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 there was

simple truth was that I didn’t

me, sure

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

I wanted now was to

wanted him to realize that what he was doing to me was

that night.I took

how I spent my birthday

I was expecting to find the room dark

on and I heard the sound of the

saw Tristan sitting on the

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked to

were both shocked to see

thought you and

are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in

a long story, I don't wanna talk about

groaned in exhaustion.It had been

the apartment's empty and I like the silence.Helps

said, gesturing to the laptop on the

lot of writing because

"Oh,"

I got up to

me, I’m not gonna bother you.I’m just gonna get

pulled on my

going on? You wanna talk

couldn't hold it anymore.The next thing I knew, I burst out

showed up..."I

even call...and it's supposed to

arms around me and cooed me gently as he said, "That really sucks.I'm so sorry,

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

would he even bring me out to New York City if he didn’t even have the time to spend with

grabbed the box of

think he doesn’t love me anymore.I think he got bored with me or something.His priority is

my nose so gracefully

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

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

are you saying? You think

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

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

and nodded my head

night before that too.We barely have any time together, and

you never said anything to him all

do it anymore.I thought by now things will get better, but it never does.Even though I was with him every

out a sad

and a shitty summer.You deserve so much better than

boyfriend ever.Last 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 we're so

was always a special thing for us.My sixteenth birthday was the first time I met

took a road trip to Princeton and he inspired me to apply to Ivy League

graduation day and for my eighteenth birthday, he

here I was, on my nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of expectations and they were all crushed

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

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

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

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

his head to see the clock, and the time showed that it was 11:45

since it’s still technically your

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

up his face as he got up and headed to the

he came back with a six pack of

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me

had all night were those stupid mocktails and

help me forget all about this stupid

I nodded my head vigorously at him and said, "Yes

ended up drinking throughout the

Law and Order on TV and we used our

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

on

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

he got up from