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Ah! It's the first day of class. Interactive Storytelling, it said on the school's course selection database. Must be fun, right? You've read several books before, and enjoy venturing to the cinema with your friends. Maybe you'll enjoy having some sort of interactivity involved with it. Almost like it's a game of some sorts.
The professor walks in late. You ponder if this is will be a recurring pattern throughout your semester. The professor takes attendance with a loud, raspy voice.
What is your name?
<<textbox "$name" "" "start">>
(Press Enter once you're done with inputting your name.)You sign the attendance sheet being passed around confidently. Before you pass it off to the student to your right, you look at your signature. "$name" it read, in your best handwriting.
The professor talks about his expectations for the course and explains the materials that he expects to be thoroughly read before each class period. It's about 100 pages per week to read in some thick, dry book. "Yikes," you think.
He assigns two projects. An individual project and a group presentation.
The individual project requires an understanding of storytelling principles. You have to construct a short, polished story in two weeks. It will be critiqued and peer-reviewed by your other classmates.
The group presentation, however, is a bit different. You have to work with a classmate and build a PowerPoint or Google Slides visual presentation to give to the class about an assigned chapter from the text, //Telling a Story with Choice// by Richard Bellford.
Everyone lines up to sign up for a particular date and chapter. You were checking your phone, so you ended up being last in the line. Unfortunately, you weren't given much choice when it was eventually your turn.
//Chapter 1: What In Tarnation Is a Story?// was the only chapter with a free slot. Your partner is someone who goes by Dani. You crossreference the syllabus and it turns out... the presentation is also due in two weeks. "Welp," you think, "I'm screwed."
[[You schedule to meet with Dani the next day.]]"Hey," they say in a suave tone, sweeping you from under the rug. Metaphorically, of course.
You two decided to have dinner together at the food court and talk about the group presentation you will have to complete for the class you had yesterday.
You have trouble focusing on what exactly they're saying. The tone of their voice and the way they dress encapsulates your interest.
Eventually, Dani finishes eating. You can barely hear what they're saying, thanks to the crowded atmosphere nearing volume levels to that of a mall. They have a class to get to soon, but they mention that they won't be able to do much of the group presentation work this week due to a swamped courseload.
[["Okay. I'll make up some of the work."]]
[["I'll be counting on you to pull your weight."]]Captivated by Dani's innate charm, you mention that you'll put in some extra work to make up. Before you realize that there's also the individual project you have to worry about, Dani had already scuttled off the food court towards their next class.
[[Nothing else fairly interesting happens this week.]]You remind Dani that you expect them to put in an equal amount of work in the project. You say that your group is the unlucky team that has to deal with both the group presentation and the individual project.
Dani responds with a light pleasantry and rushes off.
[[The week passes by quickly.]]It's the next week.
Your professor wishes to speak to your group about the progress of your group presentation. Before class began, Dani approaches you and apologizes for not being able to complete their half of the work. They say that they know nothing of the readings, despite the professor wanting to talk to them. You half-heartedly expected that Dani would have somehow completed their work. You're left scrambling for an excuse to cover up for Dani, who seems to be nonchalant about the matter.
You came up with a multitude of possible excuses, but before you could explain any of them, your professor scolds your lack of progress, saying that you won't get the presentation done in time. "$name, I was in your place before. You can't procrastinate." You seem to have taken the front of the blame for Dani. Class is resumed as normal afterwards.
After a boring class filled with lectures, you tell Dani that they have to at least open up the Google Slides presentation document. However, their sophisticated appearance and sanguine personality distracts you. They say that they'll have more time to work on it and they'll earn a passing grade.
[["I will help you work on the presentation. Does Wednesday at 2 work?"]]
[["I need to focus on finishing the individual project, so I hope you're right."]]It's the next week.
Your professor wishes to speak to your group about the progress of your group presentation. Before class began, Dani apologizes regretfully about their inability to complete the work. They say that they know nothing of the readings, despite the professor wanting to talk to them.
Your eyes are baggy, having stayed up all night to read the boring, dry pages consisting Chapter 1. Since you decided to make up some of Dani's work, you made two outlines for your presentation and gave one to Dani. You made absolutely zero progress on your individual project.
The professor compliments your progress, "good job $name and Dani!" and tells you to keep it up. Class is resumed as normal.
After a boring class filled with lectures, you tell Dani that you can't keep pulling all-nighters to back them up. Their sophisticated appearance and sanguine personality distracts you. They say that they'll be able to get it done in time for the presentation and earn a passing grade.
[["Let's meet up and work on it before the next class."]]
[[I need to focus on my individual project.]]You meet up with Dani in a pocket lounge in one of the resident halls on campus. You aren't sure if the comfortable, cushy chairs are heated, or if it's just a hot, Spring day, or if it's Dani's pleasurable smells, but you find yourself a bit more flustered than usual. "What did they put on today?" you think.
You spent three hours in the lounge that day trying to get work done, but managed to only get one slide for your presentation in. Dani was more interested in looking at Vine compilations on YouTube, of which you were coerced to watch along.
[[The presentation is looking like it'll be quite fun...]]Later that day you get a text message from Dani saying that they're unable to work on the project for the next few days due to a sports team recruitment session on campus. You didn't know that Dani played a sport, but apparently they do?
Determined to get at least your individual project done, you decide to put some effort into the nuances of storytelling. However, you don't get much done, having scrapped three drafts so far. But at least you have something.
[[Next class is looking like it'll be fun...]]You meet up with Dani in a pocket lounge in one of the resident halls on campus on Wednesday. You aren't sure if the comfortable, cushy chairs are heated, or if it's just a hot, Spring day, or if it's Dani's pleasurable smells, but you find yourself a bit more flustered than usual. "What did they put on today?" you think.
You spent three hours in the lounge that day working on obtaining the resources necessary for an effective presentation. You and Dani managed to finish the Google Slides presentation for your next class. Back in your dorm, you realize that Dani was secretly looking at photos of kittens during your work session.
[[I guess I'm ready for this.]]Later that day you get a text message from Dani saying that they're unable to work on the project for the next few days due to a sports team recruitment session on campus. You didn't know that Dani played a sport, but apparently they do?
Determined to get at least your individual project done, you decide to put some effort into the nuances of storytelling. You manage to eke out an edited version of your second draft. You show it to your friends and they quite enjoy the short story you wrote. Proud of what you wrote, you head to bed, refreshed for the next class.
[[Wait, the group presentation...!]]Today's the day you have to present with Dani.
And turn in your individual project.
The professor calls your group up to the front of the classroom. Butterflies churn in your stomach, knowing that you didn't have much done. You didn't want to disappoint the professor and earn a bad grade.
Logging into your Google account and pulling up your Google Slides document, you manage to improvise some of your presentation, but couldn't figure out what to say for the latter half of it.
"$name, what did Bellford say about story structure?"
You panic, but ultimately decided to be honest and state that you haven't completed the presentation in its entirety. Dani apologizes as well.
''You two receive a D for the presentation.''
When it came time to turn in the individual projects, you realize you haven't done much work on that either... You didn't have anything to turn in.
''You received an F for the individual project.''Today's the day you have to present with Dani.
And turn in your individual project.
The professor calls your group up to the front of the classroom. Butterflies churn in your stomach, knowing that you didn't have much done. You didn't want to disappoint the professor and earn a bad grade.
Logging into your Google account and pulling up your Google Slides document, you manage to improvise some of your presentation, but couldn't figure out what to say for the latter half of it.
"$name, what did Bellford say about story structure?"
You panic, but ultimately decided to be honest and state that you haven't completed the presentation in its entirety. Dani apologizes as well.
''You two receive a D for the presentation.''
When it came time to turn in the individual projects, you realize you didn't get as much work done as the other students in your class, but glad you were able to get something handed in.
''You received a C+ for the individual project.''Today's the day you have to present with Dani.
And turn in your individual project.
The professor calls your group up to the front of the classroom. Dani is mysteriously absent from the room. They didn't inform you that they weren't going to be here for your group presentation...
Logging into your Google account and pulling up your Google Slides document, you manage to improvise Dani's half of the presentation (which were mostly of your work, anyway) and flawlessly talked about your section.
"$name, what was Dani's part in all of this?"
You ultimately decided to be honest and outright ramble on how Dani didn't pull their end of the bargain. The professor wasn't very pleased with this.
''You two receive a C for the presentation.''
When it came time to turn in the individual projects, you realize you didn't get as much work done as the other students in your class, but glad you were able to get something handed in.
''You received a C+ for the individual project.''Today's the day you have to present with Dani.
And turn in your individual project.
The professor calls your group up to the front of the classroom. Butterflies churn in your stomach, knowing that you didn't have much done. You didn't want to disappoint the professor and earn a bad grade.
Logging into your Google account and pulling up your Google Slides document, you manage to improvise some of your presentation, but couldn't figure out what to say for the latter half of it.
"$name, what did Bellford say about story structure?"
You panic, but ultimately decided to be honest and state that you haven't completed the presentation in its entirety. Dani apologizes as well.
''You two receive a D for the presentation.''
When it came time to turn in the individual projects, you realize you didn't get as much work done as the other students in your class, but glad you were able to get something handed in.
''You received a C+ for the individual project.''