The Ladies of the Week 9 Draw Appear

The giant wall-screen flickers shifts to a new display—this time not with scores or footage, but a swirling cyclone of facedown cards, their backs shimmering with red velvet and gold filigree.

Rhett lifts his mic. “And now, beloved degenerates of College Spread, the moment you’ve been squirming for—this week’s draw!”

The crowd perks up immediately. Cheers ripple across the studio. Claire shifts behind her translucent, cursed keyboard and, with an arched brow at Rhett, launches into a brand new piece—this one layered, sharp, and full of teasing promise. The sound winds through minor chords and sudden flares of vibrato, dancing between electric flirtation and faux drama.

On screen, the card backs begin to spin.

“Let’s deal some destiny,” Rhett declares.

The first card halts mid-spin—flips—and locks into place.

The screen flares a regal crimson. Rhett whistles low. “Oh-ho, look what the market just coughed up—Dr. Isabella Aragon, Queen of Diamonds, professor of Political Economics and, if rumors are true, architect of the last three student body coups. She doesn’t just run simulations—she runs men. If you’re not scared, boys, you should be.”

The audience laughs and a few men in the front rows cross their legs instinctively.

The second card clicks into place with a sparkling chime.

The screen flashes stadium lights. The cheerleader’s bright smile and tight uniform draw a sharp intake of breath from the crowd.

Rhett’s grin widens. “Well helloooooo, Miss Martinez. We’ve got ourselves a fresh face! Kiara is new to the table, and I don’t mean the poker kind—this girl’s been flipping pyramids, tumbling into splits, and raising temperatures since orientation week. Performing Arts major. Brings the heat on and off the field. Players, prepare your Gatorade.”

The camera zooms briefly to some of the contestants. A few look intrigued. One looks nervous.

The third card flips and lands with a soft chime.

A light swirl of leaves appears behind her photo on-screen. Claire’s keyboard shifts into a soft, philosophical trill.

Rhett chuckles.

“Ah, Miss Brooks returns. Kennedy, the cutie from the Philosophy department who will dismantle your worldview with a warm smile and a perfectly timed ‘actually.’ She’s adorable. She’s dangerous. She’s the kind of girl who highlights your love notes and returns them with annotations.”

The final card flickers and settles.

The screen casts a soft, silvery glow as champagne bubbles swirl behind her image. Rhett tilts his head.

“And finally, the queen mother herself—Dean Mireille DuPont, Ace of Diamonds. She’s 49, blonde, brilliant, and terrifying in heels. She once wrote a book called Markets, Orgasms, and Control: A Unified Theory. I didn’t understand any of it, but I couldn’t stop turning pages—or crossing my legs. She’s the high priestess of Dr. Selene Ravensmoor’s coven and as Milo found to his terror, quite enjoys a little faux human sacrifice.”

Laughter breaks out.

He steps slightly forward, hands sweeping to gesture at the full set of images now frozen on screen.

“So there you have it, folks—your four Ladies of the College Spread deck for Week 9. Three familiar faces, one explosive newcomer. Which means no excuses. No warm-up plays. The deck’s expecting more from you this time.” He turns to the contestants, his grin sharpening. “They’ve seen what you can do. Now let’s see if you can keep doing it.”

Claire finishes her flourish with a soft sting, one final key delivering just enough of a jolt to make her twitch. The camera lingers on her squirm and smile as the crowd whoops again.

“Now let’s see who’s picking whom.”