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

was that I

loves me, sure he

see it

wanted now was to get

being petty, but I wanted him to realize that what he was doing to me

I was missing him.I got back to Philly late that night.I took a cab to my new

was how I spent my

I was expecting to find the room dark and

on and I heard the

and saw Tristan

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked to see

shocked to see each other

doing here? I thought you and Sophie are coming back

you supposed to be in the city with your

about it,"I sighed dramatically and joined him on

groaned in exhaustion.It had been

the apartment's empty and

to the

doing a lot of writing because he worked in

"Oh,"

mouthed and I got up

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

on my

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

it anymore.The next thing I knew, I burst out crying into his shoulder,

showed up..."I

waited for him...he didn’t even call...and

linked his arms around me and cooed me gently as he said, "That really sucks.I'm so sorry,

long, but that’s okay, because he’s working towards his dreams and I didn’t wanna get in the

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

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

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

my rant after blowing my nose so

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

a thing together

you saying? You think he’s cheating on you with

and Ally filled my head and I shook my head violently,

He never showed up for the dinner and he didn’t call you, so you

and nodded

just about the dinner.It’s about every day and night before that too.We barely have any time together, and even we're together, he’d always be on

anything to him all

because 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,

a sad smile

you had a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You

on a road trip.I don’t know

us.My sixteenth birthday was the first time

seventeenth birthday, we took a road trip to Princeton and he inspired me to apply to Ivy

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

nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of expectations and

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

to hear all my sob

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

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

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

since it’s still technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

his face as he got up and headed

six pack of beer.He lifted them up in the air

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me write

some?"All I had all night were those stupid mocktails and

use some booze, especially to help me forget

head vigorously

ended up drinking throughout

TV and we used our matching onesie pajamas because they were so comfortable and

was about 1.30 AM in the morning and I had fallen asleep on the couch and Tristan

groggily as the pounding on the door got

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

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