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

truth was that I didn’t matter

me,

at the moment, I couldn't see it and

wanted now was to get

wanted him to realize

I was missing him.I got back to Philly late that night.I took a cab to my new apartment and

I spent my birthday

was expecting to

and I heard the sound

walked inside and saw Tristan sitting

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked to

shocked to see each other

here? I thought you and

you supposed to be in the city with your

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

groaned in exhaustion.It

the apartment's empty and I like

the laptop on the

of writing because he worked in

"Oh,"

I got up to my

gonna

my hand, motioning for me to sit

talk

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

showed

for him...he didn’t even call...and

me gently

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

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

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

got

rant after blowing my nose

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

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

You think he’s cheating on you with

of Ian and Ally filled my head

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

bit my lip and nodded my

and night before that too.We barely have any time

said anything to him all summer

can’t do it anymore.I thought by now things will get

sad smile

really sucks.Sorry you had a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You deserve so much better

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

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

Princeton and he inspired me to

got engaged on my graduation day and for my eighteenth birthday, he

nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of expectations and they were

sorry, Emma, I don’t know what else to say,"Tristan

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

looking at that word document for the past hour, not doing anything.I

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

and the time showed that it was 11:45

still technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

up his face as he

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

"You got beer?"I questioned.

helped me write

were

use some booze, especially to help

my head vigorously at him

and I ended up drinking throughout the

we used our matching onesie pajamas because they were so

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

groaned groggily as the pounding on the door

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

my relief, he got up from