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 he

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

wanted now was to

him to realize that what he was doing to me

him.I got back to Philly late that night.I took a cab

I spent my birthday

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

I heard the sound

walked inside and saw

"Tristan?"I gaped.

shocked to see

to

you and Sophie are

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

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

my head back and groaned in

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

said, gesturing to the laptop

of writing because he worked in

"Oh,"

mouthed and I got

gonna bother

my

going on? You wanna talk about it?"Tristan knew something was

I burst out

showed up..."I

call...and it's

arms around me and cooed me gently as he

summer long, but that’s okay, because he’s working

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

crying mess.Tristan grabbed the box of

think? I think he doesn’t love me anymore.I think he got bored

my nose so gracefully into the

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

to have a thing together back in high school,"I replied, and I rolled my eyes for

You think he’s cheating

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

never showed up for the dinner and he didn’t call you, so you got

bit my lip and nodded my head

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

never said anything to him all

quiet because I didn’t wanna get in the way ..but...I can’t do it anymore.I thought by now things will get better, but it

let out a sad

you had a shitty birthday and a shitty

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

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

seventeenth birthday, we took a road trip to Princeton

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

a lot

Emma, I don’t know what else to say,"Tristan sighed

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

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

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

to see the clock, and the time showed that it

since it’s still technically

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

face as he got up and headed to

he came back with a six pack of beer.He lifted them up in the

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me

I had all night were those stupid mocktails

some booze, especially to help me forget all about this

I nodded my head vigorously at

I ended up

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

the morning and I had fallen asleep on the couch and Tristan fell asleep next

as the pounding on the door got louder

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

got up from