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 else to

was that I didn’t matter

loves me,

I couldn't see it and I couldn't feel

wanted now was to get

being petty, but I wanted him to realize that what

back to Philly late that night.I

how I spent my birthday

opened the apartment door, I was expecting to find the

were on and I heard

and saw

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked to see

to

I thought you and

doing here? Aren't you supposed to be

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

back and groaned in

early because the apartment's empty and I

to the laptop on

doing a lot of writing because he worked in the

"Oh,"

I got up to

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

he pulled on my hand, motioning

wanna talk about it?"Tristan knew

next thing I knew, I burst out crying into his shoulder,

never showed

call...and

and cooed me gently as he said, "That really

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

New York City if he didn’t even

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

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

after blowing my nose so gracefully into the

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

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

You think he’s cheating on you

don’t know...I don't think so...God, I hope not!" images of Ian and Ally filled my head and I shook my head violently, hoping it would go

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

lip and nodded my

before that too.We barely have any time together, and even we're together, he’d always be on the phone

to

it anymore.I thought by now things will get

let out a sad smile and said,

really sucks.Sorry you had a shitty birthday and a

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

us.My sixteenth birthday was

to Princeton and he inspired me to apply to

got engaged on my graduation day and for my eighteenth birthday, he drove us to

I was, on my nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of expectations and

know what

in here and you had to hear all my sob story.I shouldn't be disturbing you, you’re

at that word document for

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

to see the clock, and the time showed that it was

technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

as he got

pack of beer.He lifted them up in

"You got beer?"I questioned.

helped me write better,"he

had all night were those stupid

some booze, especially to help me forget all

I nodded my head vigorously at him and said, "Yes

up

a re-run of Law and Order on TV and we used our matching onesie pajamas because they

couch and Tristan fell asleep next to me, when a sudden loud knocking

pounding on the door got

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

got up from the couch and