[center][h2][b][u][color=goldenrod]Jeremiah[/color][/u][/b][/h2][/center]
Lunch was mediocre at best. Usually, by the time Jem got home he was too tired to make something extravagant, so he quickly threw a salad together or mooched off his friend's lunch. His eating habits were atrocious even if he could cook fairly decent. Before he had arrived in the teachers' lounge, Jenna needed assistance with the new song she was writing, like what notes to use that could help her transition to the chorus. The freshman was quite the gifted girl with a promising future if she kept applying herself. Of course, young adolescents would always find their way into petty dramas, peer pressure, and fantastical dreams. The wise professor wanted his students to know they had someone to help them if they ever sought his guidance. There was a method to his madness. He could be a tough ass or he could be vibrant entertainer. At the core of his teaching technique though, Jem believed the mind needed to be challenged, always. There was never one way of teaching, which was part of the beauty of being a teacher. 

People in general had a formula they lived by. Part of why this scruffy man was able to pass school was because he could read his teachers like a book and knew exactly what they wanted. For example, one professor he had, if he mentioned a major current issue before class started they would never call on him during their lectures assuming he did all the work because he was well versed in the world around him. Since Jem was aware of how the student mind worked, he chose to be the anomaly. Someone they couldn't pin down or figure out. By doing that, they never fell asleep in his class, they never forgot an assignment, even if some of them bullshitted their homework, and they were always involved, whether they liked it or not. He didn't think he was the best teacher but he did think his teaching methods were his own, which separated him from the rest of the staff members. As long as he came to terms with who he was and how he preferred to work, that would reflect in his strategy and he would grab the attention of his students. [i]Confidence was key[/i].

No matter how scary or not a teacher was, if they believed in themselves, their students would notice that. Teens were filled with angst. They needed strong role models that could direct them and help them see the positive in their life. Of course, there would always be those students who refused to open their eyes, like he was growing up. Those were the students that more often than not needed to figure things out in their own time. They would have to fall before they understand what was needed of them. The professor didn't want his students to feel like they were less than. If anything, they were all important to him and one day, to themselves. Experience is what they needed to come to terms with, but sometimes it takes a lifetime to figure things out. Their actions will have various results but those actions will always be their own. They are the conductor of a beautiful orchestra, and the performance is their life. 

During his lunch with Eric, he couldn't help but think about his schedule for the next couple of weeks. When would he have time to go Christmas shopping? He would have to make time to see what Peter and Eric wanted, but not be blatantly obvious that he was thinking about the holidays more than the concert itself. Jem's attention was brought to the pink-face Eric when the dark haired man realized he didn't have his hair gel on his person. Playfully rolling his eyes, the blonde professor waved at his friend as he left the room. Cleaning up the table but not throwing away his 20 oz water bottle, Jem had one thing on his mind: he wanted a cigarette. 

Making his way outside the school building (with his bottle), not bothering going back to his office for his jacket, the handsome blonde pulled out his poison and placed a stick in between his lips. After he took out his golden zippo lighter, he lit the addiction and enjoyed his moments alone in silence. Jem placed his lighter back in his pocket and looked up at the sky, taking in the fresh air and the nature around him. His cheeks faintly gained a rosy color from the brisk wind. Letting the smoke slither down his throat and into his lungs, the tired man kept the noxious fumes in his body for a good while before releasing it in a large filthy cloud. Inhaling, exhaling. 

At this rate, he was bound to get lung cancer. C'est la vie. There wasn't much on his mind. With no one in his current vicinity, the professor observed his surroundings, filling his mind with the beautiful imagery of the school grounds. 

Once he was done with his last drag, Jem put the cigarette butt in his water bottle, not one for littering. Going to an outside garbage can, he dumped the ashes into the garbage and then went inside to wash the water bottle (so he could recycle it). Accomplishing exactly that, the professor's hands were free, as he checked the time on his brazen watch in a hallway. [color=goldenrod][i]Ah, I should get to class...[/i][/color]

The man's ears perked at the sound of small footsteps coming down the hall toward him. A smile automatically fell on his face when he saw Peter, at the end, walking aimlessly. His keen hazel eyes couldn't help but catch sight of the dismay on the young professor's face. Pet wasn't looking at where he was going either... The tall lover took the next opportunity to send a quick text to one of his subordinates: [i][color=goldenrod]Can you lead choir? I'm behind in grading[/color][/i].

Within seconds, Jeremiah received a text from one of his go-to teachers, who happily replied: [i]Absolutely! We're here to help![/i]
She was one of the newer music teachers, whose schedule was conveniently available most days. When he finished his actions, the worried man slowly walked toward his destination, glancing inside the classrooms to find an empty one. 

Finding one at the center, he quietly went to check if it was unlocked. Yes! For glory! 

Patiently, he waited. Pet made his way but seemed to be too dazed out to notice the professor by the classroom door. Was this the science department hallway? The next moments flashed by like a hurricane. Grabbing a hold of his boyfriend, Jem eagerly pulled him into the classroom, the door shut behind them, and he wrapped the small man in his warm embrace. An embrace that would have not been taken so kindly if the student body were to witness it. [i][color=goldenrod]Yep, science...[/color][/i] They were in an obvious lab room. The room was dark and unnervingly quiet. The sound of breathing was the only thing that could be heard. 

"[color=goldenrod]How's my Puppy doing?[/color]" Some of Jem's main pet names for Peter were Pup or Puppy because of his strong desire of wanting a dog, but it also helped that Pet was incomprehensibly adorable. 

They didn't have much time but he kept the small one in his arms and buried his face in Pet's hair, taking in the scent that was part of what made Jem crave him.  

"[color=goldenrod]Lets do something after school. Just me and you. Whatever you want. We can go out to TasteofThai? I know how much you like their spicy food~. Or, I can take you to my place and make you some dinner. Watch a movie, maybe have some sundaes?[/color]" This would be the first time Jem has offered to bring his boyfriend to his humble abode. 

The main thing that was on the man's mind was: [color=goldenrod][i]I want to make him feel better[/i][/color]. 

[@KiwiBaer]