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 to

simple truth was that I

me, sure he

at the moment, I couldn't see it and

all I wanted now was to get

realize that what he was doing to me was

miss me, just as much as I was missing him.I got back to Philly late that night.I took a cab to

I spent

the apartment door, I was expecting to find the

I heard the sound of

walked inside and saw Tristan

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked

to see each

are you doing here? I thought you and Sophie are coming

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

story, I don't wanna talk about it,"I sighed dramatically and joined him on the

my head back and groaned in exhaustion.It had been

and I like the silence.Helps me get my

said, gesturing to the laptop on

writing

"Oh,"

and I got up to

I’m not gonna bother

pulled on my hand,

wanna talk about it?"Tristan

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

showed

even call...and it's

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

okay, because he’s working towards his dreams and I didn’t wanna get in the way

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

was a snorting and crying mess.Tristan grabbed the box of

love me anymore.I think he got bored

my rant after blowing my nose so gracefully into the

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

thing together back in high

are you saying? You think

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,

up for the dinner and he didn’t call

my lip and nodded my

too.We barely have any time together, and even

you never said anything to him all

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

let out a sad smile and said,

had a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You

he drove for hours and took me on a road trip.I don’t know what

us.My sixteenth birthday was the first time

to Princeton and he inspired

eighteenth birthday, he drove us to Philly and helped

lot of expectations and they

sorry, Emma, I don’t know

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

that word document for the past hour, not

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

and the time showed that it

since it’s still technically

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

as he got up and headed to the

of

"You got beer?"I questioned.

helped me write better,"he

were those stupid mocktails

to help me forget all about this stupid

vigorously at him and said, "Yes

up

of Law and Order on TV and we used our matching onesie pajamas because they were so comfortable and

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

groaned groggily as the pounding on the door got louder and

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

relief, he got up from the