my

apartment door, I was expecting to find the room dark

on and I heard the sound

and saw Tristan sitting on the

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked

to

here? I thought you and Sophie

Aren't you supposed to be in the city with your

long story, I don't wanna talk about it,"I sighed dramatically and joined him

trashed my head back and groaned in exhaustion.It had been

the apartment's empty and I like the silence.Helps me get my

the laptop on the

was doing a lot of writing because he

"Oh,"

got up

I’m not gonna bother you.I’m just gonna get

he pulled on my hand, motioning for

going on? You wanna talk about it?"Tristan knew something was

burst out crying into his shoulder, snorting

never showed

waited for him...he didn’t even call...and it's supposed to be my

cooed me gently

back seat all summer long, but that’s okay, because he’s working towards his dreams and

in between sobs, "But why would he even bring me out to New York City if he didn’t even have the time to spend with me.Why bother making a reservation for something he

snorting and crying mess.Tristan grabbed the box of tissues on the table and handed it

I think he doesn’t love me anymore.I think he got bored with me or something.His priority is the gallery

blowing my nose so gracefully into the

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

of his best friends, but they used to have a thing together back in high school,"I replied, and I rolled my

saying? You think he’s cheating on

don't think so...God, I hope not!" images of Ian and Ally filled my head and I

up for the dinner and he didn’t call

bit my lip and nodded my head

every day and night before that too.We barely have any time together, and even we're together, he’d always be on the phone with Ally talking about

anything to

kept quiet because I didn’t wanna get in the way ..but...I can’t do it anymore.I thought by now things

sad smile and said,

had a shitty birthday and a

drove for hours and took me on a road trip.I don’t know what happened to us now and

birthday was always a special thing for us.My sixteenth birthday was the

we took a road trip to Princeton and he inspired me to apply

engaged on my graduation day and for my eighteenth birthday, he drove us to Philly and helped me move in

my nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of expectations and they were all

I don’t know what else to say,"Tristan sighed

you had to hear all my sob story.I shouldn't be

disturbing me at all.I've been looking at that word document for the past hour, not

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

see the clock, and the time showed that it was 11:45

since it’s still technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

as he got up and headed

he came back with a six pack of beer.He lifted them up in

"You got beer?"I questioned.

helped me write

night were those stupid mocktails

help me forget all about this

my head vigorously at him and said,

and I ended up drinking throughout the

of Law and Order on TV and we used our matching onesie pajamas because they were so comfortable

about 1.30 AM in the morning and I had fallen asleep on the couch and Tristan fell asleep next to me, when a sudden loud knocking

as the pounding on the door got louder

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

my relief, he got up from the