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.

no distance between us and there

that I didn’t

me,

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

now was

realize that what he was

got back to Philly late that night.I took a cab to my new apartment and hauled my big fat suitcase up three flights of

I

I was expecting to find

I heard the sound of

inside and saw Tristan sitting on

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked

shocked to

thought you and

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

talk about it,"I sighed dramatically and

groaned

the apartment's empty and I like the

the laptop on the coffee

lot of writing because he

"Oh,"

got up to

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

he pulled on my hand, motioning for me to sit back

You wanna talk

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

showed

didn’t even call...and it's supposed

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

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

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

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

he got bored with me or something.His priority is the gallery and this girl called

rant after blowing my nose so gracefully into the tissue

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

but they used to have a thing together back

are you saying? You think he’s cheating on you with

Ally filled

that's what happened? He never showed up for the dinner and

bit my lip and

any time together, and

said anything to him all summer long?"he

by now things will get better, but

sad smile

shitty birthday and a

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

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

seventeenth birthday, we took a road trip to Princeton and he inspired me to apply to Ivy

and for my eighteenth birthday, he drove us to

a lot of expectations and

don’t know what

and you had to hear all my sob story.I

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

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

his head to see the clock, and the time showed

since it’s still technically

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

crept up his face as he got up and

six pack of beer.He lifted them up in the

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me write better,"he

had all night were those

especially to help me

nodded my head vigorously

I ended up drinking throughout the

re-run of Law and Order on TV and we used our matching onesie pajamas because they were so comfortable

the morning and I had fallen asleep on the couch and Tristan fell asleep next to me, when a sudden loud knocking woke us

pounding on the door got louder

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

he got up from the couch and