Genevieve: Day 4 (Announcements)

Friday, 7pm. You and Rebekah arrive at the college’s theater at exactly the right time, but it’s not Dr. Rousseau who you find standing there. It’s Kaori Tanaka and she’s dressed exactly the same as she was when you did your Phantom of the Opera challenge with her. You exchange glances with your girlfriend, wondering what exactly is going on.

“Hey, glad you made it,” says Kaori. “Come in!”

She’s excited. Perhaps more than that. She looks like her dreams have all come true at once. Without waiting for you, she turns and heads back into the theater. You follow.

As you enter the building you hear several people talking. This is not what you expected when you arranged to meet Dr. Rousseau about the week’s College Spread challenge. Kaori leads you on towards the stage. You hold Rebekah’s hand, unsure what you’re going to find, and step through the door to enter stage left.

Dr. Rousseau is there, together with several other people you have met or seen through College Spread. Kiara Martinez, cheerleader and performing arts major, leans against an upright piano. Claire Koslowski sits on its seat, her fingers gently caressing the keys. A very dishevelled looking young woman, who you THINK is Tabby Cheevers, is checking out artistic backdrops, touching them up with a paintbrush. A redhead who barely registers with you is looking over some notes with drama student Camilla Reyes. Another woman you vaguely recognize as being a lady of the deck appears to be adjusting her notes based on what they say. And finally you see her, Dr. Rousseau standing amid the chaos talking to an older woman. It takes you a moment to realize it’s Dr. Ayana Sinclair, the Ace of Hearts who turned down Cassie last week.

“He’s here, Dr. Rousseau,” says Kaori, grabbing your hand and pulling you over to where the professors are talking.

“So he is,” she says beaming. “The man in question. And the question is… how badly do you want to win your challenge with me this week?”

“Umm…”

It’s about the most you can get out right then.

“What’s going on?”

She laughs. “What do you think? This is the start of the play we’re putting on at the end of the year. Well, it’s the members of the deck who are in it. Some of us writing, doing set dressing, handling lights. Some of us acting. There’s more, of course, but since we’re meeting about a College Spread challenge I couldn’t exactly bring those who don’t know about the game.”

You realize that you’re staring open-mouthed. It’s real. They’re really going to put on a sex-based play at the end of the year. It wasn’t the joke you half believed it to be. And now that it is real it feels almost scary.

You glance around from one person to another, realizing that if this is only some of the people involved it’s going to be big. One of the pieces of artwork that Tabby is working on catches your eye. It looks like the inside of a train.

“Wait… this is Kaori’s fantasy isn’t it?” you say, indicating the art piece. “A train for the Chikan fantasy she has?”

Kaori nods excitedly. “Don’t ask more right now, everything’s still being worked on. But I’m gonna be the star!”

You blink.

You blink again, wondering if the world is going to start making sense any time soon. Surely not even a college like this one would put on such a play. All colleges have their specialties, the fields they’re particularly known for, and this college is known for psychology, sociology and gender studies. That includes some very sexual classes, like the Masters class Rebekah managed to get you into. It’s probably the only reason they haven’t closed down College Spread in all these years. But this…?

“Indeed she is,” says Dr. Rousseau. “Which brings me back to the question I asked: how much do you want to win your challenge this week?”

“A lot,” you say, still shaken by the magnitude of what your Phantom challenge seems to have started. “I mean I’m trailing the others. And we’re running out of time. But what does that have to do with the play?”

“You’re going to be in it,” she replies.

“What?”

“Was I not clear? You are going to be in the play. At the end. I won’t go into details yet. As Kaori said, we’re still writing and setting things up. But you will have a pivotal role at the end of the play. Both of you, actually. At least, if you want me to agree to a challenge.”

“Wait! That’s not fair!” you say.

“Isn’t it?” she asks. “We both want something. And I think this could be pleasurable for both of us, hopefully for Rebekah too. Yes, I know who she is. I watch the show every week. And if you agree to be in the play then I will agree to accept any challenge you care to offer.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then we’ll have to find someone else. And you can leave. Neither one of us has to say yes here, but we come out winners if we cooperate.”

Rebekah leans in to whisper in your ear. “Do it!”

“I don’t mind being in the play,” you say at last. “But… I don’t know if I’ll have time. Besides, I’m no actor.”

“Aren’t you?” Dr. Rousseau says. “I think your Phantom challenge disproves that. But it’s up to you. What challenge were you thinking of anyway?”

You stumble again. With the adjustments you’ve been making around Rebekah’s pregnancy you haven’t even looked at them. You pull out your tablet and check it.

“I can do a blow job…”

“No,” says Dr. Roussea. “Go bigger.”

“Anal sex? I have two of them.”

“Anything else?”

“Well there’s impregnate, but I’m using that one alre—”

Rebekah kicks your ankle, a move that draws everyone’s attention faster than what you were already saying. Eyes flick from you to Rebekah and back. Faces show a range of emotions from concern to delight and excitement. You nurse your ankle and glare at her.

“What? You’re the one who wanted to play the Impregnate challenge card. It’s not like it’s a secret.”

“That’s my choice,” she says. “It was a great reveal. This wasn’t.”

You’re about to respond when Dr. Rousseau interrupts you.

“So, a College Spread baby,” she says. “Not that it’s the first one ever.”

“Sort of,” says Rebekah. “But not directly. We met through the game, but it wasn’t a challenge that got us pregnant.”

You note that word. Us. She’s decided to trust that you’re staying despite her original fears and frames things in terms of you as a couple. It’s a good sign.

Dr. Rousseau nods. “So, are congratulations in order or…”

Rebekah reaches for your hand and squeezes it, her lips forming a natural smile you’ve seldom seen there. “Congratulations. We’re keeping it and we’ve already started working on what changes we might need to make.”

“Then you’ve got better heads on your shoulders than a lot of our students who become pregnant unexpectedly. However, if you want to speak to one of the counselors, I strongly recommend Sandra Wilson. This is a field she knows a lot about.”

“Thanks,” says Rebekah. “But we’re okay.”

“Fine,” says the professor. “Just remember her name if you need it. Now, was there another challenge you could run for more points?”

“Well,” you say. “I did get a **** contract card this week, but obviously you’re not going to—”

“PERFECT! A top score.”

You look at her in shock. “Wait, you want to sign a **** contract?”

She laughs, loud and explosive. “No! YOU sign it. You can limit them, right? So we’ll limit it to your performance in the play. And don’t worry, since you’re only in the ending it won’t add that much work to your already busy schedule.”

“That…” you pause, considering the situation. A ten point multiplier on a queen and Rebekah already wants you and her to be involved in the play. “That makes sense actually.”

“Good! Then it’s settled. Tabby do you have a spare piece of paper and a pen?”

She turns to the set designer who steps forward with the required implements. A moment later a very brief statement has been written and Rebekah has recorded you signing it. A **** to one of the professors? Milo’s face enters your mind as you consider how Dr. Ravensmoor has been running him ragged all year. Of course, yours is far more limited, but it still makes you slightly uncomfortable.

And then it’s done and you’re ready for the gameshow section on Monday. It’s funny, you’ve played no challenges that involve sex but you’ve managed to secure the two highest scoring challenges there are.

“Ladies,” says Dean Sinclair. “If it’s all right with Rebekah and our Mr. Phantom, I think we should stop here today and take our parents to be out for a meal to celebrate. Would Liberace’s be to your taste?”

“We can’t afford that!” you cry.

“I never said you could. Dinner’s on me. This is a celebration!”

And so ends the most intense, most scary and yet most fulfilling week of your entire year to date. You give Rebekah a kiss and tell her you love her.

“You better,” she says with a grin. “I need you.”