Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

EMMA’s POV : 

The first week of college was a rush of classes, people, names, places, and feelings.

After lan went back to Georgia, it finally hit me, I was alone in this big, big world.

Thankfully, Sophie and her brother Tristan were kind enough to keep me company everywhere I went.

We attended days’ worth of seminars, picnics, icebreaker games, tours, and parties during Welcome Weekend.

Every day we were meeting new people and we heard every kind of advice available.

"Be careful of the freshman fifteen, it’s real,"

"Make sure you eat and drink plenty of fluids, the clear kind,"

"Listen to your professors, they will change your life,"

"If you need help, don't be afraid to ask for it,"

And then, the advice I dreaded the most, "Your social life is just as important as your academic life.Make sure that nothing is holding you back and you're putting yourself out there,"

"What are some things that would hold me back?"I asked.

"Things like, feeling homesick, isolating yourself, or long distance relationships,"they would reply.

I never knew that being in a long distance relationship was such a bad thing, especially in your freshman year of college.

As soon as I told people about it, their reactions were pretty much the same: "High school sweethearts? Aw, that's cute.But long distance relationships don’t work, sweetie,"

Sometimes I felt like smacking these people in the face and saying, "You don’t know my story! You don’t know what lan and I had been through! We're gonna make it!"

But I didn’t wanna look like a lunatic, so I'd just nod politely and smile.

"Don’t listen to these people.I think it’s great that you and lan are doing long distance.It’s the test of true love,"

Sophie winked at me.

Sophie and I had just finished our first week as college freshmen, so we went out to celebrate at this college bar that everyone kept dishing about.

It was a cool bar, it reminded me a lot of the bar in Emory where lan and I first met.

I got all sentimental every time I thought of lan or heard someone mentioned his name.

Quickly pushing the negative thoughts aside, I smiled at Sophie.

"Thanks, Soph, I think so too,"

"Trust me, they're just jealous of what you have.They wish they have someone that loves them and waits for them back home,"Sophie was so sweet.

I felt like I struck gold on the roommate front.She lifted her drink and we clinked glasses.I was smiling at her and she smiled back.

We were having a sisterly moment, when Tristan decided to join us.

"Hey ladies, what are we talking about here?"he asked.

"Tampons,"Sophie replied.

"Okay then,"Tristan grabbed his drink and got up on his feet.

"Just kidding, sit down,"Sophie laughed.

Sophie and Tristan were absolute sibling goals.

They were so similar, yet so different.

Sophie was outspoken while Tristan was soft-spoken.

Sophie was a big extrovert while Tristan was more of an introvert.

while Tristan was more artistic and

a business major while Tristan

they loved each other and they were looking out for one

couldn't help but feel a little

older between the two of

"Me!"Sophie exclaimed proudly.

she refused

that eight minutes of my life, little brother, you have no

dramatically.exclaiming, "I know,

the word ‘K-town’ as we walked her out of the

a chuckle and he

some tofu soup.It'll sober you up.What do you say,

if I could,"Tofu soup in Korea-town sounded

food in Korea-town was and I was excited to

the timing

my phone and saw that

lan tonight after

to him that he was still

come on, roomie, this is tofu soup we're talking about! Let’s

was giving me her best puppy

anything else, I heard my phone

message from lan saying that it was getting late and we should

the universe was throwing

was right, it

go home right now and get on Facetime, we'd probably only talk for a couple of minutes before

at the screen and said, "Alright, let's

a

wasn’t lying about the

never had spicy tofu soup and rice cake

Sophie sobered a little,

watermelon soju and that was

went right back to drunk Sophie

hail a cab when

back and Tristan

story short, no cabs wanted to pick us

up taking the public

on my shoulder and her feet were up

day and she just checked

to admit though, I was having a lot

I had a feeling four years would be a

first week of college went by so great, I still couldn't help but check my phone from time

and I went to sleep dreaming

always missing lan and I

talked nonstop on the phone, but

your boyfriend?"Tristan asked when he saw me playing

lock screen was a picture

smiled at the

treating you so

not the best experience, but we're

"That's cool,"he nodded.

don't think it’s stupid? Most people here would say that

"Love is love,"he shrugged.

choose who you fell in love with but you can choose to stay with them or not.You're

freshman class, that was probably

smiled at him, pausing for a moment before

Anyone special

got nervous

in love with

Sophie said suddenly.

closed, but

"Shut up,"Tristan hissed.

"Who’s Monique?"I asked.

high school with us.She’s also here in U Penn, but we're