from the top | rp discussion

First floor of the library.

Archer adored the library. It was one of those few places in the school that was usually quiet enough that he felt comfortable being there. It used to be that his room was one of those places, but this year.....well he hadn't gotten off on the best of feet with his roommate. A shame, but not completely unusual, he wasn't known for his social skills, even for a Saito he was definitely crippled in that area of talent. Still, there he was, in the library, peering at the screen of the computer in front of him and waiting for Kylie to show up. She'd texted him earlier and he'd told her to meet him at the library. So here he was, reading articles on some of the new scholarship students- after all he should always be prepared on his research. He'd researched most of the students at the school. Just to get his background of course.

Even if she hadn’t texted him to meet her, it wouldnt’ have taken Kaylie long to locate Archer in this school. She walked into the first floor, and it took her all of about five seconds to scan the library and see him in the back corner, bent over a screen and looking like he would melt anyone who came within a ten foot radius of him with his eyes. Lucky for Kaylie, she wasn’t in that category. Or maybe she was, it wouldn’t have mattered much anyway.

So she made her way across the floor, and plopped her larger sketch book down across from him on the table before taking a sea. “Hey Arch.” She said, her voice light and bubbly. “What mystery are you trying to solve today?” Some random theorem or obscure equation written by Einstein himself, probably.

Kaylie was.....she was an anomaly in Archer's life, then again with the way many of their peers regarded her it seemed she was an anomaly in many lives. Still, she was a particular specialty in Archer's existence, one of the very few - if not the only - people that existed that he might consider a friend. She was one of four people in the entire academy who had his phone number, and as she sat down his eyes drifted up from the computer screen, wrinkling his nose slightly at her voice. So high pitched and cheerful. All....the....time.

"I'm doing research on the scholarship students. I think I may have offended some of them with my questioning on what it was like to be poor..." Yeah, he had definitely offended there. Though he wasn't sure how or why. It was a legitimate question in his mind. There had to be substantial differences in the way they were raised compared to many of the students at Rockwell and yet they had the same sort of gifts that had managed to land them into the prestigious academy. So he was curious. What areas of their lives could have overlapped to stimulate such....talent? Surely it was not all just genetics. They had to have some sort of similarity in how they were raised that could explain for so many talented individuals.

Unless it was all for show and these individuals were just a handful of fools who were lucky enough to be chosen in the random ass raffle or something.

“Oh. Them.” She said with a nod. The fascinating scholarship students that everyone was talking about. Or at least, everyone was talking about the scholarship kids. They weren’t talking about themselves. That would be weird. “I ran into one earlier…I spilled water all over his pants, and he kinda ran away after that. He probably didn’t appreciate my questions about his past either. He was from South Caroline too…So much for Southern Hospitality.” So they had both offended scholarship students so far. That would be one of the few times-maybe only time-they both did something similar.

“But if you were poor, would you really want to talk about it?” She asked, tilting her head slightly as she thought about it. Aloud. “I mean, if you were poor, you wouldn’t want to talk about how much money you don’t have. You’d just feel self-conscious.” Especially since everyone at this school did have such nice lives, and plenty of money to spend on their education, careers, networking and the like that you needed to succeed. Kaylie stared off into space for a beat, then shrugged and turned her attention back to Archer.

“So, have you found anything yet?” Sure, he wasn’t Garrett or Audrey, but Archer was good at solving things. Math was just a bunch of puzzle pieces waiting to be put together to be solved. Wasn’t that how he’d explained it to her once? Or was that a riddle?

Archer almost did a double take when Kaylie mentioned spilling water on the pants of one of the scholarship students. His roommate had come back earlier to their dorm with wet pants... which meant they had effectively insulted not only the scholarship students. But the same exact scholarship student. "well I'm not poor. I have other embarrassments to keep to myself, but the monetary status of my family isn't one of them. Even if we were poor, isn't that something to be proud of that they are here at the school with us? Proving they have the same talents and skills that we spend our entire lives being fast for his mouth to keep up trained in. And unlike us," Archer was on a bit of a rant now, it happened when his thoughts started to spew out way too fast for his lips to keep up with.

"they got to spend their entire lives doing other things. Birthday parties with their friends and saturdays at the pool and summers at home riding bikes rather than weekends spent with private tutors and stylists that buy our clothes and gala events for our parents to show us off at," It was fascinating wasn't it? He shook his head though as she asked about him finding anything. "Nothing too impressing. Unlike us.....apparently every moment of their existence can't be found online,"

Archer's rant/word spew-fest was a bit unexpected, and Kaylie just looked at him while he kept rambling, trying to get a read on him. He usually wasn't like this. Words were often few and far between. Obviously this had hit a nerve for him. Hm. Interesting. Now was obviously not the time, but she suddenly felt the need to ask about birthday parties and trips to the beach. Things she also would have liked, had her childhood been spent in a hospital or at home in bed. But that was a conversation for another time.

Their entire life was online? "What do you mean?" Kaylie asked, now fully intrigued. Her family, like most families who send their kids here, hired people specifically to track what was online about their family and kids. Not everyone had that, obviously, but "what kind of stuff do they have? Pictures, articles, what is there?". Now she was genuinely intrigued, as she leaned forward slightly over the table. Maybe if she knew something about any of them, she wouldn't be as likely to scare one away the next time she talked to one. Plus, Archer seems invested in this, which was just as fascinating.

Archer was no technology wizard. It wasn't his specialty. He preferred to focus on math, but he did know how to do some things with a computer. After all, he did attend Rockwell. It's not as though Rockwell would allow him to get away with doing nothing but math. "Well, I mean if you research our names we have histories," Yes. Most families paid good money to erase certain things about their children from the internet, but you simply couldn't erase everything. There was quite a bit that was still left over, not to mention, "Photographs of us attending gala events with our parents, even just articles announcing our births." It was simple really, just small little things, but all together they put together pictures of nearly every non-scholarship student at the Academy.

"these scholarship kids. They've been announced because they all got in here, there's a list of them and how they were accepted into the academy. That's all very public. But....otherwise? It's all little things. Maybe snippets online. I found a small town news article. But otherwise it's just social media accounts. I know my roommate had a girlfriend. Or maybe still has. That part is unclear," He shrugged then, pushing away the tablet. If Kaylie wanted to try her luck she could, but he figured that if anyone would have a good chance sniffing dirt up on the scholarship kids. It was probably going to be someone with actual computer skills.

Kaylie nodded, moving her hand so that her chin was resting in her palm. It made sense, really. Everyone’s families here-or, the non-scholarship kids- had money. Lots of it. Most of them were public figures and had their lives traced and documented by the media. And then there were the scholarship kids, the nobodies, who had no public life. Except for social media. How quaint. “That’s so simple.” She observed, not really in any response to anything he was saying. “They could just live and get away with anything they wanted…” Not anymore, obviously. But it was interesting to think about, not having to worry about being documented publically.

Kaylie dropped her hand and picked up the tablet Archer pushed away, and scrolled through what looked to be one of the scholarship kids’ Facebook. Pictures, a few posts, nothing terribly exciting. She shrugged and put the tablet back down on the table. “If you really wanted to know,” She suggested, “You could talk to Garrett and Asher. I’m sure they’ll be getting information soon, if they don’t have a file going already.” She had already gotten no less than two texts from Asher, one asking about how she was, how her summer had been, etc, and the second about meeting up for that modeling session he’d promised her at the end of last year. Garrett had already made a point to say hi to her in the hallway in passing, so they were up to something, that much she knew. Kaylie shrugged and looked from the tablet to Archer. “It wouldn’t hurt to ask.”

Archer was rather confused for a moment. Mostly because of Kaylie talking about how he could talk to people? Did she really think Archer was the type to go talking to people? Did she know who he was at all? "Garrett and Asher," They almost sounded familiar, which meant that they probably had a reputation around the school if Archer could almost recall them. Which meant that he definitely did not want to get involved with them. Instead he reached across the table, picking up the tablet again and closing the screen with a simple press of the button. "I don't think I need the information that badly," After all he only wanted the information so that he wouldn't upset his roommate so badly the next time he attempted conversation.

But perhaps the best way to learn how not to do that was simply through trial and error. Archer still didn't quite understand why Kaylie was his friend. She was an easy person to talk to, at least he supposed, after all there were plenty of other people who talked to her at the school. So why she wasted her time with him he would never know. "You could talk to Garrett and Asher." He turned her words back on her, after all she had seemed interested in getting information too. And if she wanted it? Well she could definitely find it through conversation himself. Archer preferred to do things on his own....or not at all.

“You could go talk to Garret and Asher.” What was he, five? Kaylie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at how antisocial he could be. People didn’t bite, she was proof of that. Having an actual conversation wouldn’t burn his skin like acid, or whatever atrocity he thought was going to happen. Words didn’t physically hurt, you just had to say them. She’d been trying to get him to talk to other people since she met him. As far as she knew, he talked to, like, four people on campus. Her, his math teachers, that one specific lady in the cafeteria, and maybe one other person. She was sure that if his math books would talk back to him, he’d never leave the library.

“Maybe I will.” She said, not as a sharp comeback, just as a statement. There was no maybe about it, she’d probably just bump into one of the two of them in one of the halls. “Asher owes me anyway…” She trailed off, thinking about one of her projects again. “Oh!” She said with a start. How could she forget, that was the entire reason she had texted him. “I’m planning on doing a series of portraits this year, so when you’re able to pull yourself away from,” She waved her hands at his tablet and the pile of books sitting next to him. “This, would you be willing to sit for a sketch setting?” It wasn’t really a question, because she knew she’d get it out of him at some point, it was more a formality of asking permission. “It’ll be super quick, I promise.” She added quickly, throwing up her hands defensively before he could get in some nonsense protest about “studying”. “Just an hour, so I can get a few photos and quick sketches. I promise.” She said, and gave him her best pleading eyes. “Please? I won’t make you look like you’re planning a murder, if that helps.” She offered with a small smile.

"Planning a murder?" Archer didn't quite realize the snap to his words until he'd already thrown them at her, frowning and brows furrowing as he pressed his lips into a thin line. He was completely unaware of the fact that this very expression on his face right now, the one he wore about 80% of the time, was the 'planning a murder' expression she was claiming she would not express him with. "that does not sound reassuring in the slightest." Those pleading eyes of hers? Had absolutely no effect on Archer in the slightest. Most things didn't have an effect on him, mostly because he didn't really focus on 'social cues'. His mother had always berated him on how he was oblivious to them and couldn't just socialize with some of the nice ladies at her social gatherings.

"Why me? Don't you have enough people you can bat your eyes at and get them to fawn all over you? If you're looking for guys specifically I'm certain there are plenty that would be susceptible to your charms," Again, he was unaware how harsh his words actually sounded. Lips still pressed into that thin line, and dark eyes narrow with an accusatory squint a slight frown pulled at the edges of his lips. "Are you going to keep pestering me on this? Because I'll agree if it means you won't continuously ambush and pester me until I do agree." He had a nagging suspicion that that was her plan. To just....pester him until he said yes.

Probably because she knew if she talked at him enough he'd pretty much agree to anything for some peace and solitude.

Kaylie recoiled more than she intended to when his words hit her. Sure, he was a little rough around the edges, she knew, but that wasn’t…it…joke?…no, maybe not. Okay. She thought he’d gotten the hint that she had been joking about that. She involuntarily drew her hands back towards herself, and dropped her eyes from him to the table as his next words came out, just as sharp. The point would be that she would be trying to draw him to look more like a deep thinker and problem solver instead of the angry, bitter look he had right now, like he was going to jump across the table between them and strangle her if he wanted.

Oh my gosh. That was the entire point of this. She could literally ask anyone, and they would jump at the chance to feed their narcissistic egos. That was why she had asked Asher, that’s why she had plans to ask a handful of the most cocky, arrogant kids she could find. But she also wanted the shy ones. The quiet, reserved, but interesting ones. Not like he was going to understand that. But she was going to get a sketch of him. So he could either agree voluntarily, or not, and get really mad at her later. She was about to open her mouth to protest, when he seemed to complete her line of thought for her. The sooner he agreed, the sooner the pain would be over for him.

At that, her face immediately brightened, and her normal smile returned to her whole face. “Awesome!” She said, and out of the corner of her eye she saw the librarian coming their way, no doubt to chew them out for talking. “You won’t regret it, I promise!” She said, gathering her belongings. “And now I’ll leave you and you’re math to have some alone time. See you later!” She said, flashing him one last smile before ducking under the arm of the librarian and heading out the door.

If Raegan was being completely honest with herself, she was hiding. Not like she'd actually say that to anyone, but still. She was studying...kinda. If studying meant flipping through her text book to try and find answers to get enough work done so that she could justify having a little to much fun tonight at the party...then yeah, she was studying.

She had positioned herself in a back corner of the first floor library, so that she could see others as they were walking in. As nice as Elliot had been, she felt bad for ditching him at the Cafe, and had tried not to run into him to avoid the awkward explanation she would ultimately have to give. Plus, she was still trying to avoid an unpleasant encounter with one particular slime all.

Raegan blew out a breath through her mouth and shook her head. Someday she'd master the art of white lies and good excuses. But not today apparently. So she just bit her lip and looked back down at the page of designs she was studying.

Being the stereotypical athlete, it would be safe to assume that Harvey had never been the type to spend much time in a library. But since coming to Rockwell, the academics had been so difficult, he'd had no choice but to spend multiple days a week in the library looking through the shelves, hoping to find the "these texts would be found helpful studying this material" asterisk markers in his teacher's assignments. He'd never thought himself to be a stupid kid until coming here, and seeing just how high the bar was actually set.

Harvey wasn't quite sure how he was going to make it through the year on his scholarship if he was already struggling this hard... or on to a good college. He walked along the shelf, but he had stopped skimming the titles, but was instead letting his mind wander through all of the dark ways he could get kicked out of Rockwell so he wouldn't have to disappoint his parents by not being smart enough. If he got expelled, it could be summed up to 'boys will be boys' because that's the kind of simple minded mentality his father had.

Glancing up when someone huffed loudly, Harvey's eyes settled on a brunette girl working pretty hard to look as if she were being productive. She would glance up every two seconds like she was waiting for someone, and then scan the page in defeat. She leaned over unexpectedly all of the sudden, almost looking like she was ready to dive under the table. Harvey looked over his shoulder to see a nerdy looking boy walking in through the door, and the brunette girl sighed in relief.

"Mind if I sit?" he asked, hands on the chair across from her. "I'm sure I'm three times as wide as you, so whoever you're trying to avoid probably won't see you if I'm blocking their line of sight."

Raegan nearly jumped when someone spoke to her. Her head jerked up to see a wall-wait, that was a person-standing in front of her. A Fulsom guy, obvious from the huge, athletic body he occupied and the even more uncomfortable body language he had from being in the library. Sit in front of her to block her from view? Oh my gosh, "Is it that obvious?" Raegan asked, her voice a nervous 'haha, you got me' kind of tone.

But instead of refusing, she just gestured to a seat opposite her "Be my guest." She wasn't expecting anyone to come sit with her, and she clearly wasn't getting anywhere studying, so a new face for company couldn't hurt that much.

Speaking of, this guy was unfamiliar, which struck her as odd. She thought she knew all the Fulsom guys. Had totally flirted with all of them, and slept with more than a handful, in various states of drunkenness and stupidity. This guy was clearly not a freshman, and there was no way she was going to make that mistake again.

"There are a couple people I would rather not interact with at the moment. she said as a way of explanation. She shrugged and added "it's hard to explain." Hopefully that would be enough to placate his curiosity. "What are you doing in here?" She asked him, just for sake of stirring up some sort of conversation. She could be polite, at least, right?

Had she been under the impression that she had been subtle? Harvey smiled at her question, deciding to humor her innocent little 'who, me? avoiding? ahaha, noooo.' He pulled out the chair across from her, unpacking his books and laptop in a way that stated clearly he had no method of organization because he was fairly new to the whole studying thing. He tried to keep busy with his books, knowing that her eyes were very plainly making assumptions about his character.

That was something he was still trying to get used to. These Rockwell kids just looked unapologetically wherever the wanted. If they wanted to check someone out, they did it. If they wanted to decide what color your eyes were, they did it. They were all so confident and sure about themselves, that they didn't care if you knew they were watching. So, instead of getting angry over it, Harvey had learnt to pretend he didn't notice them staring all of the time. It was just easier that way, to think of it as a compliment or something.

He glanced up at her as he logged into his laptop, shrugging his shoulders, "I wasn't going to ask." She didn't need to explain to him who he was avoiding... unlike 99% of this school's population, he wasn't privy to the gossip. She could probably give him the most detailed explanation of why she was in the library hiding, and he wouldn't know anyone else in it. He didn't even know her name. "Well, I was going to try and finish up some of my English homework... but analyzing," he glanced at his laptop, reading the assignment for the millionth time, "Realistic-American romance novels with a Marxist perspective has never been my thing."

Harvey looked over at her book, raising his eyebrows in one of his less intelligent expressions. "You're studying... er-textiles?"

Raegan glanced back down at her book, expecting to get a follow up question, but none came? "I wasn't going to ask" Who was this kid? Apparently he didn't know how Rockwell functioned. But oh, okay. That was, kinda refreshing actually. Raegan tried not to start and look too surprised by the comment, but just nodded.

But at his English assignment of American novels from a Marxist perspective, she looked up and raised her eyebrows. "Like, Fizgerald's Railing against the capitalism of the 20's and the raging immorality that capitalist mentalities bring to the human race, or Owell and Huxley's utopian dream of uniformity that strips us of all individualism?" She asked, then shrugged.

"Once you figure that out, the rest writes itself." She said. As for her own work. "Yeah, My assignment is to design a fashion line using vintage textiles. So I have to figure out how they work." She said, as if that explained everything.

Maybe he should have asked? She kind of just nodded like she appreciated that he wasn't going to pry, but there was also a small amount of hesitation. Maybe you wouldn't stand out like such an idiot if you weren't constantly proving how different you are. he thought, thinking back to almost every encounter he had with people where they pegged him as scholarship in under five seconds. He just never thought about what he could do instead to fit in until it was already too late... so might as well accept it.

Harvey tried not to gag on instinct when she said the rest writes itself, because she couldn't be more wrong. Maybe her lit essay would write itself, but his had... a header. "Probably whichever option you just said that included capitalism?" he replied, not even bothering to act like he had understood anything she'd just said. She'd probably already guessed he wasn't carrying a 4.0, and he'd probably make himself look less intelligent than he actually was by pretending to by anything than what he was. "I'm just trying to get it started so I can go to Asher's party tonight." He would stay in and finish the essay... but he wanted to make sure Hazel didn't get into trouble.

"That sounds difficult." he replied honestly, knowing by now that each specialization here at Rockwell had its own hardships. "I'm Harvey, by the way."

Raegan smiled kindly at him. From the blank expression on his face, he clearly hadn't understood a single word she had said. Or, he had understood each word individually, but that was it. "Here," she said, reaching over and spinning his laptop around to face her. "Start with Fitzgerald's novels about the raging twenties," she said, typing a few words down as she was talking "Talk about how he portrays capitalism, contrast with Marxism, then give a Marxist critique. Use maybe two or three paragraphs for each idea, throw in some quotes and block quotes, and boom, seven page paper." She said, pushing the laptop back to him. Sure, she wasn't in Satio, but she knew how to get information across to people within a given limit. And all the traveling she did had always given her plenty of time to read.

"There. Now just write part of it, curse it, then go enjoy the finest booze capitalism can produce via Asher." She said, motioning with her hand. Even if this guy...Harvey, he said his name was... was new, at least he'd gotten the party situation figured out. That much was in his favor.

"Raegan" She said, offering her name in reply to his. As for her work, she nodded but made a face "eh, this is Rockwell, and this is what I want to do, so I can't complain too much."

Harvey let her type away, in no place to deny the help she was so willingly providing to him. It was a good thing she was writing all of it down for him though, because the longer she talked, the more he found himself staring at her lips, rather than focusing on the words coming out of them. "Wow, don't know what I would do without you." he replied, surprised she was so willingly to help a kid she barely knew. He'd met a few kids around Rockwell, but none of them had offered help without immediately expecting something in return.

"Sure, maybe I'll see you there." She seemed like the type. She had that modeling look about her, and was too nice to him as a complete stranger to be completely innocent in the whole 'I don't know what my smile can do' department. He would have asked her to dance or offered her a drink if he saw her, but she was way out of his league. Not to mention... Rachel? Who even knew, he hadn't talked to her for weeks. But her had the feeling that every guy she had ever come into contact with tried to make a pass at her, and he wasn't too eager to be next on the rejected list.

Harvey nodded, glancing between her nonchalant expression and the textile pages. "Wish I could repay the favor, but that only thing I know about clothes are that my sister picks them out for me." he grinned, knowing the way that probably sounded. "Actually, she's probably your best bet. She loves everything-" he waved his hand at the book, "Of that nature."

"You wouldn't be on track for an A paper, that's what you'd be doing." Raegan said, leaning back in her chair. Plenty of people in this school would be drowning without her help, if they ever stopped to think about it. She wouldn't name names, of course, but she was used to giving out advice and help on papers and projects. Kindness has to count for something, right?

"You probably will." She responded. Those parties tended to get rowdy the more alcohol everyone had, but they were always fun. She took a breath, and her eyes flitted over towards Harvey, which was when she noticed him checking her out. Not that she was insulted, it tended to happen. Attractive and nice female, boys tended to look. "You're staring, you know." She said good-naturey, rollinfher eyes inwardly and waited for the cheesy pick up line, but then Harvey dropped his gaze and didn't say anything. Uh...what? Nothing? That threw Raegan for a loop. Boys always hit on her, it was like, a law or something. Harvey was definitely different, and that refreshing, if nothing else.

"You have a sister?" She asked, more as a reflex than an actual question. "I might just have to go talk to her, and tell her she does a good job making you look good." She said, deciding to toss a pass in just because she could. And it was true, he did look put together and his clothes did flatter his athletic build.

Harvey probably would have figured it out eventually, it just would have taken him 30 times as long, and it probably would have amounted to a B+. With her outline, it really would be a great paper, and he'd be able to get it done faster because he had a plan. He watched her lean back in the chair, glancing away from her when she mentioned him staring. Okay, so she was allowed to ogle him, but when he did it, he was going to get called out? He decided not to reply, waiting to see how she played it. Game on.

"Yeah, her name is Hazel. She's in Saito. I guess by this point you will have realized she got the smart genes, and I got the athletic ones." he sighed, visibly pining over her GPA. If only. It was obvious by the way he talked about her that he wasn't jealous of her, if anything, he sounded proud. "She's been doing great here. I'm sure you'll see her at the party. Just look for me, I'm bigger, you'd spot me first, and then you'll probably see me cock-blocking whatever Rockwell smuck thinks she's the prize-of-the-night."

He had decided to let her compliment roll off of him, preferring to talk about Hazel instead. Normally he would have said thank you and made that his transition to ask her out, but he had the feeling that was something Reagan was expecting, if not setting him up for. Did it bother her that he hadn't made his interest more plain? Harvey's lips twitched at the thought, eyes focused on his computer now -- wouldn't want to stare.

Hazel. Hm, Raegan hadn't met her yet. But she didn't usually get to know the Satio girls as well as her son department, unless they went to parties and hung out outside the library-contrary to what she was doing at the moment. But Harvey sounded like a proud older brother, which was once again, something she had not expected to come out of him. And he completely ignored her compliment.

What the fuck?

Either he was gay, or slower than molasses running up a hill in February. But he'd checked her out and made that face guys always did when they saw her. So he couldn't be gay. Hm. "Genes aren't everything." She said. "Well, jeans are, but there are different forms of intelligence. This school is proof of that." Every type of intelligence was on display 24/7 at this school.

"Aren't you a good brother," she added sweetly. "I'm sure your sister and the Smut really appreciate that knight in shining armor act." Depending on what kind of girl his sister was. But even as she kept the conversation going, Raegan was focusing on on this guy, because he had to know she was flirting. He had to.

He was playing a risky game, ignoring her advances like he was. She wasn't giving up, so he knew it was bothering her that he wasn't acknowledging her attempts to flatter him. She knew how pretty she was, and she'd caught him staring -- so she was probably just fuming internally that he didn't appear interested. He almost had to smile, and wonder what it must be like to have so much confidence that it bothered you when someone didn't immediately fall under your charm. "Yeah, that much has been made clear to me." He was pretty sure his computer had been hacked like his second day here, so multiple types of intelligence was no understatement.

Harvey laughed, probably too loudly for what was expected in a library setting. He glanced around and smiled apologetically at the glares before looking back over at Raegan, "I can promise you she doesn't appreciate it at all, but it helps me keep from going batshit at the idea of..." he shook his head, "I'm sure you can imagine. She catches a lot of... male attention."

It wasn't like he didn't get female attention... it was just different. That was his baby sister. Harvey kept stealing glances back to his computer, acting as if it was commanding the majority of his attention, and like she kept pulling him back into conversation. It wasn't his best playing hard to get tactic, but he had the feeling she wouldn't see past it, since she was probably used to being the one that was chased.

Rockwell was weird like that. There were the artistic ones who could draw like Picasso, but couldn't write worth shit. Then there were the nerds who could solve math problems like Einstein but loved like vampires. And then there were the ones who were fluent in emotional manipulation, yet couldn't remember what class was tomorrow. Everyone had their strength and weakness.

"Yeah, I can imagine." Raegan said honestly. She had had her fair share of unwanted attention, and knew exactly what that entailed. He'll, she'd dated probably one of the worst offenders in the entire fucking school. So even if Hazel didn't appreciate the cock-block, she was lucky to have a brother to do that for her.

He was looking pointedly back down at his computer, but he was clearly not actually working on that essay. Ha! So he was avoiding her passes. Why he was, she fully intended on figuring out. Was he one of those guys who was into switching gender roles and wanted to be pursued? Or was he just being super mysterious and infuriating like that? Whatever it was, it had worked, and she just had to ask. Raegan allowed herself a smug smile, as if she had figured out a puzzle, before asking "So, are you actually working on those notes I gave you, or are you just working up the balls to ask me out?"

Yeah, I can imagine. He was confident that she could. But he could also sense that it wasn't attention she shied away from, obviously. Harvey could almost feel her eyes raking over his features... and he was sort of surprised at her level of interest. He wasn't trying to think of himself as anything special though, he knew what most of the people at Rockwell thought of him, directly correlated to his income.

Harvey glanced up at her when she asked him about his balls, his eyes widening in mock surprise. "I dunno' are you asking me to ask you out?" he questioned, raising his eyebrows with a poorly hid smile. This would probably be the moment that she realized he had been waiting to trap her like that the whole time, because he hadn't really tried that hard to fake the whole genuine surprise thing. And he hadn't hesitated, but fired that question at her as soon as her own words had passed her lips.

As soon as he looked up, Reagan realized the trap she had walked into. Damn, he had gotten her there. He had barely blinked before replying, which told her he had been playing her the whole time. “Well…I guess I am.” She said, owning her mistake and following through with it. Sure, she had been expecting him to make the first move, but she wouldn’t say no to a date, and he was cute, so what could it really hurt?

Before she could say anything else, her phone buzzed, and she saw Asher’s tweet alert for the party. “You’re in luck, Harvey.” She said, looking over at him and beginning to put her belongings away. “Because I need a date to the party,” Okay, so she needed an escort to make sure she got there, because she didn’t trust Vince not to try something funny under the dark of the night. Once she got there, She’d have Jordan and Jesse to keep her occupied. “And it’s happening right now. So, let’s go.” She said, standing up and throwing her bag over her shoulder.

He had been planning to schedule a time like next week to take her out for ice cream or something, but apparently this girl meant business. "Fine, I'll go out with you." he relented, acting as if she were begging. Of course he was only teasing her, that much was evidence by the very plain smile on his face. He might be a little country boy, but he had game. As long as he put Rachel to the back of his mind, talking to girls like Raegan might actually be easy here. Maybe? Did he event want to be talking to girls?

"Oh, right now, right now? erm, okay." he started to pack his own bag, slinging it over his shoulder and standing with her. "We can toss these in our rooms on the way, I don't really want to be lugging it around in the woods." he paused, "Unless you're only going out with me to continue the human shield thing, if so, I can keep it on me." he continued as they walked from the library.