The English Teacher ➳ Emison

Chapter 3 | Drunk

Alison was starting to think she was going crazy. She felt like she had blinked and something had completely shifted. She didn't know what happened but she knew she didn't like it.

Emily had become withdrawn over the past week. She was no longer smiling at her in the hallway, not greeting her when coming into class... Alison was pretty sure she was going out of her way to avoid her, too.

Yesterday, during their tutoring session, Emily merely listened and took notes. She didn't talk to Alison like she used to, didn't inquire about her life or made jokes with her.

Alison knew she should've been glad about this change, it was what she had wanted to do herself, after all, but she just couldn't find any satisfaction in this situation.

She liked it when Emily teased and humored her, and she loved making the girl laugh. Being the reason for the brunette's warm smile was the greatest sensation she had felt in a long time.

But things weren't like that anymore and she had no idea why. The change was so sudden that she started to wonder if she had done something drastic for Emily to cut her off like that.

It was now Friday, and English class was undergoing. Twenty minutes into class and Alison was already noticing that Emily was mentally miles away. The brunette was looking down at her desk, seemingly preoccupied with a million different thoughts.

"Everything we know about Jay Gatsby, we know from Nick Carraway's perspective," Alison retold, strolling casually through the classroom. Her eyes swept over her students as she passed through rows of desks. "We, as readers, know that Nick is honest, tolerant, and inclined to reserve judgment, so we tend to trust everything we learn about Gatsby too."

She reached the front of the class, leaning her back against her wooden desk. "Now, as the novel progresses, what do we find out about Gatsby from Nick's narration?"

A few hands rose up to answer, but not the one she was looking for.

"Emily?" she asked, causing the brunette to flinch slightly, breaking from her thoughts. Distracted brown eyes met hers and Alison raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Do you want to answer that?"

Emily seemed completely out of place, stuttering as she looked around, "U-Uh..."

Alison knew Emily was familiar with the material. After all, she had a private hour a few times a week with the girl, and Emily definitely knew the answer, but why was she not listening in the first place?

Toby looked to his side, sensing that Emily was struggling. He lightly cleared his throat, stepping in for his friend, "We learn that Gatsby was born as James Gatz on a farm in North Dakota and he was working for a millionaire, which made him dedicate his life to pursuing wealth. Then, when he met Daisy in his time training to be an officer in Louisville, he fell in love with her."

Alison finally veered her gaze from the brunette, who breathed out in relief, shooting the boy a grateful look.

The teacher turned to Toby, "Thank you for that answer. Very insightful."

She continued on with the lesson, finishing it just as the bell rang. It was time for the students to go to lunch, but as she watched Emily pack her things and head toward the door with Toby, she knew she had to say something.

"Emily?" she piped up, gathering the brunette's attention. "Can I borrow you for a moment?"

Emily, caught in surprise, told Toby to go ahead to the cafeteria before biting her lip nervously as she went over to Alison.

She stood in front of the blonde but didn't meet her eye and Alison surveyed her curiously, glancing at the door to make sure all of the other students had left before she spoke.