Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

IAN’s POV : 

Fucking bullshit! I got in a car as fast as I could and drove until the bridge when I stopped myself.

She didn’t want me to come.

She wanted some space.

Punching the steering wheel in anger, I turned the car around and drove back.

We are ninety miles apart.

How much more space does she want? I didn’t understand this at all.

She chose to talk about big life decisions with that Tristan guy over me, her own fiancée.

What the hell? "I didn’t wanna tell you until I'm ready because I know you're gonna make my decisions for me,"

Her words were stinging in my ear.

What did that even mean? Was she saying that I was controlling? I tried to call her again, but her phone was off.

And even if she picked up the phone, I didn’t know what I would say to her.

She asked for space to think, goddamnit, why can't I be a mature person and give it to her? Suddenly, my phone started buzzing and I picked it up immediately.

My heart was racing at the thought that Emma was calling me back, maybe she was changing her mind? "Emma?!"

I said to the phone without even checking it.

"Hey, no it’s me, Ally,"the voice on the other line said.

"Oh,"I sighed as my shoulders slumped down in disappointment, "What's up, Al?"

"Where are you right now?"

"In the car,"

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere,"

I said simply.

"Oh...okay...well, I have some things I wanna discuss regarding the grand opening day.I was gonna see if I can come over to your place to talk about it, but it sounds like you're busy, so..."

"No, I can talk.I'll come to your place.I'm not far,"

"Really? Okay then.I'll see you in a bit,"

Turning off the call, I made a quick U-turn and drove towards Ally’s.

If I went home right now, I would just keep kicking myself in the head and replaying all the words Emma said to me.

That wasn't gonna do me any good.

I decided to give Emma her space and I would try her again tomorrow.

As of right now, I wanted to think about something else other than the looming space between Emma and I.

Going over to Ally’s and talking about work seemed like a better idea I reached Ally’s apartment within minutes.

Beaming with excitement, she opened the door for me and led us to the living room.

As much as I wanted to act like everything was okay, all I could muster was a half smile.

"So, listen, I wanna go through the guest list with you,"

Ally said as soon as we sat on the couch.

On the coffee table was a stack of papers and invitations to our gallery's grand opening.

"Our capacity is at 140 people.I know you said you don’t want more than 20 reporters, but I think we should have more.

There are at least 30 important media people from all the five boroughs,"

Ally was going on and on about the guest list and invites.

I nodded along like I was listening, but only half of me was there in that room.

The other half was still thinking about Emma and if I should have done something or said something else.

"What’s going on, lan? What’s on your mind?"

Ally said suddenly, pulling me out of my train of thought.

"Huh?"

"You can barely focus.Tell me, what’s wrong?"

"It's nothing,"

on the table,

Emma,

Ally pressed on.

thought I was her calling

just shit

guest list

didn’t say

looked at me knowingly and stood up

towards a cabinet and pulled out a

25 year old single malt

like you could use

thought you don't drink

me,"she poured a generous amount into one glass and gave it to

it from

Ally made a deal with me not to drink

spent weeks in the hospital trying

sober now, I

 "Thanks,"

a big gulp and let the fiery warm liquid enter my system.It was exactly

"Whoa, slow down,"

watched me downed

the empty glass down on the table and

water into her glass and she took a sip of her

in paradise?"she said as she played

you two were going

long distance.We don't talk as much anymore.I feel like I’m losing her.And the harder I try to grasp, the

lan.Maybe she’s not ready for such a

sighed and stared

It was empty again.

she’s way mature.I’m the

"What do you mean?"

topped off my drink again.  "She’s always growing and becoming more and I'm afraid I've passed my

can't be true, can

"I don't know,"

have you been

"For a while,"

you never

head and took

wasn't completely honest with Richard and that’s the thing that ended our engagement.Don’t make

I supposed to tell her, Al? Sorry for not being man enough, but please be

pathetic would that sound? I don’t

she told me earlier? She said

be honest, you can be

because I was afraid

like her, not in a million

I admitted.

"That's not true,"Ally said.

the world and see there’s plenty of

about, lan.You're a great

in a comforting

know

never told me the

Emma, but I couldn't tell her much.I could never tell

wanted trouble.But basically, I was

high school when she first met me,

that young, but the moment I laid eyes on her at that bar, I

be into guys like me,

was young

selfish and

to the back alley and fiicked her next to

student of mine, instead of running for

was a sick son of

was supposed to be the mature adult,

rules, I took her again and

so tight around

almost raped by a dude

up on her future for me

her move on with her life, I had to come

I couldn't control

convinced

to church when

recite ‘love is patient

why was my love this unkind? My love for her

was proud and self-

wonder she

I was suffocating her.

you're having

in my hand and