Jenny was a 26 year old final year medical student. Like most students she found herself deep in debt to college loans. She also worked as a waitress part time to support herself. She was not a natural straight A student but worked harder at her grades than anyone she knew and though it had taken her longer than most to get where she was she had icy determination to succeed. As a result she had little free time and few friends around campus.
She stayed on campus in student accommodation as an RA, not even trying to get into the various sororities as she never felt particularly confident or indeed entitled. Going into final year, she continued to live in dorms, struggling to cover her daily living expenses despite her waitressing and RA position. The pressure she felt to pass her exams was incredible. So much so that unfortunately she had really struggled with both her studies and her bills last year and feared she was on the verge of failing unless she tried something drastic. She couldn't comprehend why her grades were slipping and didn't feel she could work an harder to ameliorate her situation.
It never ceased to amaze her that Sandi and Michelle, two girls who she never saw studying in the library and went to the minimum amount of classes, were able to fly through their exams, often being top of the class. They seemed to spend most of their time partying and she couldn't help feel both resentful and jealous of their lives but somehow she suspected that there something was questionable about those two. Not only did she really want to be a doctor but if she failed it would mean financial ruin and a waste of the last five years of her life.
But she was getting desperate and so against her better instincts she approached Sandi and Michelle to try to see if they could help her in some way. She had her suspicion that the two beauties must have some access to cheat notes or nefarious method but did not know how to broach the subject. In any case to Jenny's delight they told her to meet them in their sorority house in the evening after classes and they would see what they could do to help her.
Jenny was nervous. She had always found the whole Greek culture quite intimidating. Being more wallflower than rose she had no idea what to expect. When the door of the large sorority opened a tall blonde at least five years her junior stood before her. She had a wide toothy smile on her face until she scanned down examining Jenny, clearly less than impressed with what she saw. Jenny was no social butterfly and dressed the part in her thick woolly sweater and slacks.
"Who are you?" she asked curtly.
Jenny despite being older was unnerved by the young girl in front of her just by virtue of her stunning appearance. When she replied she was here to see Sandi and Michelle the look on the young woman's face quickly changed and her tone became suddenly more deferential. Clearly the two girls held some high position in the sorority Jenny thought.
The younger woman led Jenny into the foyer, bidding her to wait while she went to see if Sandi and Michelle would see her. As Jenny stood there she was struck by the opulence. There was a huge open space, like the chamber of a heart with arteries spreading out in all directions. It was a flurry of activity as the co-eds scurried past looking through Jenny as if she didn't exist which being a non sorority member she figured she didn't. A chandelier hung in the middle, drawing your attention to the high ceiling and as she glanced again she saw the young blonde waving her up the baroque staircase to meet with Sandi and Michelle.
The young blonde escorted her down a long corridor on the upper floor of the dwelling and disappeared behind a door at the end. Looking sheepish she exited and told Jenny that Ms. Fuller and Ms. Hashimoto would see her now.
She meekly walked into the room. Her two classmates were seated ten feet away behind a desk and as she walked in she felt an onerous air descend on her, her mouth suddenly dried and she felt a distinct lack of control.
"What can we do for you Jenny?" Sandi said in a rather authoritative tone.
Jenny gasped. She had no idea things would be so formal but she really didn't know how to broach the subject of cheat notes.
"Well, I mean..erm..it's just that I've been under a lot of pressure lately, what with work and study and I just feel like...I mean...I look at you two...and everything...I mean," Jenny muttered nervously.
Michelle the prepossessing Asian American looked at Sandi with eyebrows raised before casting a sharp glance at Jenny who began to feel smaller and smaller in the oppressive atmosphere.
"Stop that babbling right now. As you know we're busy women. We agreed to meet you out of courtesy but you're hardly our only appointment today. Now just tell us briefly what you think we can do for you," Michelle said.
"It's just you two do so well in exams and I guess, I was just wondering what your secret is?"
There was along pause before any words were spoken again. Jenny felt as if the oxygen was sucked from the room.
"Oh so you think because we're beautiful and popular that we can't be smart as well?" Michelle finally retorted in a stern fashion her sharp features closing.
"No, no, I didn't mean anything, I swear, it's just I'm afraid I'll fail and if I do my life is over and all the sacrifices I've made will be for nothing and I'll be in debt with no way to pay it off..." Jenny replied her tongue flapping wildly.
"Yes, yes, we've heard the sob story already. But what do you expect us to do about it?" Sandi asked.
"It's just that I've heard that you had sometimes special access to...well..."
"Yes?" they both said interrupting Jenny's spasmodic flow,
"Cheat sheets...I heard you could get some cheat sheets," Jenny finally admitted. She felt dirty, that
the girls were right. She really was judging them based on their looks which she always hated.
"I knew it, is that really all you think of us?" Sandi asked almost triumphantly.
"No, no I swear...I think you're both very beautiful..."
And then they both burst out laughing.
"Don't worry Jenny, we're only playing with you. I suppose we could help you. But first you must tell us directly what you want from us."
"Okay I admit it, I want your help. I want your help to cheat the exams. Please help me!" Jenny exclaimed.
Sandi and Michelle could see how desperate she was. Either real or imaginary Jenny had brought herself to such a state of mental anguish about her future that she seemingly had lost a sense of her morals.
"Ok, ok. You've possibly come to the right place. But tell us why should we help you? What can you do for us?"
Jenny had to think for a while, she realized she had very little to offer the two beautiful and popular young women in front of her. They were well connected though how well she had no idea. Nonetheless, she had to try after getting this far.
"Money? I don't have much but when I qualify I swear I will pay you back any amount you want."
"Do you think we need your money?" Sandi interjected.
"No, of course no, I just don't know what I can give ye. You're both so beautiful and popular and I'm a broke nobody just struggling to survive. If I fail to get an A in my next exam my grade average will be so low I'll be unable to pass. Believe me, I will do anything..." Jenny begged.
"Anything eh?" Michelle asked.
"Yes anything! I swear, just please I need your help."
"Well, that does sound like something. However, how do we know we can trust you? For all we know you could be working for the Deans Office or for the school paper just trying to expose us. A lot of people would like to see us fall."
Jenny was terrified, not only was she already sacrificing any values regarding fair and decency she was also unsure how she could prove her trustworthiness.
"I promise I won't tell anyone. I would never do anything to get you in trouble."
"You say that now. But if anything were to go wrong, how do we know you wouldn't sell us out to protect yourself. After all nobody would be too interested in some random girl who was caught cheating but I'm sure if the school could catch us they'd consider that a major coup."