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.

between us and there

was that

loves me, sure

moment, I couldn't see

wanted now

wanted him to realize that

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

how I

I opened the apartment door, I was expecting to find the room

on and I

inside and saw Tristan

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked to see

shocked to see each

you and Sophie

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

a long story, I don't wanna talk about

groaned in exhaustion.It had been a

empty and I like

said, gesturing to the laptop on the

doing a lot of writing because he worked in the

"Oh,"

and I got

me, I’m not gonna

said and he pulled on my hand, motioning for me

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

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

his arms around me and cooed me gently as he said, "That really

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

York City if

crying mess.Tristan grabbed the box of tissues on the

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

continued my rant after blowing my nose so gracefully

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

a thing together back in high school,"I replied, and I rolled my

saying? You think

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

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

my lip and nodded my head

barely have any time together,

never said anything to him all summer long?"he

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 so

let out a sad smile

shitty birthday and a shitty

he drove for hours and took me on a road trip.I don’t know what happened to us now and why we're so distant from

was always a special thing for us.My sixteenth birthday was

we took a road trip to Princeton and he inspired me to apply

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

I was, on my nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of

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

sorry I came barging in here and you had to hear all my sob story.I

at all.I've been looking at that word document

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

the clock, and

still technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

up his face as he got

pack of beer.He lifted them up in

"You got beer?"I questioned.

helped me write

some?"All I had all night were those stupid mocktails and

help me forget all

I nodded my head vigorously at him and said,

up drinking throughout the

re-run of Law and Order on TV and we

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

groggily as the pounding on

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

my relief, he got up from the couch and