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.

and there was

was that I didn’t

me, sure he

at the moment, I couldn't see it

now was

him to realize that what he was doing to me

I was missing him.I got back to Philly late that night.I took a cab to my new apartment and hauled my big fat suitcase up three flights

was how I

I was expecting to find

and I heard the

saw Tristan sitting

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked

were both shocked to see each other

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

are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to

talk about

trashed my head back and groaned

because the apartment's empty and I

gesturing to the laptop on the coffee

writing because he

"Oh,"

got up to my

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

on my

on? You wanna talk about it?"Tristan knew

I burst out crying into his

never showed

call...and

linked his arms around me and cooed me gently as he

Tristan.I've been in the back seat all summer long, but that’s okay, because he’s working

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 even show up

a snorting and crying mess.Tristan grabbed the box of

he doesn’t love me anymore.I think he got bored with

rant after blowing my nose so gracefully into the

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

they used to have a thing together back in high school,"I replied, and I rolled my eyes for added

you saying? You think

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

never showed up for the dinner and he didn’t call you, so you

and nodded my head

too.We barely have any time together, and even we're together, he’d always be on the phone with

you never said anything to him all summer long?"he

it anymore.I thought by now things

let out a sad smile

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

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

us.My sixteenth birthday was the first time I met him at that

we took a road trip to Princeton

my eighteenth birthday, he drove us to Philly and helped

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

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

in here and you had to hear all my sob story.I shouldn't

been looking at that word document

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

the clock, and the time showed

since it’s still technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

up his face as he got up and headed to the

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

"You got beer?"I questioned.

helped me write better,"he

all night were those stupid

booze, especially to help me forget all about this stupid

I nodded my head vigorously

I ended up drinking

and we used our matching

about 1.30 AM in the morning and I had fallen asleep on the couch and Tristan fell asleep next to me, when a sudden loud knocking woke us

on the

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

my relief, he got up from the couch and staggered towards