(A/N) Okay, so maybe it may be a little too early for AU's for some of you. But VampirePam and I don't think it's ever too early for one! I would like to thank VampirePam for listening to my rambles while I figured out the total plot of this story. It helped a lot.
I do not own Suits.
Barely Legal
Chapter One: Man Crush
Harvey always loved the first day of school. He thought it was the second to greatest day there was - only coming short to the last day of school for obvious reasons - and he made damn sure to enjoy it. First, the students were always tired. Their bodies were so used to staying up until daylight broke and then sleeping all day. Their patterns were so set in that the lucky ones managed to get a few hours of sleep before having to get up, the not so lucky ones were forced to toss and turn the entire night. A good portion of the students didn't even bother to show up until the second day. It was the only quiet day of the entire year. It was great for him, considering how much most of the students annoyed him.
Secondly, almost half the students who did bother to show up came unprepared. And Harvey found nothing more funny then a bumbling kid who had absolutely no idea what they were doing. Especially if that bumbling kid was in his class. Many students took Law because they thought it would be a blow off class. The students quickly learned that it wasn't. Not when Harvey Specter was teaching it, it wasn't anyway. Some kids dropped out, and that was fine with him. He didn't have time to waste on slackers anyway.
And thirdly, and the best of all, was the teacher schedules. Every year Principal Pearson waited until the first day of school to give the teachers their schedules with their classes on them. She said it was because they weren't ready until then, but Harvey knew her better then that. Jessica liked to keep her staff on their toes, and she did. Their classrooms almost never changed, and if they did, they put most of their stuff in the rooms before the summer. No one knew what classes they would be teaching until just before heading to their first class of the year. Everyone except Harvey, of course.
Harvey walked into the Social Studies department teacher lounge, a smirk growing on his face as he saw the schedules posted on the wall. A few of the other teachers were already there, sitting at the table and eating their breakfast as they hurried to plan what they could. Instead of walking straight over to the board, he walked over to grab himself a cup of coffee. Louis would be in a few minutes, and he couldn't resist messing with his co-worker.
He quickly made his usual - cream, no sugar -, when Louis walked in. The shorter man instantly made a beeline for the board. Harvey watched from the corner of his eye in amusement, though the feeling quickly left when he took his first sip of coffee. God, who made this? He grimaced, but didn't throw it away. Louis had caught his attention.
The man was staring at the board like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. It almost made the nasty coffee worth it. Almost. Coffee was essential for any day and he didn't like when people stopped him from getting what he wanted. He pretended to sip the disgusting liquid as he watched Louis' eyes move from his schedule to Harvey's, which was placed at the top, like always. He was actually surprised steam didn't start coming out of his ears.
"You got all Law classes again this year," Louis said, knowing Harvey would know he was talking to him.
"Did I?" Harvey asked, unwilling to keep the smirk off his face or the smugness out of his voice, "I hadn't checked yet."
Louis turned sharply, glaring daggers at the slightly younger man. It caught the teacher's attentions around them, and for a moment they stopped working in order to watch. Before anything could happen, however, the door opened. Jessica walked in as if on cue, a smile on her face that said 'Don't mess with me if you want to live'. Louis didn't seem to get the message.
"He got all Law classes," he said immediately, turning towards her, "again."
"Yes, Louis," she told him, walking up to Harvey and the coffee maker. "He won the competition last year and therefore gets to keep his superior position as supervisor of the Social Studies division." she explained to him like she did every year since the year after Harvey started working at the school. "And that means all Law classes. If you want to get back on top, you have to beat him."
"I should have won last year."
"You lost more then half the challenges." She finished making her cup of coffee, but stopped herself from taking a drink at the look Harvey gave her. He moved slightly so Louis couldn't see him and then pointed to the cup before raising his hand and waving in front of his neck, as if to say no. She looked between Harvey and Louis, and then pretended to take a sip. "Pick a better partner this year and maybe you'll win." She promptly turned on her heel and walked out before Louis could say another word.
"So what classes did you get this year, Louis?" Harvey asked, pretending like he cared. As much as he liked to see Louis make a dick out of himself and get schooled, he hated when the man ranted. And that was exactly what he was going for. Instead of waiting for an answer, Harvey walked over to the board and took his paper off, tucking it away in the inside pocket of his suit before looking down at Louis'. "AP Psych isn't so bad. I mean, I would never waste my time teaching it, but it seems perfect for you."
Louis saw through the fake smile, and gave one of his own before frowning again, "I need something to drink."
"Try the coffee," Harvey insisted, pretending to take another sip, "It's delicious." He made sure to duck out just as Louis took a huge gulp, unable to stop the giant grin from spreading across his face.
The look disappeared as a pressure was pressed to his side, causing him to falter slightly. He managed to straighten himself without dropping a single drop of the coffee and turned to glare at whatever had shoved him, or rather, whoever. His eyes were instantly met with the sight of a slightly familiar face. "Mr. Ross," he said shortly, taking in his ridged form and scared eyes. He looked past him and noticed the other two people standing with Mike. He didn't know either of their names, and didn't frankly care. The boy looked amused, while the girl kept flickering her gaze between Mike and the other boy. He must have shoved him. "Let me see your class schedule."
Mike looked confused, even turning his head to look back at his friends before reaching in his pocket and handing over his schedule. Harvey looked quickly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at how crinkled the piece of paper already was. AP English - Mrs. Chex, AP Psychology - Mr. Litt, Law - Mr. Specter, AP Calculus - Mr. Everlove, Microsoft Word - Mrs. Kendall.
He couldn't stop the smirk from forming. "I'll see you third hour." he told him, and then looked back at the other boy. He stepped around Mike, taking a glance in his coffee before dumping it in front of the dark haired male. "You," he said clearly, pointing to him, "clean that up."
And with that he walked away.
…
Mike released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding the moment Harvey started walking away. He watched the man go for a moment before turning back to his friends. Jenny looked about as relieved as he was, but Trevor looked like nothing had happened. Mike rolled his eyes. One day Trevor was going to get into serious trouble. Both Mike and Jenny looked down at the spilled coffee on the ground, and then back at Trevor as if expecting something.
"What," he asked, squinting his eyes slightly, irritated, "you don't actually expect me to clean that up, do you?"
Jenny didn't say anything, but shoved her boyfriend a little harder then what could be considered playful, before getting down on her knees to clean up the mess herself. Mike followed suit, reaching in her purse for the tissues he knew she kept there. Luckily Harvey hadn't had a big cup, and the tissues managed to cover it. Mike reached over to throw them away in a nearby garbage can and then shoved Trevor back.
"Dude!"
"Dude," Mike shouted right back, "into Mr. Specter, really?"
Trevor rolled his eyes, laughing a little, "Sorry man. How was I suppose to know your man crush was gonna walk out of there at that exact moment?"
Mike blushed, but quickly covered it up, "I do not have a man crush on him." He didn't. Really. Mr. Specter was just the greatest Law teacher at their school, probably even the greatest teacher period. It was Mike's dream to become a lawyer and Mr. Specter was just his inspiration. He admired the man. He couldn't wait for third hour, though he'd never tell anyone that. He was too much of a nerd as it was.
"Oh, leave him alone, Trevor," Jenny snapped, annoyed. She looked like she was ready to go into full rant when she was tapped on the shoulder. She turned, a smile instantly spreading on her face, though she glanced back to give Mike a sympathetic look.
Trevor instantly moved next to his best friend, wrapping an arm around him. "Sorry man," he said simply.
"Uh-huh." It was all he could say as he watched Jenny talk and laugh with Rachael. He was seeing her for the first time since their break-up. It was harder then he expected it to be. He had a major crush on her junior year. They had only dated a whopping two weeks before she broke up with him over the summer and started going out with Gregory because she found out about…him, really. "Why did I let you talk me into cheating for you?"
"Cause you're my best friend."
"I know," Mike said, looking at him, as if trying to figure out why, "but why did you have to tell her about it?"
"I didn't know she'd freak out and leave you." Trevor insisted, "Who knew the girl was that much into the honor system?"
Mike sighed as she walked away without so much as glancing at either one of them. She had never liked Trevor. Now she didn't like either one of them. It wasn't like he loved her, but she was his first relationship and it was over before it really stared. He feared he would be alone forever. Jenny gave him a hug just as the warning bell for class was ringing. He sighed again. "Let's get to class."
"Do we have to?"
"Yes, Trevor, we have to."
…
Mike had taken notes in first hour, but only to ensure that no one would make fun of him. He didn't need to take notes and he hadn't taken good ones since he entered middle school. Kids picked on him because he barely had to pay attention to the teacher and he always did better then everyone else. He started taking notes again when he entered high school, though most were filled with doodles and other random things he thought of at the time. It kept the kids off his back.
First hour had gone by too slow for him. Mrs. Chex seemed like a nice teacher and he loved to read. Under normal circumstances, he probably would have been happy in her class, but he just couldn't wait to get to Law. The class was two hours long, so he didn't have room in his schedule for it in the past three years of high school. He finally did and he was excited to get his first real taste of it.
By the time he got to second hour, he was ready to beat his head against his desk. It didn't help that he had Mr. Litt as his teacher. He had never had him before, but he knew he was a rival of Mr. Specter, which automatically meant he wasn't exactly on his top five favorite person's list. It didn't help that Mr. Litt seemed as sleazy as they come. The man made him uncomfortable, and it was more then a few times he caught him staring directly at him.
At first he thought he was staring at Trevor, who was sleeping in the desk behind him. Or Jenny, who was sitting next to Trevor. But time after time, Mr. Litt's eyes would lock with his and then he'd smile. It creeped him out. It only made him want to go to Law class even more and get out of there.
Finally, the bell rang. Trevor shot up the moment it did, his hand reaching out like he was looking for the snooze button. Jenny rolled her eyes, but smiled as she fixed his hair. Soon they were the only three left in the class and Mike had to bite his tongue so he didn't tell them to hurry.
"Mr. Ross," Louis called out, "may I speak to you for a second?"
Mike glanced back at his friends before walking up to Mr. Litt's desk. Jenny and Trevor said their good-byes and left. Louis waited until they were out of earshot to continue.
"You know of the game we play here every year, correct?"
"I am."
"Well," Louis smirked as he leaned back in his seat, "today is your lucky day."
"Why is that?"
"Because I'm inviting you to be my partner for the year."
Mike raised an eyebrow, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. He wanted to be part of the game, but he didn't want to be partnered with Louis. "But I'm not in your Law class. I'm in Mr. Specter's." which he really, really didn't want to be late to.
"The rules say a student in the course of Law. Never says it has to be from my own class."
Mike thought about it for a second. If Mr. Litt was asking him, then he must think he could win with him. And Mr. Specter was, no doubt, smarter then Mr. Litt, which meant Mr. Specter would probably think he could win…"No, thank you," Mike finally answered, feeling awkward as Louis' smile turned into a frown. "Now if you'll excuse me…I have to get to Law class. I really don't want to be late."
…
Mike made it into class with two seconds to spare. He breathed a sigh of relief as he slid into a seat in front of Mr. Specter's desk. The teacher looked up at him, smirking, before getting up and closing the door. He came back so he was standing in the middle of the room and leaned back against his desk, examining the students.
"Take notes because I don't want to repeat myself," Harvey said finally. Many students leaned over their notebooks with pencils in hand, but Mike remained where he was. "This class may be easy peasy in Mr. Litt's room but it's no cake walk here. So if you're not ready to do work, then get the hell out of my room."
"As many, if not all of you already know, I participate in the mock trials every year. They can go from anywhere from playing a simple game of trivia, to a fake court case, or a game of football." he started, looking around the room to see who was paying attention and who wasn't. Most of the students were taking notes, but two students weren't.
The first Harvey noticed was Mike, who was staring up at him, a certain glint in his eye. He looked like he was paying attention, even analyzing the things Harvey said. His body language all pointed to the same thing. He was sitting straight at Harvey, his head and eyes both forward. He had even placed himself as far up as he could in his seat.
"My opponent every year is Louis Litt. I am twenty-eight years old, I have been teaching here for four years, and I have won every year. Two teams, two people compete on each team. Louis and I both need to find a partner before the week is done. On top of the work for this class, my partner will be pushed further then any of you can imagine."
The second student not taking notes was one Harvey was also familiar with, but not as familiar with as Mike. His name was Seth. Harvey could tell just by his body language that he was trying to be the other student. He had turned himself slightly to the right, so he was facing towards Mike. His eyes kept flickering from Harvey to Mike and then Mike to Harvey.
Harvey, of course, did not care about the student's lives. He didn't even care about his fellow co-worker's lives. He never paid much attention, but despite this, he knew a lot about Mike Ross. Academically, anyway. The kid was said to be a genius. They had given him achievement tests when he was in the first grade going all the way through grade school and middle school. He'd passed everyone with flying colors. They had wanted to move him up several grades, but it never happened. He wasn't sure why, though he suspected it had to do with the fact that Mike wasn't very popular, and had in fact been picked on for most of his school life. Harvey didn't honestly care about any of that. All he cared about was the fact that Mike seemed very interested in law. And he was exactly what he needed. Seth must have noticed this, too.
"Winning teacher gets the senior position. Winning students get 20,000 dollars for a scholarship and a summer job at Macht - Adams," he paused, letting it sink it for the students, "Truth be told, I could win with any of you, but I'm not looking for just anyone. I'm looking for a second me. Someone who can keep up and do what they need to do and do it right. I have yet to find that person."
Harvey was paying extra attention to Mike. He was transfixed on him, taking in everything. He liked that. He needed someone focused and willing to work. There were other students who obviously wanted to partner with him, but none seemed as enthusiastic as Mike. Not even Seth, who had tried to his best to copy Mike and fail miserably.
"Now," Harvey began again, leaning forward slightly, "I have heard about each and every one of you. From Miss. Pearson, from previous teachers, or from just seeing you out in the hall. And some of you I have heard very good things, but just because I've heard good things, doesn't mean you automatically get the spot. You have to work for it, and the game began the moment that bell rang. It continues until Friday when I announce my decision. It continues tomorrow so dress to impress and come prepared."
A hand raised in the back.
"Yes?"
"Prepared for what, exactly?"
Harvey couldn't stop himself from smirking, "If I told you, you'd known, wouldn't you?" he asked, "Oh, one more thing: Remember that there are thirty kids in this class and I have three Law classes. That's ninety kids if you're brain is slow. The mathematics, science, and English department also have their games every year. You cannot do mine and theirs. My rule. You either give me all of your attention, or none of it. So, choose wisely."
He reached behind him and grabbed a stack of papers before reaching forward and setting them on Mike's desk. "These are the forms I need you to film out if you want to try and become my partner. I don't encourage all of you. Let's face it some of you aren't cut out for it, but you can fill one out and see." he turned his eyes to the young man in front of him, "Pass these out for me, kid."
Mike did as he was told. He started with the row furthest away from Mr. Specter and moved in, making sure to count each paper and pass out the correct amount. As he got to the second row, a boy stuck out his foot, causing Mike to tip over it slightly. The class laughed, and Harvey did nothing to stop them. The boy who tripped Mike filled out the top of the form, letting out a surprised squeak as Harvey tore the paper away from him.
"Harold White," Harvey read the paper before ripping it in two and throwing it away, "I don't need someone like you as my partner."
Mike finished passing out the papers and then sat back down, instantly beginning to fill out the paperwork. Mr. Specter continued to talk, going over the rest of the things that was required for the partnership, and then what they would be covering over the course of the year. When he was finished, he surveyed the room. The students were filling out the forms. Not even Mike or Seth appeared to be listening to him anymore. No doubt this would have bothered him if it didn't happen every year. He just continued to talk. If they missed important information, it was their fault.
Harvey looked up when there was five minutes left from class. He smirked, turning back to his students. Some had finished the paperwork, some were still working, while some had given up all together. "Let's review." He picked up the class roster from his desk and scanned over it for a random name. "Miss. Kaplan, which supreme court case ruled that students rights did not disappear when they enter the gates of the school?
Miss. Kaplan looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Um…I'm not…sure?"
"Are you asking me if you're sure or not?"
"No?"
Harvey sighed before looking down for another name. "Mr. Basil?"
"Um…Miranda v. Arizona?"
"That has nothing to do with students," he deadpanned before bringing his eyes back to the piece of paper in front of him. "Mr. Keller?" he asked, looking at Seth.
Seth lifted his head quickly, obviously scared. "Um…"
Harvey sighed, "Mr. Ross, can you tell me?"
"Tinker v. Des Moines."
"Very good," he said, unable to stop himself from smirking once again, "and what was the result of the Miranda v. Arizona case Mr. Basil brought up?"
"Miranda rights."
Harvey nodded his approval just as the bell rang. "Mr. Ross, can I speak to you for a moment before you leave?"
Mike waited behind while everyone left. Harvey never left the spot from his desk. He waited until the last student left before saying anything. "Mr. Litt asked you to be his partner for the competition."
"How did you know?"
"Because I know Louis," he told him as he stood up. "He's not stupid enough to overlook the fact the rules say your partner doesn't need to be in your Law class. And I know you're the smartest kid in this school and that you have him second hour. It's so obvious, it's embarrassing."
Mike couldn't help but blush. "You think I'm the smartest kid in this school?"
He stared at Mike a moment before answering, "I know you are, but don't think that automatically means you get to be my partner. Just because you're smart, doesn't mean you're what I'm looking for."
"How do you know I didn't take Louis' offer?"
Harvey smirked, "I already told you I know you're the smartest kid in school." He couldn't help but notice the already set-in blush that deepened on Mike's face. "Now get to calculus cause I'm not writing you a pass if you're late."
"Yes, Mr. Specter," Mike said as he hurriedly stood up and went for the door. "And thank you."
"Don't thank me just yet, kid," Harvey warned as he walked to the other side of his desk and sat down, "I haven't done anything for you yet."
"Of course, sir." Mike suddenly felt incredibly stupid. He stood there awkwardly for a moment before taking off, just as the minute bell was ringing.
Harvey couldn't help but chuckle despite himself. Mike was unpopular and socially awkward, but a genius and it seemed like he was determined. He obviously wanted to be apart of the competition, but he shot down a guarantied spot.
The competition had barely begun, and Mike was already way out in front.
(A/N) Okay, so, obviously lots of changed in this AU. I hope you all liked it!I know it's slightly cliche, but I feel like it's a classic.
Also, Macht - Adams law firm is named after the actors who play Harvey and Mike. Also, Seth's last name I got from a website that had a cast list. I'm not 100% sure it's right. Does anyone know what Gregory's last name is? It would be a big help. Also, Harold White is the curly haired dude from where Louis ripped into him for not answering his phone before he found the King Lair tickets. White may or may not be his last name. Probably not.
Anywho, I think that's all I needed to say...I really hope you all like it! I'll be sure to continue it. I'm sorry for any mistakes I didn't catch!
With Love,
Kitty!
