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.

us and there was nothing

simple truth was that

me, sure

moment, I couldn't see it and

wanted now was to

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

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

how I spent my birthday

apartment door, I was

the lights were on and I heard the sound of

walked inside and saw

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked

both shocked to see

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

here? Aren't you supposed to be in the

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

head back and groaned in

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

to the laptop on the coffee

doing a lot of writing because he worked in the

"Oh,"

got up to my

worry about me, I’m not gonna

my hand, motioning for me to sit

talk about it?"Tristan knew

couldn't hold it anymore.The next thing I knew, I burst out crying into his shoulder, snorting like

never showed up..."I

waited for him...he didn’t even call...and it's supposed to

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

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

paused to catch my breath in between sobs, "But why would he even bring me out to New York City if he didn’t even have the time

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

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

blowing my nose so gracefully into the tissue

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

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

think

images of Ian and Ally filled my head and I shook my head violently, hoping it

that's what happened? He never showed up for the dinner and he didn’t call

lip and nodded

every day and night before that too.We barely have any time together, and even we're together, he’d always be on the phone with Ally

you never said anything to him all summer

now things will get better, but it never does.Even though I was with him

out a sad smile

sucks.Sorry you had a shitty birthday and

year for my birthday, he drove for hours and took me on a road trip.I don’t know what

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

Princeton and he

birthday, he drove us to Philly and helped me move in to

my nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of expectations and they were all crushed in just one

know what else to say,"Tristan

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

disturbing me at all.I've been looking at that word document for the past

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

clock, and the time showed that it was 11:45

technically your

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

he got up and headed to the

of beer.He lifted them up

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me

all night were those stupid mocktails and

help me forget all about

my head vigorously at him

I ended up drinking

and Order on TV and we used our matching onesie pajamas because they

I had fallen asleep on the couch and Tristan fell

groaned groggily as the pounding on the door got louder and

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

from the