National Icon (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 10 ✔️

3 months later...

The past few months went by like lightning for Harvey. He'd spent them studying for his winter finals, barely having time to breathe, let alone have any fun.

It would've been hard to cope if it hadn't been for the constant support that he had been given by none other than Jefferson Blake himself.

How did it go?

It's a text message from Jeff. Harvey smiles down at his phone as he realises that the movie-star had been waiting to check up on him after his final test.

In no time at all, Harvey taps the call button at the top of the screen and presses his phone up to his ear.

"Hey there." Jefferson's smooth voice comes through the speaker, "How was it?"

"It was okay, I guess." Harvey says distractedly as he walks through the street on his way home.

"You guess? I don't believe you."

"Why not?" Harvey responds with an airy laugh, "Don't think I could at least pass."

There's a scoff through the phone, one that signifies Jefferson's ease around Harvey, "More like I don't think you could fail. You could pass that test with a hand tied behind your back."

"Don't suggest that or that might actually happen." Harvey giggles, reaching a hand down to fish out the keys to his apartment, which were in his back pocket.

He slings his bag more securely over his shoulder, switching the phone between hands as he opens the heavy door and enters the hallway. He kicks off his worn canvas shoes, leaving them flush against a wall in the entryway. Then he steps further in, taking the phone from his ear and tugs off his bag and jacket in one motion, before plopping down on the old couch in the middle of the room.

"I wouldn't be worried." Jeff tells him once he's settled, "You're already so smart, and you work so hard. There's no way you wouldn't pass."

Harvey lets a small smile take over his features. Since he began his virtual friendship with Jefferson, every time the strawberry blond says something remotely positive about him, Harvey's heart beats twice as fast, and his face heats up like he's asleep on the equator.

"Thanks." He says quietly.

"Can I ask something?" Jeff asks, and then takes the silence that follows as approval, "Why do you work so hard? I mean, of course it's important to study, but a guy with your brains could ace a test with a few hours work a week."

"Do you think I do too much?" Harvey frowns, a little confused about what Jeff was saying.

"I think... I think you work yourself to death without realising when you've done enough." The actor attempts to explain, then sighs, letting his voice adopt an even softer tone, "Your work ethic is incredible, but I don't want it to consume you. Every time we speak, you're either just out of class, or mid-studying. I'm not complaining, it doesn't affect me, but... I'm worried you'll get burnt out."

Harvey takes a second to digest Jeff's words. In the past, he might have let them get twisted on the way to his brain. Let his emotions and insecurities tell him that Jefferson was angry at him. But he pauses and thinks about what's been said.

"Oh." He says, just to stall and think some more. Then he understands, "I guess..."

He stops again, because he has to sigh, and expend some of the frustration he feels at not being able to verbalise his emotions.