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.

distance between us and there

truth was that I

loves me, sure

see

wanted now was

being petty, but I wanted him to realize that what

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

how I spent

I was expecting to find the room

the lights were on and I heard the sound of

walked inside and saw Tristan sitting on

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked

both shocked to see

you and Sophie are coming back

to be in the city with your boyfriend?"he asked

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

head back and groaned in exhaustion.It had been a

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

said, gesturing to the laptop on the

of writing because he worked in

"Oh,"

and I got

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

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

wanna talk about

I burst

showed up..."I

even call...and

me gently as he

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

if he didn’t even have the time to

mess.Tristan grabbed the box of

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

continued my rant after blowing my nose so gracefully

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

a thing together back in high school,"I replied, and I rolled my eyes for added dramatic

You think he’s cheating on you

images of Ian and Ally

the dinner and he didn’t

lip and

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 phone with Ally

said anything to him all summer

it anymore.I thought by now things will

sad smile and

you had a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You deserve so much

and took me on a road trip.I don’t know what happened

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

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

and for my eighteenth birthday, he drove us

birthday, I had a lot of expectations and

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

fault.I’m sorry I came barging in here and you had to hear all

that word document

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

clock, and the time showed that

still technically your

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

face as he got

six pack of beer.He lifted them up in the

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me

had all night were those stupid mocktails and

especially to help me forget all

I nodded my head vigorously at him and said,

up drinking

Law and Order on TV and we used our

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

groaned groggily as the pounding on the door got louder

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

from the couch and staggered towards the