𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐏𝐄𝐓 (joel miller) ✔️

chapter one: a new professor

october 2nd, new york

With a coffee in her hand and ‚enjoy the silence' blasting through her headphones, Millie entered the university.
The first day of the new semester is exhausting, even for her. Especially when the first lecture starts at 8am.

Life isn't fair, she thought to herself as she walked through the still-empty halls. Her roommates were all still sleeping like babies when she left the apartment. But somehow it was her own fault, taking two courses at the same time and being a teachers assistant every year is just exhausting.

But she likes it that way. She hates stress, but she stresses herself all over again every semester. She thinks she can handle it, but as soon as she gets into stressful situations, she despairs and doesn't want to leave her bed. Only last year she got a masters degree in astronomy. Just for fun.

But her major was history, it has always been her passion. She was aiming for a doctorate, even if she doesn't even know what she wants to do after NYU. Probably teach history herself.

She loves history, especially Antiquity and the Middle Ages. In addition, her professor Mrs Gilbert is the best teacher in the world. Otherwise she probably wouldn't have volunteered as a teacher's assistant.

Millie was on her way to Mrs Gilbert's office when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh hi Kurtis," Millie greeted her friend and classmate, both of them were history majors.  "Hi Millie, how are you?"

"Fine, how about you?"

"Yeah, a bit tired but otherwise okay, uhm .. did you come here alone today?" he asked a little nervously. Millie had to suppress a grin, she knew exactly why he was so nervous.  Ever since she once took her roommates to a party, Kurtis had fallen head over heels in love with Millie's best friend Linh.

"Yes, Jess and Clarissa's semester doesn't start until next week," she replied as they both headed towards Mrs Gilbert's office.

"Ah okay I see, and um Linh?" he asked. This time Millie couldn't help but laugh.  "Man Kurtis, you should really talk to Linh, it's been like this for about half a year. And her first lecture today is at 10"

"Yeah, I will, don't stress me," he murmured.
"Otherwise I'll tell her"
"No please don't, you promised you wouldn't tell anyone else. even with a pinky promise"

Millie just rolled her eyes, "Don't worry I won't. But well, I'll be able to hook you up somehow. And for that, please name your first child after me" she said with a laugh.

He just looked at her terrified.
"Hey Millie isn't a bad name you ass. But it was just a joke anyway, I'll help you."

As the two of them stood in front of the office door, Millie knocked.  "Do you want to talk to Mrs Gilbert too?"

"Yes, I have to catch up on an exam from last year." Millie nodded and just as she was about to say something, the door opened. 

"Good morning Mrs Gilb-" she stopped when she saw that her usual professor wasn't standing in front of her.
But a man much older than her, with a white shirt and black jacket. He had short brown hair, a beard and really dark brown eyes.

"Oh hello, uhm is Mrs Gilbert here yet?" she asked confused.  Who is this? And why is he in Mrs Gilbert's office? She had a single office, so usually there were never any other professors here. Or is that her husband?

"No she's not, how can I help you?" he asked. He sounded a bit stressed, but had a really nice voice.
"Oh, well never mind then we'll come back later when she's here. Thanks anyway" she said and wanted to turn around and leave. "She won't come," the man said.

"Oh?"

"She had a medical emergency, I'll take over her lectures from now on"
"Oh God, what happened? Is she alright?" As said, Mrs Gilberts is her favorite teacher, and also her guidance counselor.

"I don't know if she wants me to talk about her health. So how can I help you?"

"Oh, I have to catch up on an exam from last semester.  Unfortunately I missed it because of an injury," Kurtis explained.
"Ah yes, you're Kurtis Allen right? Susanne let me know about that. It would be best this week if you are prepared for it."
"Yes, that's fine." They made an appointment on Thursday. 

"Do you need something too?" he then asked Millie while he was still writing on his calendar.  "Yes, I am Mrs Gilbert's TA. We always met on the first day to discuss the semester"

"Ah yes, she also talked about you, Millie right?" he asked her and she nodded.

"I haven't decided yet who I would take as a TA, I have to get through all of Susanne's stuff first. The incident was only 5 days ago," he explained.

"Oh okay, well I've always been a TA, every year," Millie said, a little puzzled. She loved it, she just needs it to keep her busy.

The man just chuckled and Kurtis looked at her like she was crazy. "I don't know any students but you two, I clearly have to get to know all the students first in order to decide who to take. If I have time I'll decide this week," he replied.

"Thanks for the help, we'll let you set everything up now," Kurtis said politely and pulled her out of the room. 
"You're so stupid," he said, laughing, after closing the door.

„I'm not stupid"

"Yes, let the poor man arrive first, he knows for five days that he has to take over the job, he'll have other problems than your job as a TA"

"But I was every year."
"Yeah, probably because Mrs. Gilberts considered you her best friend"

The two friends went to the lecture hall where the first lecture was supposed to start in 10 minutes. Unfortunately, since Millie doesn't know anyone else in class this semester, she sat down with Kurtis next to his friends Tyler and Peter.

"Hey Millie, you look hot" Tyler said with a grin.
"Don't even try," she replied, annoyed. Her mood was screwed. TA did so well on her resume. In addition, nobody in the whole course ever wanted to be TA.

"You're coming to my party on Friday, aren't you? To start the new semester"

Actually, she didn't want to, but her friend Clarissa and Peter have been a couple for 2 years. 
"Yeah, probably, because of Clarissa you know that."
"Perfect, this is going to be the best party of the year," Tyler said with a grin, wrapping his arms around Kurtis and Peter's shoulders. How a guy like Tyler can be friends with such nice guys like Kurtis and Peter really is a wonder.

"And I hope you end up in my bed this time," he said, grinning. For which Kurtis glared at him and poked his arm away.
"I'm just joking, you know that Millie, right?"

"Sure, I'd rather die than end up in your bed," Millie said, and at exactly the same moment the door opened and her new professor came in.

"Good Morning. A few of you may have already noticed, unfortunately Mrs. Gilberts is not able to work at the moment and I will take over her lectures," he said and wrote something on the whiteboard.

Mr. Miller