Thread: Can She Rise To The Challenge (google and skittish_butterfly)

It was seconds before Katherine realized she was standing silent with her mouth open in surprise. It was so obvious to her that he could never win a challenge if it came to trying to break her will power or corrupt her that it never dawned on her he might actually swallow the poison pill. She closed her mouth for a moment, about to remind him about the part where he would have to quit, but he was already barging ahead and pouring more fuel on his own funeral pyre. It was just that she hadn't really wanted to have to be the one to go through with putting him on it, the thought disgusted her actually. So there it was, a perverted pornographer's hand extended to her, on-camera, inviting her to a deal-with-the-devil where she could put him out of business, earn 100,000 dollars for charity and get to write a speech that he himself would have to deliver and which would obviously have a big influence on the frat-boys who followed his every move. Once she got to that point, she'd see if Daddy could make time to see her to set up an appointment with his speech writers. It would be perfect. Why was she hesitating? She flexed her right hand in a little fist, having trouble opening her fingers to take his grip, then stuffed it into her pants pocket, feeling the jeans tighten around her hips as she stood uncomfortably. The blank papers had fallen to the floor at her feet and Katherine scarcely even noticed Becky scurrying around to gather them up like they were some prize dissertation. Donovan stepped forward, again blocking the cameras view of her and standing between her and the pornographer. He looked at her with that typical Donovan-earnestness and he was whispering, as if the cameras' microphones and the pornographer himself couldn't hear what he was saying. Katherine, you can't! He's a freaking pornographer for heaven's sake! You know what he does to girls like you. Not like me, Don. Will you back off? He hasn't dealt with a girl like me. She was talking tough for the cameras and for her image in the eyes of the crowd that was slowly starting to build a chant of her name, but she secretly wished Don would come up with a way out of this that was based on something more than the jealous fear the pornographer might actually try to have sex with her. Well, still, not even going to discuss the limits before you have to agree? What about your school work? How much time is this going to take? I'm sure your dad could just give 100,000 to charity and arrange for you to give a speech some time if you see him some time this year. Katherine's eyes blazed the more Don talked and she couldn't help pulling her hand out of her pocket, her fingers unclenched now. She was looking right through him like he wasn't even there, only the cameras and the crowd and the pornographer mattering now. Her hand was trembling and her heart pounding as she ignored the panicked worst-case worries in her brain. But she knew what she had to do. She was Katherine Townsend. Success was her destiny, and to worry about the cost of losing was unbefitting her destiny. Michael is it? I want you to freeze 100,000 in your bank account because you're going to need it, maybe a little more for career retraining and some therapy after the speech you're going to have to read. The crowd cheered openly behind her, although from the sound of some of the rowdier voices not everyone was cheering for the same reason. We have a deal. She gritted her teeth and clenched her jaw as she extended her hand and slipped it into his larger grip and shook, disgusted with what her destiny required of her. And yes, we're going to have some conditions to discuss for sure. That last line mostly for the benefit of the cameras so it would be clear she wasn't giving a pervert carte blanche with her. If she played her cards right, she still might be able to negotiate her way out of this without having to deal with him at all if she could make the conditions so annoying he'd rather cancel the whole thing. As they shook, she gave the best smile she could muster, and brushed her hair back behind her ear, camera-side. Why don't you leave your number with the University and I'll call you in a week to discuss the details? That would give her time to brainstorm conditions and an exit strategy, as well as making sure the premature cancellation would be blamed on him.