***One of these days, I'll actually post when I'm supposed to. Until then, this weekend I'll make it rain updates to make up for my fuckery.***

I strummed my fingers along the arm of my chair, impatiently waiting for Jordan to return to her office. She'd promised me she'd be "right back" but I'd been waiting on right back for nearly half an hour. I knew someone somewhere was getting the Jordan sweet talk special and I hoped beyond hope that they were buying it.

My heart thudded in my chest and my skin was clammy with nerves but I still wanted this. I wanted to be a part of this experiment and everything that it would mean for me. Even though, I'd been reluctant, it now felt like I needed this. I needed to persevere. I needed to do something outside of myself, for myself. And if Jordan walked back through the door of her office with her shoulders slumped in defeat, I knew it would decimate me.

Chewing on my lip, I tried to push away the negativity. I still had no idea what exactly I was getting myself into. I shouldn't want it so bad. If they wanted me in, then so be it and if not...well, then I'd live. I'd live my slow, meaningless march to death.

I frowned. So much for positivity.

Hearing voices in the hallway, I straightened. The enormous building was always buzzing with people, but Jordan's tiny office pushed to the back bottom level of the building was the quiet zone. Every time I visited her, it seemed like a trek into no man's land. If I was hearing voices, I was either going crazy or Jordan was on her way back with someone.

The voices grew closer and after a moment the office door swung open on a smiling Jordan and a tall, elegant woman in a blue lab coat by her side.

"Miss Smith?" The woman looked at me, her soft brown eyes creased at the corners with a smile.

I nodded, climbing to my feet to extend my hand. "Yes, hi."

"Hi, nice to meet you," she said, taking my hand in her firm grip. "I'm Doctor Aimes, Jordan has told me so much about you."

I smiled even though that wasn't necessarily a good thing. "Nice to meet you, too."

Letting go of my hand she took the seat next to mine. "I hear that you are interested in participating in our program."

Slipping back into my chair I nodded again, glancing for a moment at Jordan who lingered by the door. She was smiling, making me sit with more confidence. Surely, she wouldn't be smiling if she'd brought this woman in here just to deny me.

"I just need to ask you a few question before I can green-light pre-screening." Dr. Aimes nodded at Jordan who jumped to attention, scrambling to her desk to retrieve a clipboard with a stack of papers attached.

I cringed watching her. It was always odd to see Jordan at work. Submissive wasn't a good look on her. She was always entirely in control of everything around her, even in this instance I was certain she'd somehow manipulated my way into the program, but still, Jordan hoping to commands was unnerving.

She handed Dr. Aimes the clipboard and a shiny black pen.

"Alright." Dr. Aimes uncapped the pen. "Are you at all uncomfortable being tested for sexually transmitted diseases?"

I shook my head. "No. That's fine." I'd already gotten myself tested almost immediately after Yelvin's big confession, convinced that every itch and warm pee was a sign of my impending death.

She scribbled something across the clipboard. "The test will require you to perform sexual acts in front of a studied audience. You will not be filmed and your privacy will be assured, but your heart-rate and activity will be monitored. Are you comfortable with this?"

I cleared my throat. I wasn't. Not entirely, anyways. I liked sex, but on my own terms, and generally, without onlookers. "Yes," I said, trying my best not to let my voice show my uncertainty.

She scribbled some more. "And you will be monitored twenty-four hours a day for the duration of nine-weeks. Are you comfortable with that?"

"Excuse me?" I arched a brow in confusion, shifting my gaze to Jordan whose face lit up with guilt. Clearly, she'd forgotten to tell me something.

"Participants in the program will have a monitor, someone to keep track of all of the variables in your life that may alter the test results. Does that make you uncomfortable?"

My mind was a jumble of thoughts and I held my hands up to try and stop them. "Wait, so an actual person is just going to follow me around wherever I go?"

"Essentially, yes." Dr. Aimes nodded but her brow twisted in just as much confusion as I felt.

"How am I supposed to explain that to people?"

Dr. Aimes recapped her pen. "I'm sorry, I thought Jordan had talked through all of this with you already." She looked up at Jordan who cast her eyes down to her own feet.

"I may have missed a few things," Jordan muttered.

"You think?" I snapped.

Dr. Aimes climbed to her feet. "It seems I have wasted both of our time here."

She moved for the door and my stomach sank. "Wait," I called out, hesitating when she turned to meet my gaze. "I'm fine with being monitored." I let out a breath. I'd made a commitment to myself that I was going to do this, and goddammit, I would, no matter what kind of curve balls came my way.

***