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.

distance between us and there

truth was that

me, sure

the moment, I couldn't see it and

all I wanted now was to

petty, but I wanted him to realize that what

was missing him.I got back to Philly late that night.I

was how I spent my birthday

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

were on and I heard the sound of

inside and saw Tristan sitting

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked

shocked to see

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

you supposed to be in

don't wanna talk about

my head back and groaned in exhaustion.It had been

empty and I like the silence.Helps me get my

to the laptop on

writing because he

"Oh,"

and I got

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

and he pulled on my hand, motioning for me

on? You wanna talk about

hold it anymore.The next thing I knew, I burst

showed

didn’t even call...and it's supposed to be my

around me and cooed me gently as

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

"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 making a reservation for

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

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

continued my rant after blowing my nose so gracefully into the tissue

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

friends, but they used to have a thing together back in high school,"I replied, and I rolled my eyes

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

of Ian and Ally filled my head and I

never showed up for the dinner and

and

too.We barely have any time together, and even we're together, he’d always be on the phone with Ally talking about

to him

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

let out a sad smile

birthday and a shitty summer.You deserve

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

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

my seventeenth birthday, we took a road trip to Princeton and he

on my graduation day and for my eighteenth birthday, he drove us to Philly and helped me move in to

on my nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of expectations

Emma, I don’t know what

had to hear all my sob story.I shouldn't be disturbing you, you’re working," I said as I

document for the past hour, not doing anything.I need a break," he said

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

see the clock, and the time showed that it was

technically your birthday, wanna

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

up his face as he

a six pack of beer.He lifted them up in the air and

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me write better,"he

night were those stupid mocktails and

some booze, especially to help me

vigorously at him and

up drinking throughout the

a re-run of Law and Order on TV and we used our

1.30 AM in the morning and I had fallen asleep on the couch and Tristan fell asleep next to me,

groaned groggily as the pounding on the door got louder

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

up from the couch and staggered towards the