Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

Chapter 75: Summer Nights 

EMMA’s POV :

----- ONE MONTH LATER - - -- -

Today marked the day that my first year of college was officially over.

I had finished all my exams and completed all my work.

Sophie, Tristan, and I were moving out of the dorm to a three-bedroom apartment near campus.

It felt so surreal, but it was all happening.

Overall, I would say that my first year of college turned out really great.

I enjoyed my classes and I couldn't ask for better friends.

All these things were great, but the best part about finishing my first year of college was that I get to spend an entire summer with my lovely fiancée.

Ian just finished his contract at the school and he was moving to New York City.

He got an apartment already and everything was set.

He was so excited.

Every time I talked to him about the gallery, his eyes lit up and he couldn't stop smiling.

It was honestly, high-key very cute.

After everything in Philly was sorted out, I got on a train and headed for New York City.

I had my big luggage with me, filled with every cute outfit I got for the summer.

I even got some new bikinis that I was excited to wear for when we go to the beach.

I made a whole itinerary, a bucket list of all the things I wanted to do with Ian this summer.

I wanted to have a picnic and watched a movie at Bryant Park because they do movie nights on a projected screen on Mondays.

Then I wanted to have some Korean barbeque in Korea-town because Sophie told me they had the best Korean food there.

I also wanted to see the Brooklyn Bridge and visit Williamsburg, Tristan told me it was an area filled with hipster stuff and that sounded pretty cool.

I also wanted to go see the statue of liberty and get to the top of the empire state building.

Some of these things sounded touristy, sure, but hey, I was a tourist.

I deserved this touristy itinerary.

Actually, all those things didn't matter as much as the fact that I get to spend every waking moment with Ian.

We were pretty much living together for the next two months.

It was like a practice run for what our future would be like when I become Mrs.Emma Hayes.

Call me cheesy or whatever, but yes, I've been writing my name as Emma Hayes on my notebook sometimes.Stupid, I know.

But I couldn't help myself.

There was nothing in this world I wanted more than to be his future wife.

I was giggling and smiling to myself like a schoolgirl as I made my way out of the train station.

I had a spring in my step as I went to the meeting point, scanning the room for a familiar face.

Ian was picking me up at the station and I couldn't be more excited.

Weirdly enough, I couldn't see him anywhere.

I didn’t think too much of it, and I pulled my phone out to call him.

The call went straight to voicemail and I realized something wasn't right.

On my messages, I noticed a voice note from Ian.

He sent it about twenty minutes ago and I must have missed it.

"Baby girl, hey, I'm really sorry but I’m still stuck in this meeting with a potential investor.I'm not gonna make it in time to pick you up at the station, but I'm sending a driver over.His name is Earl and I'll send you his number in a bit.He’s gonna be waiting for you at the meeting point.I'll see you at home, okay? I love you, I'll see you soon,"

The voice note ended and I felt my heart sank to my feet.

Ian wasn’t gonna pick me up.

Sighing to myself, I scanned the room again and I saw this old man in a suit and he was holding on a sign with my name on it: Ms.Emma Sinclair.

We locked eyes with each other and I smiled at him.

Walking over to him, I said, "That's me.Are you Earl?"

"Yes, Mr.Hayes sent me to pick you up.Welcome to New York, Miss Sinclair," he nodded politely and went to grab my bags.

"Thank you," I said gingerly.

It wasn’t him, I was just being petty.

I wanted to see Ian and instead I got a driver.

I wanted to be called Mrs.Hayes, but I was just Emma Sinclair for now.

Still a long way to go.

Earl was nice and chatty.

He gave me tips on what places to visit and where to get the best New York style pizza in the city.

We drove for about half an hour before we reached this tall building that was Ian’s apartment.

Ian gave the spare keys to Earl to give to me so I could go right up.

Ian got a two-bedroom apartment in the Lower East Side.

He converted the other room as a studio where he could do his work.

As soon as I stepped inside, I could smell him and I could see a lot of the stuff he used to have at his apartment back in Georgia.

Immediately, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia.

I saw his old desk, his record player and all his vinyl collection.

On the shelves, I saw his books, the same ones I used to borrow and read back in high school.

Coming inside his studio, I noted at all the paintings he hung up and the one in the middle made me smile.

It was a painting of a girl with her hair flying everywhere and she looked a lot like me.

There were a lot of sketches and paintings of a girl that looked like me scattered all over the room.

It made me wonder if Ian had drawn all these because he was missing me.

My heart felt so full and I wanted to cry.

I ended up spending the next hour just sitting in his studio, going through all his artwork. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Maybe it was an invasion of privacy, but he left it out in the open and once I started, I couldn't stop.

Looking at his artworks was like getting a glimpse into his heart.

He told me he loves me plenty of time, but seeing it like this, so visual and so vivid, it made me feel things I couldn't describe.

I feel so lucky to be loved like this by someone, someone that I love right back.

I didn't realize that I had been there for a while.

I was sitting at Ian’s desk and his chair was so comfortable, I ended up falling asleep on it.

The next thing I knew was that I felt two strong arms pulling me up and I was being carried somewhere else.

I pried my eyes open and saw a familiar face staring down at me.

His dark, piercing eyes were warm and glistening.

His lips twitched into a smile when he noticed that I was awake.

"I’m sorry for making you wait so long," Ian spoke.

His voice was soft and gentle.

He was wearing a suit and a tie and oh, he looked so handsome.

"Hey, you’re here?"

I linked my arms around his neck and murmured against his chest.

He brought me to the bedroom and lay me down on the bed.

He kissed the top of my head and he stayed like that for a while, letting out a long sigh.

"I'm sorry I couldn’t come get you.The meeting was crazy, but we got some good investments in our hands,"he said after a while of silence.

"It's okay, I'm just glad I’m here with you now," I smiled at him.

"I'm glad you're here too," he smiled and leaned his lips down to mine.

It was a short kiss, but it was absolutely divine and it left me wanting for more.

"Come here to bed," I said as I tugged on his tie playfully.

He let out a sigh and a sad smile as he said, "Baby, I'm sorry, but I have to go back to the gallery,"

"What?" I gaped.

"I just came to check up on you and I brought you something to eat. I only have like half an hour.

There’s a big client in town and he’s only gonna be here for a day, he moved our meeting to tonight,"

"Really?" I pouted.

"But, you just got here,"

"I know, I know.I’m so sorry.I'll just do this meeting and tomorrow we'll spend an entire day together.I'll make it up to you, I promise," he smiled reassuringly.

I wanted to say no, but that wouldn't be fair to him.

I didn’t wanna act like a child, so I let out a small smile and said, "Fine, but you owe me a date in the city tomorrow,"

"Deal.Tomorrow, I'm all yours," he smiled brightly.

Ian was about to stand up but I grabbed him last minute and pressed my lips against his.

I held on for as long as I could before I pulled away, letting him know how much I've missed him.

He bit on his bottom lip and his dark brown eyes pierced into mine.

His hand went to cup the side of my cheek and I could see it in his eyes that he didn’t wanna leave.

I leaned my face into his hand and let out a soft sigh.

* RING! * RING! * RING! *

The sudden ringing of his phone caused our bodies to jerk up instantly.

He pulled his phone out and stood up from the bed.

"Ally? Yeah? I know, I'll be right there," he said to the phone.

Right, of course, she would be there.

Ian didn’t say another word to me.

His ear was glued to the phone as he kissed the top of my head and waved goodbye.

I waved back and watched him disappear out the door in a flash.

Jealousy is not a good look on you, Emma.

Ian is just doing his job.

Don’t let Ally and her perfect long legs get to you.

Shaking off these ugly thoughts aside, I decided to go to the bathroom and take a long hot shower instead.

The summer was just starting and I refused to let this one thing ruin my entire trip.

I lathered up using Ian’s soap and I loved how I could smell like him all night long.

After drying myself with a towel that also smelled like him, I went to his closet and grabbed one of his t- shirts.

I was feeling a little hungry so I went outside and saw a brown bag set on the kitchen counter.

There was a little post-it note that said: ‘Dinner, love Ian’.

Inside the brown bag was my favorite shrimp Pad Thai and papaya salad.

I spent the rest of my first night in the city eating Thai food and lounging on Ian’s couch, watching TV.

I waited until around 11 PM until! got sleepy and I went to bed.

I snuggled my face into his pillow and inhaled his intoxicating scent.

I loved being in his apartment, everything smelled like him and it was heavenly.

Ian didn’t come until late that night.

It was about 1 AM when I felt two strong arms snaked around my waist and pulled me into a hug.

I didn’t have to open my eyes, I knew from the way he moved and he the shape of his body that it was him.

I rested my hands on top of his, holding him tight and making sure he wasn't going anywhere else.

"I love you, baby girl. More than you could ever know,"

I couldn't respond in words, so I responded with my body.

I snuggled closer into him until there was no distance between us.

His warm breaths were fanning the crook of my neck and I could feel his heartbeat pressed against my back.

Our bodies were molded into one and I drifted back into sleep, clinging onto his skin.