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.

no distance between us and there was nothing

simple truth was that

loves me,

I couldn't see it and I couldn't

all I wanted now was to

petty, but I wanted him to realize that what

to Philly late that

how I spent

apartment door, I was expecting to find the room dark

lights were on and I heard the

walked inside and saw

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked to

shocked to see each

doing here? I thought you and Sophie

Aren't you supposed to be in the city with your boyfriend?"he asked

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

my head back and groaned in

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

gesturing to the laptop

of writing because he worked

"Oh,"

got up to

me, I’m not gonna bother

said and he pulled on my hand,

on? You wanna talk about it?"Tristan

thing I knew, I burst out crying into his

showed up..."I

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

his arms around me and cooed me gently as he said, "That really

summer long, Tristan.I've been in the back seat all summer long, but that’s okay, because he’s working towards his dreams and I didn’t wanna get

between sobs, "But why would he even bring me out to New York City if he didn’t even have

the box of tissues on

got bored with me or something.His priority is the gallery and this

continued my rant after blowing my nose so gracefully into the tissue

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

used to have a thing together back in

are you saying? You think he’s cheating

images of Ian and Ally filled my head and I shook my

up for the dinner and he didn’t call you, so you got

my lip and nodded my

before that too.We barely have any time together, and even we're

said anything to him

I didn’t wanna get in the way ..but...I can’t do it anymore.I thought by now things will get better, but it never does.Even though I was with him every day, I

a sad

you had a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You

my birthday, he drove for hours and took me on

us.My sixteenth birthday was the first time I met him at

my seventeenth birthday, we took a road trip to Princeton

day and for my eighteenth birthday, he

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

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

your fault.I’m sorry I came barging in here and you had to hear all my sob story.I shouldn't be disturbing you, you’re working," I said as I straightened myself

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

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

to see the clock, and the time

still technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

crept up his face as he got up and headed to the

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

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me write better,"he

had all night were those stupid mocktails

could use some booze, especially to help me

head vigorously

I ended up drinking throughout

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

on the couch and

groggily as the pounding on the door got

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

my relief, he got up from the couch and staggered towards