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.

and

truth was that I didn’t matter

me, sure

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

wanted now was to

I was being petty, but I wanted him to realize that what he was doing to me

as I was missing him.I got back to Philly late that night.I took a cab to my new apartment and hauled my big fat suitcase up three

was how I spent

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

were on and I

walked inside and saw Tristan

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked to see

both shocked to see each

here? I thought you

here? Aren't you supposed to be

a long story, I don't wanna talk about it,"I sighed dramatically and joined him

and groaned in exhaustion.It had been a long

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

said, gesturing to the

doing a lot of writing because he worked

"Oh,"

got up

about me, I’m not gonna

said and he pulled on my hand, motioning

on? You wanna talk

burst out crying into his shoulder, snorting like a sad ugly

showed up..."I

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

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

back seat all summer long, but that’s okay, because he’s

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

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

he got bored with me or

rant after blowing my nose so

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

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

You think he’s cheating

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

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

and nodded my

about every day and night before that too.We barely have any time together, and even

you never said anything to him

..but...I can’t do it anymore.I thought by now things will get better, but it never does.Even though I was with him every

a sad

you had a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You deserve so much better than

me on

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

trip to Princeton and

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

lot of expectations

know what else to

you had to hear all my sob story.I shouldn't be

at all.I've been looking at that word document for the past hour, not doing anything.I need

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

clock, and the

technically your birthday, wanna

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

he got

with a six pack of beer.He

"You got beer?"I questioned.

helped me write better,"he

were those stupid mocktails

to help me

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

ended up drinking throughout the

and we used our matching onesie pajamas because they

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

pounding on

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

from the couch