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 was nothing else

simple truth was that I didn’t matter

loves me,

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

I wanted now was to get

but I wanted him to realize

as I was missing him.I got back to Philly late that night.I took

how I spent

door, I was expecting to find the room dark

and I

inside and saw

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked to

shocked to see

thought you and Sophie are coming back next week?"I

What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the city with your boyfriend?"he

wanna talk about it,"I sighed dramatically and

head back and groaned in exhaustion.It had

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

said, gesturing to the laptop

writing because he worked in

"Oh,"

I got up

me, I’m not gonna bother you.I’m

he pulled on my hand, motioning for me to

going on? You wanna talk about it?"Tristan knew

anymore.The next thing I knew, I burst out crying into his shoulder, snorting like a sad ugly

showed up..."I

him...he didn’t even call...and it's supposed

and cooed me gently as he said, "That really

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

my breath in between sobs, "But why would he even bring me out to 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

a snorting and crying mess.Tristan grabbed the box of tissues on the table

he got bored with me or something.His

my nose

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

best friends, but they used to have a thing together back in high school,"I replied, and I rolled my

you saying? 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

the dinner and he didn’t call you, so you got upset and you came

my lip and

have any

said anything to him all summer

kept quiet 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, I still feel

out a sad smile

a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You deserve

boyfriend ever.Last year for my birthday, he drove for hours and took me on a road trip.I don’t know what

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

Princeton and

for my eighteenth birthday, he drove us to Philly

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

sorry, Emma, I don’t know

your fault.I’m sorry I came barging in here and you had to hear all my sob story.I shouldn't be disturbing you, you’re working," I said as I

that word document for the

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

his head to see the clock, and the time showed that

it’s still technically your birthday, wanna

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

his face as he got up and headed to the

came back with a six pack of beer.He lifted them up in the

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me write better,"he

were those

booze, especially to help me forget all

nodded my head vigorously

I ended up

TV and we used our matching

morning and I had fallen asleep on the couch and Tristan fell asleep next to me, when a sudden

groaned groggily as the pounding on the door got

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

up from the couch