How To Woo Sky Walker

3

Abe, Landon, and Jax are holding hands as they walk through the narrow hallway, swinging their arms together.

Abe goes up to Harvey first and sits across him, stealing a handful of chips and dipping them in sauce. "How'd your first day go?"

"She walked in the room and I yelled dibs," Harvey answers, not looking up from his book.

"Great job," Jax says, sitting beside him and giving him a fist bump before diving in for the chips as well. Landon also steals his chips.

On the PA system, the microphone crackles with noise, and a voice says, "This one's for Juno Baxter. If you don't ask me out, I'll punch you in the face. Here's Comfortable by H.E.R."

"Why don't you just ask her out again?" Jax asks.

"He did, multiple times," Abe answers for him, turning his torso sideways and leaning against his boyfriend's chest. "She thinks he's some sort of annoying bacteria."

"But the Star Wars plan is working," Harvey tells his friends, smiling. "She got it when I said chewie. And I can't just ask her out again, she's my TA, it's unethical."

Abe stares at him. "You literally undress her when you're supposed to be learning about Odysseus and shit."

"That was last semester—and no, that's not what I'm doing! And hey, don't disrespect her like that—"

"You literally had a boner—"

"It was an emotional boner—!"

"Okay, guys," Jax cuts in, putting an arm around Harvey's shoulders. "How 'bout we go play basketball like we planned?"

Harvey scrunches his nose. "I can't stay for long. I have an extra shift and I have to drop by the bookstore."

They agree on one game, and Harvey and Landon lose and they have to buy Abe and Jax ice cream. Abe demands the cookie dough flavor.

On Friday, Agatha runs into him on the way to class, gasping for breath and holding on to the sleeve of his jacket.

"Hey, what's wrong—"

"Switch shirts with me," she says, panting, looking up at him. She licks her dry lips. "I completely forgot I had lab today, please, please."

Harvey glances at her outfit. She's wearing a cropped top and jeans. He looks at her again. "You're fucking kidding me. Don't you have friends—"

"Harvey!" Agatha yells, pulling him towards the direction of the comfort room. Harvey lets her have her way. "Now is not the time to belittle me for my lack of social skills. Come on, I need to get changed, I can't miss this lab or else I'm dead and I won't be able to graduate and—"

"Jesus," Harvey mutters, already taking off his shirt. "Go inside and change. Text me when you're done, I'll be in a cubicle because what I'm doing is literally public indecency—"

"Thank you so much," Agatha breathes, hugging him quickly. "I love you, I owe you." She grabs his shirt before he can change his mind, and Harvey drags his feet to a cubicle.

He cannot believe this is happening on a Friday. Sky's lecture day—first lecture day of the semester.

Whatever. Harvey shakes it off. It's nothing. He'll get the shirt back in an hour. Doesn't matter if he needs to be in Sky's class during that hour.

As it happens, he looks ridiculous in a cropped top, but Harvey doesn't care anymore. He walks to class with his head held high and enters the classroom. And as expected, his classmates laugh and snicker at him, and Harvey pretends not to hear anything and gets settled in his seat—front row and center.

When Sky comes in, he sucks in a deep breath.

But she only spares him a glance like any other day and starts with the lecture.

Harvey resists the urge to smile. She really doesn't care about him. It's sad and funny at the same time.

After class, like always, he saunters up to her and asks, "What do you think of my outfit today?"

Sky continues packing up her things. "Surprisingly, not as bad as it should look."

Harvey blinks, taken aback. "Is that a compliment?"

"No." She zips up her messenger bag and props herself up on the table, crossing her arms. Her eyes rake over him once. "What's the deal?"

"My sister asked to switch shirts with me because she forgot she had lab today," he explains, rubbing the nape of his neck. "And you know about the dress code in lab."

Sky tilts her head to the side and stares at him. "Oh, okay."

She sounds like she has more to say, but Harvey continues, "What are your plans today?"

Sky shoulders her bag. "Bye."

Harvey grins. "Hey. I really enjoyed your lecture."

Sky turns around slowly. Her eyebrow is raised. "You were listening?"

Harvey is offended. Only a little bit. "What do you think I do? Drool over you every day?"

Sky stares at him.

Harvey bites his lip. "Okay, well, I do, but not the point. I listen, too, and you know that from my exam scores. And I also got the book you helped write, see?" He reaches inside his backpack to give her a glimpse of the textbook he bought the other day. It took a bulk out of his savings, and Harvey always looks around for something to borrow or photocopy instead of buying the real thing—a total waste of money, actually—but. It's required. Bennett said so. Plus, who cares if he starves for a week after purchasing it? Not him. "And I only fall asleep when it's not you lecturing. So, with that." He flashes her another grin. "Will you be the obi-wan for me?"

One corner of Sky's mouth turns up into a half-smile. She shakes her head exasperatedly and turns around, lifting her hand in a wave. "Keep trying, laserbrain. Bye."

Harvey likes her so much, what the fuck.

He sends Agatha a text on the way out. Your little-ass cropped shirt earned me a compliment from my crush today. :DDDDDDD

His sister takes less than a minute to reply. You're welcome :) meet me in the same bathroom in five, I'm almost done.

You owe me a month's worth of laundry.

* make that half a month's worth. You got a compliment from your crush because of me.

Fine, you're right. It was a win. Deal.

Deal.