Cat paced the floor within her dorm room. The invitation for the winter formal pinched between her thumb and index finger as she walked back and forth, back and forth, over and over again. Her head was spinning from all of the information that she had gained from her “preparatory” with Emma. She was grateful for it - at least she knew now what had been planned for her, what was coming. But what had the other women been subjected to? What had Emma been doing year after year after year - until graduate school! - willingly going along with the ministrations of a sadistic and barbaric doctor - educator - Cat wasn’t sure the dean could really call himself either of those things at this point. He’d purchased her virginity?! So he could take it for himself?!

Cat heard the door to the room shut from behind her and she whirled around, the invitation dropping delicately to the floor, as Max walked into the room. The expression on her face was unreadable which probably wasn’t any celebration for good news.

“You were sent for preparation,” Max said dully. Oh, apparently that news traveled around quickly then.

“You knew?” Cat asked - she figured she must, especially if Emma explicitly told her to seek out Max at the time of the ceremony.

“It was supposed to be me,” Max said as she walked in, picked up the invitation from the floor and sat in an overstuffed armchair in the corner of the room. ”I think it was, at least. Until it wasn’t anymore.”

“What?” Cat gasped. “Why… what makes you think that?”

“Remember the night of the freshman mixer?” Max asked as she plucked away tiny pieces of paper from the corner of the invitation in her hands. “The night I had to miss the dance and get dragged down into the laboratories with those two fucking linebackers from St. Joseph’s?”

Of course Cat remembered. It had been such a bizarre occurrence and had left Max quiet and haunted for weeks following the mysterious events of that evening.

“I think it was a test,” Max started to explain, “For the guys, yes, definitely, but for me too. I think.”

“What happened?” Cat asked quietly. She’d never really prodded Max for information about her mysterious absences and lengthy disappearances. Max was brave and outspoken, she could be pushy with those in a position of authority, Cat just… assumed bad things happened to Max. She really didn’t want to know the lurid details of what she was being subjected to in the dean’s study or under campus in the tunnels.

“The guys,” Max shook her head and looked down into her lap, “their assignment for the evening was to make me orgasm. As many times as they could. Without actually touching me. ‘How many ways can the female body climax without the human touch’ or some bullshit like that.” Cat gasped. “Well. Turns out I can do it a lot. And every single one was fucking miserable.”

“What did they do?” Cat’s curiosity outweighed her concern in that moment. To date, Cat had ONLY achieved a climax through the touch of hers - or the dean’s - hands. How else could it be possible?!’

”What didn’t they do” Max replied with a humorless laugh, “other than touch me, I guess. Fucking shoved god only knows what up my pussy and asshole. Electrocuted me. Repeatedly. Shoved something up my ass and made me hold it while they rubbed my clit raw with some sort of mechanical something or other. Pulled and sucked at my tits with mechanical vacuum shit until I was purple and bruised.”

“Did you see any of it?” Cat gasped.

Max huffed, “Only when they pulled something down from up above. They had me so tightly strapped down the entire time, I had no chance. At first I cried and screamed, then I got mean, then I just…shut down. Still kept cumming, much to everyone’s delight, I’m sure.”

“Do you know why you weren’t chosen?” Cat nodded towards the invitation that was starting to look extra shredded at the edges from Max’s constant picking.

“Because I could take it?” Max suggested, “I’m not sure. I think at a certain point, I was used up. I didn’t react or respond to any of it any more. What fun would it be to subject me to some bizarre virginal sex ritual if I’ll just lie there and take it? Maybe even enjoy it?”

“You’d enjoy it?!”

“Fuck no,” Max spat, “Of course not. But considering how eagerly my body responded that night - the dean’s words, mind you, NOT mine - I don’t think I was the girl they wanted for the ceremony this year. And then…” she trailed off.

“And then?!”

“I think your parents caught wind of you and August Rogers together - big fucking surprise considering they likely sold you both out to the tabloids with some fabricated story about young college love - and the dean stepped in to, er, placate the situation.”

“By purchasing my virginity from my parents?!”

“By paying a hefty sum to them to ensure your safety and purity, Catherine,” Max said sardonically. “They don’t need to know the dirty details of what that all entails. Not like your parents are going to be accompanying you into the dean’s exam room to make sure your hymen is still intact.”

Well, no, probably not. Especially considering how uncomfortable her mother had been the day of Cat’s initial interview and assessment.

“You’re going to be there?” Cat asked quietly, nervously, nodding again towards the invitation in Max’s hands.

Max nodded, “Some dress code.” She rolled her eyes.

“Black and white,” Cat said.

”Except you’re the only one in white. How symbolic,” Max rolled her eyes again. “I’ll be there. I’ll grab your hands and that’ll be your cue.”

“What am I going to do?!”

“You’re smart, Catty Cat, you’ll figure it out in the moment, I guarantee it.”