The teacher, on the other hand, continued her teaching professionally, pretending not to notice the shift in the classroom's air. She cleared her throat, typing the topic neatly on the digital board.
"Now, as I was saying, today's class is on the reproductive system," she explained. Her tone was calm and professional. "We will be focusing on the structure and functions, starting with the male system before moving on to the female."
The murmurs slowly died down as students turned their attention reluctantly back to their notes, though every now and then, curious glances flickered toward Athena and Theodore's side of the room.
Athena took a deep breath and tried to follow the lesson, forcing her pen to move across her notebook, but she could still feel him sitting there cold, silent, and impossible to ignore.
The digital pen squeaked faintly against the smartboard as the teacher continued with her calm voice.
"The male reproductive system consists of both external and internal structures. The external organs include the penis and the scrotum…"
The word penis had barely left her lips before the air in the classroom changed. Students at the back row, whistled clearly enjoying themselves as they lean forward, followed by an exaggerated cough. A few students covered their mouths with their hands, eyes watering from suppressed laughter.
"Silence," the teacher snapped, adjusting her glasses. "This is a biology class, not a playground. If you cannot handle the topic, you may excuse yourself."
The room settled into an uneasy quiet again, though there was still faint laughter, dancing in the air. Athena kept her eyes on her notebook, forcing her pen to move steadily across the paper. Her face stayed neutral, but her ears turned red. She hated how childish the others acted, how easily they broke into laughter over something so trivial.
Theodore, seated beside her, didn't move. Not even a flicker of emotion crossed his face. She wandered how he was able to sit like that without giving any reaction.
The teacher tapped the board again with the digital pen.
"The scrotum houses the testes, which produce sperm and the hormone testosterone. Together, they play a vital role in reproduction."
A hand suddenly shot into the air dramatically.
Everyone turned. It was Leo, yeah the same Leo. The class clown. His grin stretched wide, his eyes glimmering with mischief as he leaned lazily back in his chair.
"Yes, Leo?" the teacher asked warily, already bracing herself.
"Uh, ma'am," he began, voice dripping with false innocence. "You said the penis delivers sperm, right? But like…" He paused dramatically, looking around the room before finishing, "what happens if the 'delivery guy' gets… stuck in traffic?"
The classroom exploded.
Some students slapped their desks, laughing hard. Others buried their faces in their arms, as their shoulders shake uncontrollably. A boy in the back nearly fell off his chair, while a girl gasped, fanning herself as if she might faint from laughing too hard.
The teacher froze. Her lips twitched, her face strained as she tried to keep her composure. But even she failed. A short, unwilling chuckle escaped before she cleared her throat loudly, straightening her spine.
"That is… not a scientific question, Leo," she said, fighting a smile. "And I expect more maturity in this classroom."
But her voice wavered slightly, betraying her struggle.
Athena, who had been biting the inside of her cheek to hold back, felt the corners of her lips betray her. Just slightly. Her mouth curved into the faintest smile before she forced herself to press it away, tightening her jaw. She would not laugh. She would not give in.
Theodore, however, didn't so much as blink. He sat there with that same frozen expression, his face carved from stone. While the whole room shook with laughter, while even the teacher's mask cracked, Theodore remained untouched like a silent storm in human form.
Athena hated that she noticed. Hated that part of her admired how unshaken he was, how he seemed untouchable in moments where everyone else fell apart.
Still, her pen moved. She bent over her notebook, hiding the faint curve of her lips that refused to fully disappear.
The laughter finally died down after Leo's ridiculous question, though faint chuckles still rolled through the class. The teacher cleared her throat again, trying to bring back authority into the room.
"Enough," she said firmly. "We are not children. Let's move on to a more important section of the male reproductive system. I expect your full attention."
She tapped her digital pen against the smartboard, writing as she spoke.
"Now, pay close attention. The prostate gland."
The word itself made a few students snicker again. The teacher gave them a glare sharp enough to cut glass.
"The prostate gland," she continued, "is a small but critical organ. It produces a fluid that nourishes and protects sperm. But listen well, it is also one of the most dangerous parts of the male reproductive system if not cared for. An enlarged prostate or prostate cancer can cause severe health issues, even death, if ignored."
The atmosphere shifted at her tone. The seriousness in her voice was undeniable, but still, teenagers being teenagers, it didn't stop some of them from whispering.
"Did she just say death?" one boy muttered, wide-eyed.
"So… wait, does that mean… guys can actually die because of that thing?" another asked, half nervous, half amused.
A girl at the back let out a dramatic gasp, clutching her chest. "Oh my God, imagine telling your parents you died because of your… prostate!" The whole row burst into laughter again.
The teacher smacked her palm against the desk.
"Quiet!"
The room hushed immediately, though some still bit their lips, fighting to keep straight faces.
Athena's brows furrowed slightly. Unlike the others, she wasn't laughing. She wrote every word carefully, every details. She didn't care about the stares or the whispers around her. To her, this wasn't a joke, it was an important information, knowledge. Knowledge meant survival. That was all that mattered.
The teacher continued, her voice firm and professional again.
"The prostate is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body. Problems with the prostate can affect both reproduction and urination. This is why understanding it is so crucial."
A boy raised his hand. He didn't even wait to be called on before he started talking.
"So basically, the prostate is like… a ticking time bomb for guys?"
Groans and laughter broke out again.
"Shut up, idiot!" someone hissed, half laughing.
"Bro, I'm scared now," another said, clutching his lap like he could protect himself.
Even the bubbly girl, sitting not far from Athena, covered her mouth with both hands, her shoulders trembling from stifled giggles.
Athena, however, kept her face straight. Only the tiniest twitch at the corner of her lips betrayed her. She forced herself to remain calm, pen scratching steadily across the page.
The teacher turned back to the board, erasing the words "male reproductive system" with a quick swipe of her digital pen and writing neatly again.
"Now… let us move to the female reproductive system."
Immediately, a shift rippled through the room. Boys leaned back in their seats, smirks already tugging at their lips. Girls sat up straighter, some already bracing themselves for what was about to come.
Athena's pen was ready, her expression calm, but her chest tightened a little. She had already seen how the boys reacted earlier, it wasn't going to get any better here.
The teacher began professionally, voice clear and controlled.
"The female reproductive system consists of both internal and external organs. Its main purpose is the production of eggs for fertilization, and the environment for supporting the growth of a fetus."
The class was quiet for a moment, listening… until she said the next part.
"The external part of the female reproductive system includes the vagina..."
It was like a thunder strick up in the sky.
A low chuckle broke out in the back row. Then another. And another. Soon the room was filled with stifled snickers, shoulders shaking, boys covering their mouths like children.
"Did she just say vagina?" one boy muttered loudly, unable to hold it in.
"Bro...say pussy instead!" another added, and the room erupted into laughter.