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 was nothing

that I didn’t

loves me, sure he

see it and I

I wanted now

to realize that what he was doing to me was

got back to Philly late that

how I spent my

the apartment door, I was

and I heard

inside and saw Tristan sitting

"Tristan?"I gaped.

looked shocked

were both shocked to see

I thought you and Sophie are coming back

Aren't you supposed to be in the city with your boyfriend?"he asked

I don't wanna talk about it,"I sighed dramatically and joined him on

head back and groaned in exhaustion.It had been a

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

gesturing to the laptop

doing a lot of writing because he

"Oh,"

I got up

gonna bother you.I’m just

pulled on my hand, motioning for me to

talk about it?"Tristan

knew, I burst out crying into

showed up..."I

call...and it's supposed to

me and cooed me gently

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

even bring me out to New York City if he

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

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

my rant after blowing my nose so

"Who's Ally?"he asked.

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

You think

so...God, I hope not!" images of Ian and Ally filled my

showed up for the dinner and he didn’t call you, so you got upset and

lip and nodded my head

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

never said anything to him all summer long?"he

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 never does.Even though I was with him every day, I still

let out a sad

had a shitty birthday and a shitty summer.You

took me on a road trip.I don’t know what happened to us now and why we're so distant from each other,"I

for us.My sixteenth birthday was the first time I

a road trip to Princeton and he inspired me to apply

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

my nineteenth birthday, I had a lot of expectations and they

I don’t know what

to hear all

been looking at that word document for the past hour, not

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

see the clock, and the time showed that it was

still technically your birthday,

"How?"

I stifled a laugh.

up his face as he got up and headed to the

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

"You got beer?"I questioned.

me

night were those stupid

could use some booze, especially to help me forget

vigorously at him and said, "Yes

up drinking throughout the

we used our matching onesie pajamas because they

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

groggily as the pounding on the door got

"Who is that?"I croaked.

"I don't know,"Tristan replied.

up from the couch