Sunlight peeked through from behind Kaitlyn’s closed eyelids. Slowly, she sat up and stretched, a deep sigh of contentment welling from her chest. Though it made no logical sense, she imagined that the taste of the previous night’s meal still lingered on her tongue. With a final roll of her neck, she blinked the last of the residual sleep away.
Well, first thing’s first. Let’s check out what I got.
Closing her eyes once more, she pulled up her Progress Report.
Progress Report
Endings (6/20):
Alex (3/3 - Complete!)
Dinner Date
Comfort Food
Rotten to the Core
Ian (1/3)
???
A Winding Path
???
Philip (0/3)
???
???
???
Vinny (1/3)
???
???
Party Crasher
Elliot (0/3)
???
???
???
Other (1/5)
???
Under the Radar
???
???
???
Achievements (8):
The First of Many - Unlock your first ending
What Friends are For - Unlock a friendly ending for any male lead
Walking Red Flag - Unlock a bad ending for any male lead
Happily Ever After - Unlock a romance ending for any male lead
From Every Angle - Unlock all endings for a single male lead
Wingman - Complete the “Rachel and Cedric” easter egg
A Solid Start - Unlock 5 unique endings
Dean’s List - Ace all five classes
A grin spread across her face. There it is. Isn’t it beautiful?
The single line of text filled her with a sense of accomplishment. At last, the game had acknowledged her triumph over those dreaded classes. Even if it didn’t seem to result in any other tangible benefits, the accomplishment itself was still totally worth it.
With a satisfied exhale, her hands flopped into her lap. Well… now what?
Kaitlyn stared at the dorm around her. Its contents were reset and organized, a fresh start to launch forward into the next loop. But now that she’d achieved her goal, Kaitlyn felt a little at a loss for what to do next.
I could spend the cycle taking some time off, but I don’t really know if I want to. I feel restless. Climbing out of bed, she began her morning routine and got dressed. Let’s see… what else can I try to do then?
A few options immediately came to mind. Improving at Bash Bros, polishing her lab skills further, cooking, becoming more social… Or why not go a step further and learn something entirely new? Though there were already plenty of challenges on her plate, each just begging to be undertaken.
I could also work on endings.
The suggestion wormed into her thoughts with the guile of a serpent. With a frown, she pushed it away. Still, it reminded her that there was indeed an ultimate goal looming over her. One that she’d managed to steadfastly ignore for quite a while through studying and constantly having something else to do. But despite the obvious path forward, hesitation and dread filled her at the thought.
Maybe I don’t have to do that yet. I mean, who’s to say I’m even ready? And besides, I’ve got all the time in the world. Why not do some other stuff first? Especially if that stuff might help me with future endings. Yeah. I’ll just build better toolbox to work with. That’s a way better idea.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
The momentary lapse in her defenses did make her reflect on something else though. Namely, Philip’s behavior during that last interaction.
It really seems like the guy’s disposition has improved a lot. Maybe it’s because I don’t treat him like he’s a complete jerk anymore, but it feels like there's something else at play. Better grades maybe? Could just being smart really influence him that much?
The timing of the “Dean’s List” achievement supported that theory, at least. Perhaps it was some precondition for his ending that she hadn’t yet met. But it didn’t feel quite right.
Still, it didn’t matter. Just because she’d made some semblance of progress with Philip on a fluke didn’t mean she had to start thinking about romance - no, endings - again. Especially not since doing so still made her uncomfortable.
I’ll get over it eventually. I will. I just… I just need more time. Something else to think about.
With that, she stepped out of her dorm to start the loop.
***
The sudden lack of tutoring sessions, study blocks, and even classes left Kaitlyn with far more time than she was used to. Days that once felt busy and full of things to do now seemed to drag by without anything to fill the absence. The disruption of her now-comfortable routine threw her off more than expected.
After only a few days, it became clear that she did indeed need something new to focus on. Some other project to take on, some skill to improve at.
Otherwise I’m gonna go insane. I need some kind of distraction. Preferably one that I can sink a lot of time into. Luckily, I know a perfect candidate.
That was how Kaitlyn found herself marching resolutely toward Professor Adams’s office. Clutched tightly to her chest was a notebook full of inexpertly drawn diagrams and fledgeling experiment proposals. As she approached the professor’s nondescript door, she ran over her pitch once more.
Professor Adams. I’d like to join your lab, not just as a promising undergrad who you can train up, but as someone who already is capable of contributing in her own right. I’m proficient in everyday tasks like media prep and root length assays, as well as more involved processes like PCR and cloning. I’ve even developed some familiarity with Western blots. But I’ve done my research on what your lab researches - no, that’s bad wording - I’ve read up on your research, and with your approval, I’d like to propose a project…
Her steps halted just before the office. Taking a deep breath, she raised her fist and knocked.
“One moment!”
Kaityln heard a flurry of movement and shuffled papers from within before the door opened. The eternally frazzled figure of her Genetics professor greeted her with an exhausted smile. “Ah! Kaityln. Glad you could make it.”
“Hi, professor.” She stepped inside the nearly claustrophobic space and took a seat. Thick textbooks, printed out research papers, and an assortment of colorful sticky notes filled every available surface. “Thanks for taking the time to meet with me.”
“Of course, of course.” The woman settled into her own chair with a sigh. “Now. You mentioned you wanted to join my lab?”
“Yes, I do.” Kaitlyn straightened. The conversations required to join had become second nature long ago, but this was different. Now she would be making an even bigger ask.
You got this, Kaitlyn. Worst case scenario, I don’t get to join lab this loop. Then I’ll just spend my time on cooking and stuff. But best case…
Placing the notebook on her lap, she folded her hands atop it for now. “I’d like to join your lab, not just as a promising undergrad who you can train up…”
She ran through her pitch, focusing on Professor Adams’s expression. Her eyebrows raised slightly, then knitted together as she finished her little speech. “Well, you’ve certainly thought this through. Seems like you’ve read up on our work a bit, too.”
Kaitlyn nodded emphatically. “I have. It’s pretty interesting, really!”
The professor scratched her cheek thoughtfully. “Well, as interesting of a suggestion as you make, I’m not really sure if that’s what I need right now. What I really need is someone to help make sure the lab runs smoothly. My postdocs spend far too much time transplanting seedlings and pouring plates nowadays…”
Dangit. I thought that the independent project thing would really work better here. She felt a twinge of disappointment. I knew that the menial stuff was helpful, but I guess I underestimated how much. Or overestimated myself.
It wasn’t over yet though. She felt the victory slipping away and struggled to wrestle it back.
“I can do all that!” Kaitlyn quickly assured her. “I don’t mean I’d just be working on this project, of course! I’d also be responsible for all the day-to-day stuff. Media prep, cleaning, buffers, all of it.”
“Well, that’s quite a commitment!” The woman laughed. “How do you expect to find time for all this with your classes?”
She just smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m pretty confident with my classes. In fact, I think I’ll have more time than I know what to do with this semester.”
“Well, make sure you don’t get in too over your head.” The professor chuckled. “I’ve seen plenty of undergrads think the same thing before getting blindsided and swamped.”
Kaitlyn just kept smiling.
“Hmm…” Professor Adams went silent for a moment. “Well, if you don’t mind picking up some of the general lab work - not all of it, mind you, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone - and if you’re capable of handling yourself… Then I suppose I wouldn’t mind you working on a project with any extra time you have. I originally figured we’d have you helping out the postdocs with whatever they needed, but…”
“Really?” Kaitlyn straightened in her seat.
“Oh, why not. You seem like a bright young lady, and I’m not one to keep students like yourself from opportunities.” The professor’s eyes crinkled as she smiled.
Excitement coursed through her as she held in a fist pump. Yes! First try! I was worried there for a second, but this might actually work out.
“Now, about this project. What exactly did you want to work on? I’d like an idea of where your head is, so that we can make sure you’re on the right track.”
“Of course!” With that, Kaitlyn flipped open her notebook, still beaming. “This is what I was thinking…”
***
As Kaitlyn bid her professor goodbye, her spirits continued to soar especially high. She practically skipped down the long corridor toward the elevator.
I’m in. And this time, I’ve got more freedom than ever!
They’d briefly workshopped her experiment proposals. Most of them focused on characterizing a gene or protein that she knew the lab was already interested in. Although she’d tried to base them off of what she’d already seen done plenty in the lab, apparently she’d missed a good number of nuances for each particular gene. Professor Adams helped to point out the flaws and possible issues that might crop up with her assays and experiments. Even better, she’d helped to identify which gene Kaitlyn should focus on first. It meant she had a far better starting point for the loop’s adventures.
I also have a better starting point for next loop, if I do this again. She hummed to herself. I wonder if she’ll like the proposal next time around if I just present her this draft? Maybe she’ll find other issues with it anyway. Or maybe we’ll get even farther once I’ve got some data under my belt to tell me what to investigate next. That would be interesting to see.
She bounced on the balls of her feet as she waited for the elevator to arrive. Classes had been a challenge, but this was different in a way. Even with the oversight and help, this was a lot more freeform and independent than most things she was used to.
I’ve got this. I’ll knock this out of the park.
The soft ding interrupted her thoughts. With a final smile, she stepped into the elevator and headed home for the day.