Hey Reddit what’s up

There’s a cute blond girl in my English class, she’s been hit on before but only by the class autist and it’s made her defensive around literally every other guy since the man was…we’ll say discomforting. We’ve had a minor positive interaction before where she piggy backed on me talking about books and reading habits and mentioned that she related to me a lot.

(No offense intended to the other guy nor his condition, I’m just saying plainly he made her uncomfortable and put her in defensive mode with everyone else. I know he can’t help it and from my interactions with him he’s a decent guy)

I’ve read models but it just doesn’t click in my head to just go up and say “I think you’re pretty let’s go out” what would the more experienced folks say to start a chat with her and progress things?

I’m putting myself out there recently but not much luck, I don’t need help with basic social skills or anything I’m trying to feel confident about meeting women specifically for going out with for either a relationship or hooking up.

(At the very least hype up this scaredy cat please lol)

Oh for reference this is at a community college everyone involved will be in their 20s