How To Woo Sky Walker

6

Sky blows her nose into another tissue. The trash can in the radio station is full of tissue-covered snot.

She's been feeling terrible ever since she woke up this morning, but she has class today and she can't miss it just because she feels like shit.

"You're so gross," Tobin complains from her place on the microphone, scrunching her nose at the sight. "Can't you go to the lounge?"

"Can't," she mutters, focusing on the task at hand. "I'm grading exam papers. I need these graded before class and this place is nearer."

Harvey Ryerson gets another 100. Fuck him and fuck his stupid brains.

"Why is he so smart, I don't get it!" Sky whines, putting her head in her hands. "Why is he not stupid? Why couldn't he have been stupid? And why is this doing things to me?" She kicks the air with her legs aimlessly.

Tobin isn't even listening. "This song's for Agnes Abernathy," she says in the mic. "You're pretty, I'm pretty, what's the hold up? This is Falling by Harry Styles."

Then she saunters up to Sky and says, "You're sick, get out."

"Shhhhh!" Sky furrows her eyebrows at her, putting her index finger to her lips. Tobin stares at her, unimpressed. "Don't acknowledge them. The germs will hear you and feel validated. Then I'll really be that."

"Why does Harvey Ryerson even like you?"

"He said what I did to Billy was hot," Sky answers, bundling herself up in the blankets draped over her.

It's a reasonable answer. Harvey said so himself.

But she also doesn't know why. Does he actually like her? Or does he just enjoy the thrill of it?

"Bet. And are you annoyed that he's smart because you find it attractive and sexy as hell and you don't want to?"

"Yes," Sky says truthfully. She shoves his paper to her friend's face. "Look at this shit. This essay is—what the fuck, I want to suck him—"

"You literally can't because you're sick." Tobin grins. "But I'm sure he'll take you up on that when you're all better. I'm going to the bathroom."

Sky grumbles, "I'll alert the media, then."

"When I'm back make sure you're gone. I'm not the only person manning this booth, you know."

Sky rolls her eyes and Tobin leaves, but she makes sure she's gone from her territory in two minutes—even with her sluggish movements, Sky manages to make it past the hallway, cradling the exam papers, and she wants to crumple Harvey's sheet and shove it in his face and maybe go down on her knees and—

"Sky!" Bennett says, waving. He steps closer to her and pushes his glasses up his nose. "Wow, you look terrible."

She knows she does. She sniffles. "I know, sir, I'm sorry."

"Your voice is also terrible."

Sky's shoulders drop. She sighs. "I think I'm sick, but it's fine. I can still go to class."

"Don't worry about it," Bennett tells her, shaking his head. "I'll fill you in via email later, you should go get some rest. I don't want you passing this—" he waves his hand around her whole body—"on to the students."

Sky already has a protest at the tip of her tongue before her professor finishes his sentence. "But sir—"

"If you don't turn around right now, I'm going to fire you," he warns her, raising an eyebrow.

And Sky knows he's not fucking around. Pouting, she turns around and grumbles, "Bye, sir."

"Get some rest!" he calls after her. "Check your email tonight!"