Table For Two

11 - Ali

The moment Harvey smiles, I just about dissolve into a mess on the floor. Can he stop doing that all the goddamn time? It is rude and inconsiderate for him to cause me a gay crisis whenever he literally reminds me that he exists within my immediate vicinity. We head back to my car and I swear it is like we are both skipping. The campus is decidedly awake right now. More and more people are moving and migrating up and down the narrow pathways with overly full bags. As we hit the car park, we can hear someone drop their things and turn to see them stood by an open boot. Harvey instantly heads over to help them clear up while I go and get Gladys started.

She turns over easily and I plug my phone into the aux cord. The one thing I did change about this car was the stereo and it was one of the best choices I made. Pretty soon I hear the passenger door open as Harvey slots in beside me while I am scrolling through all my playlists trying to find the best thing to listen to.

"Nice car" he says simply.

"Thanks. You got any musical preferences?"

"Not really. I'm good with anything."

"Okay then. Let's go"

I start playing Clearest Blue by CHVRCHES and slam Gladys into first as I take off. I probably should have warned Harvey that I drive like I'm Colin McRae inhabiting the body of an eighteen year old twink. I see his hand shoot up to the grab handle and I slow down a little. I think it is more the way I barely brake for the speedbumps and the fact that there are swarms of people that has Harvey worried so I try to make sure he doesn't regret ever meeting me quite this quickly. Despite all the silences that permeate the time we have been in each other's presence, I'm actually enjoying the idea of having someone other than Dee or my mum to talk to about things.

We head down the winding drive and back down into the city proper. My window is down and between the music and the roar of wind, I can't hear much else. But I don't need to. This is where I feel most myself. I'm also acutely aware of Harvey sitting next to me. I'm pretty sure I can smell some sort of cologne - something a little sweet like mandarin oranges. He's rolled the seat back a bit to give himself more leg room and I think I can see him mouthing the words to the song that is playing and that makes me smile because he knows the sort of music I listen to. That shouldn't make me smile the way it does but I can't help it. I catch him looking at me. Fuck. He's gonna-

"What are you smiling at?" he asks. Knew it.

"Nothing. Just... didn't expect you to be into my sort of music."

"Why?"

"Because you dress like someone who exists on a diet of Hozier and James Bay then supplements it with obscure folk and acoustic music that hardly anyone has heard of."

"Harsh."

As we pull up to a red light, I give him a sideways glance that just says "bitch you know I'm right" and he goes all shy, rubbing the back of his neck. Great... every single thing he does is goddamn adorable. God, why have you decided to test me today? What unforgivable thing did I do to deserve this sort of torture?

"Look, I'm not saying you're right. But Jordy is one of the artists I like and listen to a lot."

"Well that's good because he's a permanent feature in this car."

Harvey just did that thing again where breathes a laugh out through his nose. It's almost like he's afraid of being loud. I smile but then jump as a car horn goes off behind us and I realise the light has gone green. I sheepishly go back to driving and don't really say much until we park up in the multi-storey just across from the bus station. Once I'm parked up and the window is closed I turn to Harvey.

"Any ideas of what to do now we are here?"

"Uhh... not really to be honest. I gotta go pick up some books I ordered from Mr B's. Other than that, I don't really have a plan."

"Okay. Well let's start there. Just promise to pull me away from the pretty notebooks and anything fantasy-oriented otherwise I will buy it because I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to books. I'm like a big, gay, nerdy Magpie."

"Me too" Harvey says with a chuckle as he reaches for the door handle "lets go then!"