Walking around the lecture hall, Ashton watched his students frantically scribble down what he was saying. The scritch-scracth of pen and pencil to paper could be heard throughout the lecture hall, as well as some students typing away on their laptops. Personally, he had always found laptops to be more distracting. For him, as a student, it had been easier to remember things while writing them down by hand.

"So, now that we have discussed what polymers are and their molecular structure as well as molecular weight and degree of polymerization, and how they relate to one another; we are going to move on and learn about the different ways to synthesize polymers."

Moving towards the front of the class, he saw the girl next to Katerina whisper something to her, before she whispered something back; Ashton smirked inwardly. There were times when she made it too easy to pick on her. For him it was a constant source of entertainment, when he saw her scowl at being asked to answer a question. He had yet to properly get her back for the 'assume' comment on his first day.

"Miss Thorpe, do you have a question?" He asked, knowing it would get a rise out of her.

"No." Glaring at him, Katerina shook her head.

Sitting on the table at the front, he watched her squirm. Since starting last week, he had not seen her unless she was in class, and even then she had stuck to the invisible code of not talking to him unless being forced to.

"If it's not a question, then it must have been something very important for you to be talking during my class? Would you like to share it with the rest of us?"

"What? No! It was nothing!" She spluttered, seeming flustered.

"Then I suggest you to save your personal conversations for when you leave my class. That also goes for you Miss Demarchelier, and you too Mr. Trent. No more disruptions."

The red tinge in her cheeks would have made him laugh, if it weren't for the fact he was the one lecturing. Returning his attention to his notes, he clicked the little remote to change the slide at the front, and then started to walk again.

"So the first types of polymer synthesis we're going to touch upon are condensation and addition reactions. Who can tell me the difference between the two, based on your readings?" He asked looking around.

Looking over at Katerina, he found her staring at her notes looking unapproachable, as though the papers in front of her were the most fascinating thing in the world. Deeming that he had tortured her enough for one class, he turned to see who had raised their hands.

"Alright, you there." He said motioning to a guy whose name he thought to be Marvin Carothers. So far, it had been easier to remember the names of those who either were troublesome or showed up during his office hours.

"Condensation is where there are two different monomers which form the structural unit through an elimination reaction, and addition is where there is one monomer which has the same structural unit as the polymer, only the bond arrangement is different."

"Good. So what are common examples of these?" Ashton asked, as he continued with his class. "What are some common monomers?"

Heading to his office after the lecture, Ashton had half expected Katerina to accost him over his treatment of her. He wasn't surprised that she had not said anything, choosing to ignore him and leave quietly. Knowing her stubborn streak, the move fit very well with Katerina's personality. She's still going by the whole 'you don't know me, I'm just like any other student'; he thought with amusement as he held up his key fob to open the office door. The beep sounded, allowing the door to unlock, and let him inside.

Having grown up together, he had not been expecting her to be jumping for joy that he was around, but he had thought that she would be at least somewhat happy to see him. After all they had been friends, he thought. Maybe not right away due to the bugs and mud, and perhaps begrudgingly, but they had spent a large amount of their childhood together.

Closing the door behind him, Ashton sat down at his desk, taking in the large and seemingly empty room. He still had to put his books into the shelves, and the department had yet to give him a computer; but at least he had a small corner of campus to himself.

Taking out his cellphone, he scrolled down the list and clicked on the number he had been meaning to call. It had been sometime since they had spoken, he thought swiveling his chair to face the window. Outside he could see students walking by, some rushing to get to their next class, while others strolled leisurely.

"Yo, what's going on Ash? How's the teaching? Are you used to being called Professor yet?" He heard his best friend snicker on the other end.

"No, not yet. It's going well, Owen. You busy?"

"Got a few minutes, shoot."

"Guess who's in my first class."

"Pretty hot girls?" The boy snorted with laughter, making Ashton shake his head, grinning at the answer. Somehow, no matter how old they got, they were still far too immature, he thought.

"No, you perv."

"Okay...super hot girls then?"

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

"Seriously, man. Take a guess, it rhymes with brat." Ashton hinted, knowing Owen would catch on immediately.

"Who? Kat? Are you kidding me? Kat the brat is in your class?"

"None other."

Laughter sounded on the other end.

"Oh wow! How long has it been, man? What, six-seven years? I thought she had moved out of the country."

"Yeah, I did too. But I guess she came back." Ashton nodded, remembering how during his first year in university, he had come home for the weekend only to find out Katerina had moved away.

"Remember the whole cloak and daggers secrecy when her folks moved out? No one even knew they had moved until Holly asked the teacher in class." Owen said, referring to his younger sister who used to be Katerina's friend and classmate.

"I know."

"So how is she?"

"No idea, other than pissed off at me."

"You didn't put bugs in her hair again, did you?" Owen asked, laughing once more. "How many times have we told you, that's not how you make friends, Ash."

"Shut up, Owen. I didn't. But I might have mentioned it in class, and picked on her a little." He protested, only to make Owen laugh harder.

"Ash, you can be such an ass." His friend howled. In the background, Ashton heard his friend being called. 'Daniels, we have a meeting in three.'

"As much as I want to hear this story right now, I'm going to have to call you back, Ash. We have a round up for the post-docs in a few minutes."

"Alright."

"You know, I might just come and visit. See how kitty Kat is, and what's going on over there. Check up on your teaching skills." Owen teased.

"Yea, you've been telling me you'd visit all through my years at Northwestern. You never came."

"Back then you were in the states, now you're like twenty minutes away. Lassonde isn't that far from York."

"We'll see." Ashton replied, skeptically. "Drinks sometime?"

"Definitely. Alright, later Ash."

"Yeah, bye."

Putting his cell phone on the desk, Ashton leaned back in his chair. It was funny how after all these years, they were all coming back together, he thought, the group of kids he had once hung out and played with. It had always puzzled him why Katerina had left so suddenly in the first place. Aren't we friends? He thought, not sure why she had been so quick to sever ties on his first day. It can't have all been bad, he thought thinking back to their childhood, we had some good times, didn't we?

Hearing a knock on his door, Ashton shoved the thoughts into the back of his mind, as he got up to answer it.

...

Standing by Nadine, she listened to the girls chat up a storm. Several students from her year and program had decided to go to an on campus restaurant and grab some drinks together. For once, relenting, she had decided to join in the merriment.

Taking a sip of her coke, she took in who else had come. Many students from her Polymer Chemistry class were present, as well as some from her first semester Atmospheric Chemistry and Organic Chemistry class.

"He's kind of hot, don't you think?"

Catching the question, Katerina looked over to the girl Nadine had been talking to, Jessica.

"Who?" She asked confused.

"You know, the new polymer professor. Ashton?"

"Urgh, no." She scoffed, a disgusted look passing over her features. They had no idea what he was really like. Superficially, maybe Ashton looked alright, but Katerina knew better. He was the devil in disguise. He would lure girls in with his looks and charm, and then leave them broken hearted and in tears. She had seen it first hand when they were in school. He turned down girls as it were a sport back then.

"Really? I thought he was kind of cute." Nadine added. "Like a reformed bad boy, you know?"

"No, not you too!" Katerina moaned. "He's not good looking at all, and he's a jerk at that."

"Maybe it's cause you keep getting in to trouble with him that you don't see it." The other girl commented.

If only that were it, Katerina thought shaking her head. Reformed bad boy my ass, she silently scoffed.

"Anyways, while you guys drool over our prof, which I find disturbing by the way, I'm going to grab some dinner and head out. I have some studying to finish." She said, not wanting to hear any more about Ashton.

"See you tomorrow for Biochem?" Nadine asked, as she started towards the bar.

"Yea."

Sitting down at the bar, she ordered a chicken burger and fries to take out. She was going home to get some studying done, and had forgotten to buy the grocery.

Waiting for her food to come, she looked over at the door only to be irritated even further. It was as though mentioning his name had brought him to where they were. Her unfortunate evening out was turning even more dire, as none other than Ashton stepped in with a few guys.

"Of course this happens to me." She muttered under her breath.

Taking another sip of her drink, she watched as some of the students from their class asked Ashton to join them. The girls seemed particularly keen to have drinks with him, but he politely declined, only to come sit by the bar.

...

"No, it's alright. Maybe some other time?" He said, trying to let his students down as gently as possible. He wasn't sure how it would be if he had drinks with any of them. The girls seemed a little too enthusiastic to see him, he thought offhandedly.

Taking a seat by the bar, he ordered a beer, only to hear a familiar voice mutter the word 'Gross'. Looking over he saw her, bright golden brown eyes glaring at him, looking annoyed as hell at being anywhere near him. The situation made him chuckle.

"I thought hermits never came out of their shells." He said snidely, as the bar tender brought his beer.

"Only lame professors desperate for popularity drink with their students." She countered.

"I'm not drinking with them, Kat." Ashton pointed out.

"Still lame."

Watching as she got up from her seat, he noticed her glass to be empty.

"Am I not lame enough for you to drink with me?" He asked, jokingly.

"You're far too lame. And I don't drink." Katerina snickered. "I only came to grab some dinner and catch up with a few friends before going home."

"You have friends?" He asked, pretending to be surprised.

"Hilarious, Ash." She said, giving him a look of disdain. "At least I have friends."

"Is that so? Well then, what's the rush? Scared of violating dorm curfew?"

"Nope. Don't live in the dorms. And I'd be more scared of being violated by you." She quipped, shocking him into almost choking on a large mouthful of his beer.

"Ouch. That hurt, Kat."

"Serves you right, bug boy."

"All joking aside, if you're not at the dorms, then where are you living?" Ashton asked, curiously.

"I'm not going to tell you where or there'll probably be creepy crawlies under my door." She said, taking a brown paper bag from the bar tender.

"See you in class on Friday, Kat." He said as she walked away.

"Whatever, Ash." Came her reply.

Shaking his head and more than a little impressed at her quick remarks, Ashton took a swig of his beer. What was with that girl, he thought, as another girl he recognized from his class approached him.

"Sir, Why won't you drink with us, when you had a drink with Thorpe?" She asked. Jessica, he thought her name was.

"I didn't have a drink with her." He replied truthfully. "She was just asking questions about class."

"Well, we have questions too." She pouted.

Inwardly sighing at the predicament he was in, Ashton decided to relent.

"Alright, one drink. After that you guys are on your own. Understood?"

"Of course, professor!"