Chapter 12: The TA

Cameron Hayes' POV

After my encounter with Ella and her friend at the cafeteria, I cannot help but smile at her flustered face. Does she think that she can avoid me? Well, I would suggest her to think again. And I have to say, I will have so much fun when I saw her around campus.

Not that it will be any different since I was her TA in her Volcanology Ecosystem 101. I cannot help but I will bully her to keep her close to me for letting me work around the clock at WWF before I was getting offered here.

I will have my fun with her, I thought as I was getting to my seat after the introduction. I don't want to be so eager to take my seat beside her, it will be too suspicious as we know each other. But we do.

I will be making my moves later after the meeting with the new graduate students and I saw that her name was on the invitation. I will make my move then. For now, I will keep my distance.

As far as I can.

I was concentrating on what Max was telling us. He was my advisor since the director of WWF magazine was tight with him. I cannot believe but he accepted me under his wings after he read my senior thesis and I was happy to be his TA when he offered me the placement.

I was smiling as he was discussing the syllabus and the exams and other important things that the students need to make a note of. I don't want to glance at Ella but I have to. So, I make my subtle move that I will be taking something from my backpack behind me and looked at her.

And what a sight it has been.

Ella was concentrating as her eyebrows furrowed together and I was enticed by her. She was looking at the slides before I shook my head and turned to look at Max again. I was smiling before he was mentioning me for my TA office hours. I stood up as I was facing the graduates.

"As you might all know, my office will be down the hall of the Geology department. I will be there during 10-11 AM on Monday and Wednesday, then 1-2 PM on Friday. If you guys have any questions before you want to come to visit me, you can email me at chayes@nyu.edu. I will see you guys there," I said as I was smiling at them before I saw that Ella was not paying attention.

Or maybe she was trying to avoid my attention.

I smirked inwardly before I was turning to take my seat and I was smiling at Max before he started to get to the first topic of the class.

After the class has ended, I was waiting for Max to talk to him about my research. It would be hard for me to get used to this new lifestyle as I was going back to school after years of working. I might get some advice for Max while I'm at it.

"So, I see that you are settling well with your new station in life," Max commented when we were walking back to the department building. I was happy that I have a friend here, well except for Alex and Brad that will be posing as an assistant professor later. I smiled at Max.

"It's good to be back to the city after I have been stuck in WA for a while," I said as I was looking around the campus and the city's hustle and bustle in the distance.

"I hope you're not going to miss Seattle," Max said, laughing at his joke. I smiled again as I was holding the door for him to walk through. The new faculty meeting will be today after lunch. Maybe I can catch Ella before that.

"I will see you later then. Oh, you also can meet your fellow mate, Silas. He's researching on the tectonic movement and seismic activity," Max said as he was smiling at me. I nodded.

"It seems tough subject but I'm sure he's a genius," I said. Max nodded.

"He is but he's also a womanizer. I think he flirted with prof. MacWatters' wife before," he said before my eyebrows shot up again.

Silas with Lea? Now that was an uncommon pair.

Max shrugged before I was saying goodbye to him and I made my way to the cafeteria to get my lunch before the meeting. On my way out, I met the woman that was walking with Ella before. She has a Southern accent in her.

"Excuse me?" I asked as I was walking up to her. She turned toward me before she scowled at me. It seems to me that Ella has filled in about me with her.

"Mr. Hayes," she said as I smiled at her.

"Please, call me Cam," I said as I smiled charmingly at her. She narrowed her eyes at me.

"What do you want, Hayes?" She asked with an iciness in them. I amused with her as I was with Ella but Ella's better to show her irritation of me.

"It seems that you are acquainted with Ella," I started before she huffed at me before she turned to glare at me.

"Look here, mister," she said as she was pointing her delicate finger at me.

"She is something," someone said as I turned to look at the office that graduate students would have their office there. It was Dylan Windell, an astronomy Master's graduate, and right now, he was pursuing his Ph.D. in that major as well.

How do ask I know him?

Well, he was my best friend for one. And also, he was my cousin at that. My father and his father were brothers but we have a different surname since my father married my mother. They changed it after my father can wield the Fire element and my uncle wielded the Wind element.

"Hey, cuz. Fancy seeing you here," I said as I was hugging him. He scoffed before he was shaking his head as he smiled at me.

"I would say that line since I have been here during my Master's program. You suddenly wanted to continue your study after years of spending your time in WWF. What changed?" He asked as I was shrugging at him. I don't have to tell him anything.

Especially Ella.

"So, do you know that chick?" I asked him as Dylan was eyeing her that was long gone. I can see that he quite fancied her before I smirked at him. He scowled at me.

"Don't get any idea, coz. She's mine," Dylan said while pointing his finger at me. I held my hands in surrender.

What was it with this couple, pointing at people?

"Hey, I have my interest," I said before I was looking at the clock. Shit, I have another hour before the meeting. I need to catch Ella if I wanted to talk to her.

"I have to go now. I see you around, coz," I said as I was walking toward the door.

"Come home for dinner!" He shouted but I don't reply to him as I was determined to meet Ella in the cafeteria.

Ella Lattone's POV

I sighed as I was sitting at the table with Daisy in front of me. I texted her that we would get lunch together and right now, I feel my appetite was losing on me.

"What's wrong? You don't seem down when you eat something spicy before," Daisy, being perceptive as she was, did not missed a thing. I sighed again.

"I don't think I can do this program, Dee. It seems that Hayes was here to make sure that I will suffer. He's my TA for one of my classes," I said as I was poking at the tacos. Even tacos have lost its fancy for me.

"Wait, your ex-boss was your TA? Damn, this is more challenging than I ever thought. Did you know that he approached me when I was about to leave the building? He was insufferable!"

"You don't say," I said as I know exactly what Daisy was talking about. Hayes will not bother her if he did not hold any interest in Daisy. Sure, Daisy was a Southern belle. Who would not want her?

Me, on the other hand…

"Mind if I join you guys?" A deep, male voice interrupted us and I know it sounded so familiar because it was Cameron Hayes, of all people. I turned to look at him and he had this amusement look on his face.

Not sure what he was amused about.

"No, we're done here. You can take the table if you want," Daisy said as we were turning to leave before Hayes stopped us.

"Come on, ladies. Try to be hospitable. I wanted to talk and get to know you guys. We're about to work together as a faculty after all," he said as he flashed one of his charming smiles. The one that turned my inside flipped.

"No thank you, Mr. Hayes. We will be off now," Daisy replied.

"Please, call me Cam. I insist," he said as he was focusing his eyes on me. I rilled my eyes at his flirtation.

"Well then, Cam, I hope you will enjoy your lunch since you have ruined ours. Good day now," I said before I took my tacos and grabbed Daisy as we were moving out of our table and out of his overbearing presence.

Ugh, why does he have to show up everywhere?!

"Nice comment," Daisy said as I was smirking for the first time in my life. It seems that my year will not be difficult after all.