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 nothing else to

was that

me, sure he

the moment, I couldn't see it and I couldn't

wanted now was

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

late that night.I took a cab to my

I spent

I opened the apartment door, I was

were on and I

saw Tristan

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked to

to

I thought you and

Aren't you supposed to be in the

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

back and groaned

came early because the apartment's empty and I like

the laptop on the

was doing a lot of writing because he worked

"Oh,"

I got up to my

not gonna bother you.I’m just gonna get

said and he pulled on my

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

it anymore.The next 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

gently as he said, "That really sucks.I'm

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

to 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 time to spend with me.Why bother making a

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

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

blowing my nose so gracefully into the

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

friends, but they used to have a thing together back in

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

so...God, I hope not!" images of Ian and Ally filled my head and

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

and nodded my

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

you never said anything to him all summer

thought by now things will get better, but it never

sad smile

a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You deserve so much better than

year for my birthday, he drove for hours and took me on a road trip.I don’t know what happened to us now and why

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

Princeton and he inspired me to

for my eighteenth birthday, he

on my nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of expectations

sorry, Emma, I don’t know what else to

not 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

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

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

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

since it’s still technically your

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

face as he got

six pack of beer.He lifted them up in

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me

I had all night were

especially to help

I nodded my head vigorously

I ended up

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

asleep on the couch and Tristan fell asleep next to me, when a

pounding on the door got

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

relief, he got up from the couch