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.

was no distance between us and

simple truth was that

me, sure he

see it and I couldn't

wanted now was to get

realize that

Philly late that night.I took a cab to my new apartment and hauled my big fat suitcase up

how I spent my birthday

was expecting to find the room dark and

and I heard the

and saw Tristan sitting on the

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked to

shocked to see each other

doing here? I thought you and Sophie

here? Aren't you supposed to

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

trashed my head back and groaned in exhaustion.It had been

and I like the silence.Helps me get my work

to the laptop

a lot of writing because he worked in the

"Oh,"

I got up to my

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

said and he pulled on my hand, motioning for me

going on? You wanna talk

thing I knew, I burst

showed up..."I

didn’t even call...and

me gently

back seat all summer long, but that’s okay, because he’s working towards his dreams and I didn’t wanna get

New York City if he didn’t even have the time to spend with me.Why bother making a reservation for something he won't

the box of tissues on

anymore.I think he got bored with

rant after blowing my nose so gracefully into the

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

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

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

hope not!" images of Ian and Ally filled my head

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

and nodded my

before that too.We barely have any

never said anything to him

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

out a sad smile

and a shitty summer.You deserve so much better

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

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

Princeton and he

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

I had a lot of expectations and they were all crushed in

sorry, Emma, I don’t know

and you had to hear all my sob

been looking at that word document for the

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

to see the clock, and the

technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

face as he got up and headed to the

six pack of beer.He lifted them up

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me

I had all night were those stupid

use some booze, especially to help me

nodded my head vigorously at him and said,

ended up drinking throughout

re-run of Law and Order on TV and we used our matching

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

groaned groggily as the pounding on the door

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

relief, he got up from the couch and staggered