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 nothing

truth was that

loves me, sure

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

now was to get

him to realize that what he was doing to me

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

I spent

was expecting to find the room

I heard

saw

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked

shocked to see each other

you doing here? I thought you and

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

about it,"I sighed dramatically

my head back and groaned in exhaustion.It had been a

early because the apartment's empty and I like the silence.Helps me get my work

to the

doing a lot of writing because

"Oh,"

got up to

worry about me, I’m not gonna

he pulled on my hand, motioning for me to sit

wanna talk about it?"Tristan

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

never showed up..."I

him...he didn’t even call...and

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

all summer long, but that’s okay, because he’s working towards his dreams

breath in between 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

grabbed the box of tissues on the

me anymore.I think he got bored with me

after blowing my nose

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

his best friends, but they used to have a thing together back in high school,"I replied,

think he’s cheating on you

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

showed up for the dinner and he didn’t call you, so you got

lip and nodded my head

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

anything to him all summer long?"he

things will get better, but it never does.Even though I was with him every day, I still feel so

out a sad smile and said,

had a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You deserve so much

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

for us.My sixteenth birthday was the first time

a road trip to Princeton and he inspired me to

engaged on my graduation day and for my eighteenth birthday, he drove us to Philly

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

Emma, I don’t know

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,

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

turned his head to see the clock, and the time

still technically your birthday, wanna

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

as he got up and headed to

he came back with a six pack of beer.He lifted

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me write better,"he

some?"All I had all night were those

to help me

I nodded my head vigorously

ended up

TV 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

on the door got louder and

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

relief, he got up from the couch and staggered