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

was that

me, sure he

see it

I wanted now was to get

but I wanted him to realize that what he was

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

how I spent my birthday

door, I was expecting to find the room dark

and I heard the

and saw Tristan

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked to see

both shocked to see

here? I thought you

you supposed to be in the city with

about

and groaned in exhaustion.It

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

to the laptop on the

of writing

"Oh,"

mouthed and I got up

me, I’m not gonna bother

and he pulled on my hand, motioning for me to sit

talk about

thing I knew, I burst out crying into his shoulder, snorting like a sad ugly

never showed

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

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

seat all summer long, but that’s okay, because

to New York City if he didn’t even have the time to spend with me.Why bother making

snorting and crying mess.Tristan grabbed the box of

me anymore.I think he got bored with me or something.His priority is the gallery and this girl called

after blowing my nose so gracefully into the tissue

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

they used to have a thing together back in high school,"I replied,

You think he’s cheating on

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

happened? He never showed up for the dinner and he didn’t call you, so you got upset and you came

my lip and nodded my head

not 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 the

never said anything to him

way ..but...I can’t do it anymore.I thought by now things will get better, but it

let out a sad

sucks.Sorry you had a shitty birthday and a

used to be the best boyfriend ever.Last year for my birthday, he drove for hours and took me on a road trip.I don’t

always a special thing for us.My sixteenth birthday was the first time I met him at that bar

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

day and for my eighteenth birthday, he drove us to

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

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

all my sob story.I shouldn't be

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

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

clock, and the time showed that it was

since it’s still technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

he

with a six pack of

"You got beer?"I questioned.

helped me write better,"he

some?"All I had all night were

help me forget all about

vigorously at him and said,

and I ended up drinking

Law and Order on TV and we used our matching onesie pajamas

on the couch and Tristan fell asleep next to me,

on the door got

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

got up from the couch and staggered