A scattering of puffy clouds drifted lazily through the sky as the sun slowly descended toward the horizon.

A brief gust gently rustled the leaves of the nearby trees. A pair of early autumn leaves jostled themselves loose, twirling through the air to dance before Kaitlyn's feet for a moment as she came to a halt.

Before her, squeezed in between a pair of other storefronts, stood a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant. A handful of wrought-iron tables clustered around the entrance's patio, their chairs empty for the moment. A pair of ornate light fixtures jutted out of its welcoming brick facade, their bulbs dark in the daylight that would persist for a few hours longer.

Kaitlyn simply stared and took in the sight of Chella's Italian Bistro. It was the first time she'd visited the restaurant since quitting during the last loop, and she hadn't been entirely sure what to expect upon coming back.

Well, this feels weird.

It wasn't like coming to eat at the restaurant was a new experience. She'd dined at Chella's plenty of times before, usually as an end-of-loop treat for herself to celebrate the end of exams. But coming in the middle of the loop, without even a special occasion in mind? That was an entirely different matter.

Honestly, it just feels wrong. This has been a special treat for myself for so long that I don't know if I even CAN treat it like eating at a normal restaurant… But I'm gonna try.

Her earlier start at Fink meant that she had more money than ever before, and more quickly as well. Most of her first paycheck went towards expanding Kate's Kitchen and purchasing other things off her wishlist. But it quickly became evident that she hadn't thought through how exactly to spend everything she had coming in. There were only so many kitchen gadgets she really needed, and her dorm was already filling up enough that she might need to encroach on Heather's space if things went too much further.

The whole situation had spurred a bit of a lifestyle change for her. Eating out at the on-campus restaurants that didn't accept Cappy Credits was a nice change, and one that gave her a welcome feeling of novelty. Still, if she'd done the math right, she would still have a lot of cash left over by the end of the loop.

This is so bizarre. I mean, it's not a problem, exactly. But it kind of feels like one in a way?

It would be one thing if saving the money was an option. But considering that it would disappear at the end of the loop anyway, she felt wasteful if she didn't find a way to spend most of it. And considering that she felt obligated to spend it on things that were truly useful or valuable, there were a generally finite number of options.

Dumping it on PlaySphere games wasn't a great idea, considering how few she'd be able to get through with her busy schedule. Spending more money on higher quality ingredients was also an option, but even that had backfired so far. The better food prompted Heather to adjust prices accordingly, which just earned her more revenue and just resulted in more money in her pocket.

Well, one thing's for sure. The better I get at programming, the higher I'll climb, and the higher salary I'm gonna earn. So I'd better learn how to splurge now. And what better place to start than at my favorite restaurant?

She tugged at the lacy sleeve of her blouse awkwardly. She still wasn't entirely sure if dressing up had been the right move, especially if she wanted to do this regularly. But with the quality of Scarra's cooking, it felt like an insult to come in her usual clothes.

Well, It's not like I'm adding fancy clothes to the wishlist. That DEFINITELY feels like a waste. Better to spend it on pizza for the team or something. Her eyebrows lifted. Actually, that IS a good idea…

Shaking her head, she stepped toward the door. That was enough stalling. It was time to get on with it.

A small bell jingled overhead as she pulled the front door open. On cue, Chella's ruddy face popped up from behind the deli counter. "Welcome in! Feel free to have a seat where you'd like, dear. We'll be right with you!"

With a small wave of acknowledgement, she returned the portly woman's beaming smile and moved toward a small table near the front window. A quick glance around the homey restaurant revealed that only two other tables were occupied at the moment. A group of enthusiastic men laughed and gesticulated wildly at one of the middle tables while an older couple ate quietly off to the side.

Looks like I got here before the dinner rush. Good. I kind of figured when there wasn't anyone outside yet, but still…

The relative calm of the restaurant wouldn't last for long, she knew. This place would be packed to the brim in an hour. But then, that wasn't really her concern anymore, was it?

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"Good evening."

A familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts and turned her attention from the window. Philip's wiry figure stood next to her table with his usual formality, a half-apron wrapped around his waist. A quiet stream of water bubbled as he filled her glass. "My name is Philip and I'll be your server tonight. May I interest you in a beverage besides water?"

Kaitlyn almost said no on reflex, then stopped herself. That's right. I don't have to be stingy this time. I mean, that's half the point of coming, right?

"...Yes, if you don't mind?" She smiled hesitantly. "Could I get a Limonata?"

Philip's eyebrow raised almost imperceptibly. It was one of those special drinks that wasn't on the menu, a non-alcoholic one that Scarra sometimes made for her, so of course he would be surprised. "Of course. I will get that started and give you a moment to look at our menu. Our first special tonight is a grilled sea bass…"

After finishing his spiel, Philip gave her a slight bow and turned toward the kitchen. He returned moments later with a complimentary bread basket. Kaitlyn tucked into it gratefully as she looked over the menu. The specials alone had already gotten her hungry, and planning out the meal to come certainly wasn't helping to quell her appetite. Not with how amazing everything sounded. But as her gaze swept across line after line of Scarra's best dishes, it took a conscious effort not to fixate on the prices.

Stop it. I know this is going to be expensive. And I also know I can afford it, she chastised herself. There's no way I can physically eat enough to break the bank. So I really have to stop worrying.

With that in mind, she allowed herself a grin. It was time to finally let loose a bit.

***

A little over an hour later, Kaitlyn leaned back in her chair, suppressing a quiet groan. Her stomach was distended just past the point of being comfortable, a result of perhaps a bit too much excitement on her part.

Maybe it's a good thing that Scarra doesn't know me this time. I think that if he had given me any freebies, I would've popped.

Regardless, she counted the meal as a win. Every last plate had been thoroughly savored to her best abilities. In fact, she was certain that she'd cleaned them thoroughly enough that Chella might come over and offer her a dishwashing job again.

Philip cleared the empty plate of tiramisu from the table and set down the check. "Whenever you're ready. There is no rush, so feel free to stay as long as you'd like. Have a wonderful evening."

"Thanks. You too."

Kaitlyn gave him a grateful nod as he walked away. At this point, the restaurant was positively buzzing with activity. Every last table was full of hungry or satisfied patrons enjoying their meals and conversations. At some point, someone had even borrowed the chair across from her for their own group.

She let out a long sigh of relaxation, letting the cacophony of chatter and clinking dishes wash over her. A brief glance outside the window revealed full patio tables and a small line of people waiting to be seated.

I know Philip meant it when he said to take my time. But also, there's a lot of people waiting. I think it's best if I head out sooner rather than later.

She cringed at the thought of walking back up the hill in her current state. At least she'd had the foresight to come on a Saturday, so there was no cross country practice tomorrow morning.

Though that's definitely something I need to consider going forward. I don't know how much weight I can gain from three months of eating like a glutton, but I'm sure the number's not small. It probably won't help my running, either… Maybe next time, I should exercise a little restraint.

With a final sigh, Kaitlyn pulled the check toward herself and looked it over. The sum was a sizable one, but not disproportionate. It fell just about in line with her expectations. As she began calculating how much to tip in her head, she hesitated.

Actually… I have an idea.

There was something she could do with the extra money. Something a little less selfish than stuffing herself and buying every little thing she could think of. Something that might actually help someone.

Holding back a small smile, put down a disproportionately large tip amount and finished paying. Her meal was already expensive enough to justify a fairly large one. But the amount that she'd settled on was many times larger than even that.

She stared at the number for a long moment. She'd expected to feel regretful, to second guess her decision. But somehow, the part of her that cringed at the price of a steak or the idea of buying a three hundred dollar blender remained completely silent at this use of her funds.

Maybe I'm just getting used to it. I mean, I already know that it'll all disappear when we reset. So me being stingy doesn't make sense in the first place… Though since that's the case, who cares if he's got some extra money now? Some might say it's pointless to do this.

The thought didn't ring true, though. Even if everything reset, her actions each loop did matter—to her at least. Even if no one else remembered. Not to mention that she knew where that money would be going.

Memories of Philip's little sister, Serena, running giddily towards them with a fistful of ice cream bars floated to the front of her mind. Whatever hesitations she might have had, the thought of the little girl's ecstatic face at such a small thing chased them away in an instant.

It's not just him I'm helping. It's his family. If I'm in a spot where I can do that, then why would I not?

Her chair rubbed quietly against the floor as she stood and headed for the door. She resisted the temptation to look back. Philip was plenty busy with the other tables, so he probably wouldn't see it for a while, anyway.

I hope you spoil the hell out of Serena with that, Philip. Give her the best birthday she's ever had. If not… well, I hope it makes things a little easier, at least.

With a slight groan of discomfort, Kaitlyn set off and began waddling up the hill toward Hartland University.