Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

Chapter 55: Acceptance Rate 

EMMA’s POV :

It was mid April and spring was in the air.

It had been two months since lan and I broke up and...there was nothing much I could say about that.We still tan into each other every now and then around the school.We'd give polite smiles or nods, but that was about it.My heart still ached every time I walked past him or heard his voice.My friends said things will get better in time, and I realized that two months weren't enough time.

I still wondered about him daily.I wondered if he thought of me just as much.If he did, he wasn’t showing it.I buried all my energy and time by hanging out with friends, family, working, and doing extracurricular activities.If I wasn't in cheer practice or swim meets, I would spend my time hanging out with Tiff and Carrie at the mall or working on the community garden with Tyler.I had dinner with my family almost every day of the week.After the accident, mom and I couldn't be closer.Dad never said one word to me about the pregnancy, he was never a man of many words.

Plus, mom had probably filled him in on everything.They kept a close watch on me, though.I was never officially grounded, but if it wasn’t school related or best friends’ related activities, I would allow was never officially grounded, but if it wasn't school related or best friends’ related activities, I would allow myself out.

On weekends, I still picked up same shifts at the diner.

Iwas saving up good money and I was still excited about college.

Only two more months left for school and I couldn't wait for it to be over.

Sure, leaving this town and all my friends behind would suck, but there was so much pain that I had endured this past few months that leaving town sounded like the best way out.

It was Saturday morning, and I still had a few hours before my shift at the diner.I was lounging on the couch casually with the TV on.Mom and dad were in the kitchen.I was checking through my phone when I noticed an email from the admissions office of U Penn.The subject read: Admission Decision from the University of Pennsylvania.

"Mom! Dad!"I yelled after them.

With shaky hands, I clicked the email and the letter unfolded on the screen.I couldn’! believe what I was seeing and my breath was stuck in my throat.

"Honey? What is it?"mom and dad entered the living

"Hey! “I yelled.

"He jokes about this now, we've reached that point,"mom waved her hand and laughed, "So, what did it say?"

"Mom, dad, you are looking at a full ride scholarship recipient to the University of Pennsylvania!"

I exclaimed with my hands in the air. Mom and dad were shocked.

They couldn't speak of move for a second, it was like they were trying to take it all in.

"Me, I’m talking about me!"I said again.

"Oh my god, you got in?* mom said finally, her voice came out breathlessly.

"Yes! Full ride scholarship!"

I repeated it again.

"Oh my god! Bill! Oh my god!"mom finally understood what was going on.

She pulled me into a hug and we Started jumping up and down in excitement.

Meanwhile, dad was just staring at us with his jaw on the "i'm gonna go to an Ivy League school! With a full scholarship!"

I squealed into my mom's chest "Oh, honey, I'm so proud of you,"mom was holding back her tears as she cupped my face with both her hands.

"I knew you could do it.We're so, so proud,"

I smiled and nodded into her hands.

On the corner of my eye, I noticed dad standing behind her and he was wiping tears away from his face.

Dad was never the emotional type and to see him cry tears of joy for me, that just made my whole year.

With the accident and pregnancy scare, I had put my parents through the wringer.

Receiving this amazing news was the best thing that has happened to us since the accident.

These past few months I was living life somewhat apathetically.

Yes, I laughed and I cried, but mostly I felt numb.

This piece of news today brought the excitement of my life back, I: For the first time in months, I was excited about life and what the future holds.

Still holding onto my mother’s arm, I pulled away slightly and pulled dad inte the hug.

The three of us were hugging each other in that living room and I felt so warm and so loved.

I had so much hope in my heart now and it somewhat made up for all the shitty things that had happened.

"Our baby's going to college,"mom said to dad, and he just nodded and stifled back his tears.

"I couldn't have done it without you guys.Thank you for always supporting me, even through those terrible things that I've done,"

I said as I cried into their shoulders.

Mom and dad didn’t say another word, but they held me tight and stroked my hair, as if to say everything would be okay from here on out.

And for the first time in a long time, I believed that it would.

The first thing I wanted to do after hugging my mom and dad and screaming at the top of my lungs that I was gonna go to U Penn, was to call my friends and gushed to them.

I did that and Cartie and Tiff were so happy for me.We decided to meet up later after my shift to celebrate.Carrie was inviting Mark and Tiff invited Nick, so I thought to invite Tyler as well.Tyler and I got along great as friends.After Tiff, Carrie and my stuffed animal Mr.Snuggles, he would be my fourth best friend.

After texting Tyler, I was left with this thought that I Missed telling one more person.

"Mrs.Ash..."I said to myself.

I wrote Mrs.Ash an email, telling her af the good news and thanking her for all her help.

After I sent that email, I was still left with the feeling that I missed telling someone else.

And then it hit me...lan.I got a new phone and a new phone number, but I had memorized lan’s number.I could easily give him a call or text him if I wanted to.

But I didn’t know if I should.

So in the end, I spent the next hour writing texts and deleting them.I ended up with nothing.I thought about all the scenarios.I could say hey and how are you and he’d reply with some type of small talk.

Then I would tell him that I got into U Penn, and he'd congratulate me.

And then what? That was probably it.

Telling him about U Penn felt like bringing up painful memories of what our future could have been.So after an hour of staring at my phone, I decided that it was best to be left alone.

I finished my shift at the diner at around 8.30 PM that night.

I told my friends to grab dinner before meeting me, and I would join them for dessert.

By 9 PM, I arrived at our favorite ice cream store and my friends were already waiting for me.

The moment I came in through the doors, my favorite chocolate and vanilla banana split was already waiting for me on the table.

Tiff, Carrie, Mark, Nick, and Tyler were sitting around the booth, clapping their hands and cheering at me.

"There is she is, University of Pennsylvania!"

Mark hollered and whistled, causing everyone in that shop to turn their heads.

"Guys, stop, you're embarrassing me!"

I hissed, but secretly I was enjoying all the attention.

At least for once, they were positive.

"U Penn and a full scholarship.Dang, girl, you're amazing,"

Tiff hugged me and pulled me into the booth.

"Sucks that you’re gonna be on the east coast and the two of us will be in the west,"Carrie said, referring to herself and Mark.

"But, hey, we'll meet back here every holiday, promise?"

"Promise,"I nodded to the both of them.

"So, you two are going to Berkeley?"Tiff asked.

"I'm going to Berkeley.Mark’s going to Stanford,"Carrie announced proudly.

"Stanford, damn!"Tyler said and gave Mark a high five , That's dope, man,

"Thanks, it is a great school,"

Mark said and he turned to Carrie,

"Also only a short car ride away to Berkeley,"

"Damn right it is,"

Carrie nodded in agreement.

"What about you, Ty? Where are you gonna go?"

Tiff turned to Tyler.

"I'm staying in the state, University of Georgia,"

"Okay, so it’s settled.

No matter where we end up, every Thanksgiving or Christmas break when we're here, we'd meet up in this place,"

Carrie shot us all a look.

"Hear, hear,"

we agreed and raised our glasses of water.

It was such a sweet night.

I had the most amazing group of friends around me and my favorite ice cream concoction.

Still, a part of me felt like something was missing.

And I knew exactly who that was.

My friends and I were talking about college and senior week.

We were just enjoying ourselves when suddenly, Tiff nudged my elbow and her eyes darted to the glass window.

On the corner of my eye, I saw lan walking past the store.

He wasn’t alone, he was walking with a girl.

She looked familiar, and I was sure I had seen her somewhere before He was with Ally.

His old friend from high school.

The super gorgeous girl who also used to have a thing for him.

They were walking and chatting, and he was laughing at something she said.

Both of them didn’t realize that I was inside the store, looking right at them.

Everything happened so fast, they were just walking by.

The timing couldn't be any more perfect.

And just like that, the chocolate in my mouth tasted sour.

lan always said that there was nothing going on between Ally and him.

But what was she doing here? And why did he look so happy with her? And why do I even care? I had no more right to.

"Em? You okay?"

Tiff whispered lowly so that no one else would hear.

Everyone else was still debating the pros and cons of joining a frat or a sorority, so they weren't paying attention to the lightning that just happened in front of my eyes.

For a few seconds, I didn’t respond to Tiff.

I couldn't do anything.

I was trying my best to hold it together and not crumble into my banana split.

Tiff held my hand under the table and squeezed it tight.

I gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand gently back.

Just when I thought that life was gonna get better for me, it went around and threw me this! Two months were definitely not enough time to get over a heartbreak of this caliber.

Tonight was proof.

I had to come to terms with that the hard way.

Although it was difficult to see him out and happy, he deserved it.

And I deserved that too.

Seeing him walk past the ice cream store for three seconds of my life tonight had taught me this: My friends, family, and college were my future.

lan and I were history.