Kelly was summarily dismissed and ushered out of the house by one of the family members, then the door was pretty much slammed in her face. She turned around and thought about spending the money for a fast travel trip to Langport to get to the inn that Arnold was staying at, then she saw the nag stood there and waited for her.

“What...” Kelly shook her head and walked over to the nag. “He sent you back for me?”

The nag neighed at her and Kelly pet it, because she assumed that was confirmation.

“Then let's get back to the inn and get you settled in the stable.” Kelly said and the nag neighed happily. She was only a little surprised at that response, because she knew that Arnold would treat anything he owned well. She climbed on and said the name of the inn, then the nag flew her back to there. Everything was already paid for, so she handed the nag over to the stable hand, went inside to their room, and logged out.

Kelly took off her VR things and saw that Arnold was already gone. She glanced at the closed dorm room door and nodded. “At least he didn't leave it open.” She said and looked down at herself. She still only wore the panties and t-shirt she had slept in and sighed. Her plan to sneak a quick blowjob that morning, to try and repay him for the times he had gone down on her, had blown up in her face... and not in the way she had wanted.

*

Arnold worked for the entire morning as he and the professor prepared new specimens for the upcoming classes. Once again, they had to make enough for all of the students taking the biology class and not just for the ones that were only taking the biology curriculum and its related courses.

“You don't know how much I appreciate that you are willing to do all this menial work, my boy.” Professor Hamil Crenslav said. “I can sometimes convince the others to do some, even Cissily and Amy; but, all of them would have been bored after we did the first fifty of them.”

“They don't understand that repetition is the key to perfection.” Arnold said and expertly sliced open the next specimen to let the student have easy access to the chest cavity, then he made several precise partial cuts to show the students where they should cut themselves. After that, he tacked it back into place and it was done.

“Exactly.” Hamil said. “I doubt they could have halted their cuts in the exact same spot on each specimen like you are.” He smiled. “It's quite remarkable that you can fight your instincts so well to not continue the cut.”

“I've had to fight my instincts a lot over the years, sir.”

Hamil chuckled. “I can imagine, my boy. I really can.” He said and finished the last specimen. “I am going to miss your steady hand and your diligence when the fall session starts.”

“I can still help, sir.” Arnold said.

“You are going to be much too busy to work, go to school, and do your assignments.” Hamil said, a little sadly. “There is only so much time in the day to get things done. I know for a fact that some students need all the spare time they have to get their other course materials completed in time, which is why we usually allot free periods during the school day for those things.”

“Is that why you only have your main course students take labs on Mondays and Fridays?” Arnold asked.

Hamil nodded. “It gives them time to catch up with the written parts of the afternoon classes and the textbook work.” He chuckled. “It's not all fun and enjoyment with the lab portion, I'm afraid. There is lots of studying and research as well.”

Arnold nodded, because he remembered Janet and Pam labouring over their desks to write reports and to do their homework.

“You have a very large lead on both the biology course and the chemistry course, according to Professor Power.” Hamil said. “That doesn't help with actually doing the homework, however. That still requires time and effort on your part.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good!” Hamil said with another smile. “Give me a hand putting these things away and you can go.”

Arnold nodded and the two of them make quick work of it and had the lab cleaned up in no time.

“Oh, before I forget, there's something I need to tell you.” Hamil said as Arnold reached for the door. “Just before the fall session is to start, you have the last week in the month off.”

“Sir?” Arnold raised his eyebrows.

Hamil knew that was almost a shout and laughed. “Don't worry, you still get paid. After working for three months straight, all the workers get the week off to rest before the next semester starts.”

“You'll be here alone.” Arnold said.

Hamil nodded. “Don't worry about that. All I do during the week is accept the deliveries for the new specimens.” He saw the pained look on Arnold's face and managed to not go to the boy to reassure him. “It's not that bad, my boy. I only accept the crates and tell the delivery men where to put them.” He said. “I leave the unpacking to the lab workers when they come back at the start of the term.”

“Which isn't me.” Arnold said.

Hamil opened his mouth to respond that he could still help, then sighed. “I'm sorry.” He apologized, because as a student, Arnold wouldn't have access to the specimen storage anymore. “Does it make things better if I tell you that the funding from the equestrian school came through and that we will be starting on the horse next week?”

“I can't help finish it.” Arnold said, his face sad. “With the size of the horse, the prepping materials, and the procedures, it will take two to three weeks to complete it.”

Hamil took a deep breath and let it out. “Perhaps I can make an exception...”

“I can't qualify as a lab assistant until the second year, according to the college rules.” Arnold said.

Hamil reluctantly nodded. “Damn seniority procedures.” He almost spat. “I can't extend your current job past the summer semester or repeal the mandatory vacation.”

“I know.” Arnold said.

“This week will be the last time you can work here.” Hamil said, sadly.

“I'll try to make the most of it, sir.” Arnold said and left the lab. He nodded and waved to people that nodded and waved to him, greeted them as he passed, and went back to the dorm.

“You're back early.” Doris said as he entered the lobby, then she saw his face and went right over to him. “What happened?”

“This next week is the last time I can work in the lab.” Arnold said. “I have a week mandatory vacation before the start of term.”

Doris caught her breath, then she reached up and gently pulled him into a hug. “Oh, you poor thing.” She said and nestled his face into her cleavage as she pet his head. “I'm so sorry.”

Arnold hugged her back and the two of them stood there for several minutes, despite the girls around them and their low whispers.

“MA!” Cissily exclaimed as she came into the dorm with her mother's lunch.

“Cissily this isn't what you think.” Doris said and let Arnold go. “I was just...”

“I don't care what you were doing.” Cissily spat and walked over to her. “You can get your own lunch from now on.”

“Cissily!” Doris nearly yelled as Cissily shoved the bag into her mother's hands and she almost dropped the food.

“Goodbye.” Cissily said as she turned around and started to walk away.

“Don't you dare walk away after doing that to me, young lady!” Doris said loudly.

“I can't hear you.” Cissily said and tried to open the door. It wouldn't budge and she pulled again. “What the...” She looked around at what could stop it and saw a nice black shoe was jammed against it. She followed the foot up the leg and across the nice suit to end at Arnold's face. “Let go.”

“No.” Arnold said and took her hand and pulled her back over to her mother.

“Hey! Let me go, you fucker!” Cissily spat and tried to pull away.

All the girls in the lobby had fallen silent and watched with fascination at the scene playing out in front of them.

“I've taken just about all I can take of your attitude, young lady.” Doris said, anger clear on her face. “I was giving Arnold a hug. A COMFORTING HUG!” She yelled and waved at the quiet girls in a group off to the side. “Ask them what he said when he came in! ASK THEM!”

Cissily's face was just as angry as her mother's and she defiantly kept her mouth shut.

“The next five days is all Arnold has left to work in the lab!” Doris exclaimed. “The next week is the last week before the fall semester starts and he has to take it off, which means he can't go to the lab! He doesn't have a job anymore, Cissily! How is he going to take care of his mother now? How? HOW?!?”

Cissily's angry face faded to indifference. “He can find another job.”

“Only if there was two of him!” Doris scoffed. “He will have classes and schoolwork to do. He doesn't have time to work somewhere else.” She said in a more reasonable tone as she calmed down. “Plus, he would have to look around and try to find a job that could give him enough flexible hours and won't interfere with his studies.”

“Other students do it.” Cissily countered.

“Arnold isn't like the other students.”

“You're right. He isn't.” Cissily said with a smirk. “He'll fuck anything if given half a chance.”

*SLAP*

The sound cut through the silence in the lobby like a clap of thunder and every girl there gasped in surprise. It wasn't the first time that Doris had slapped her daughter to try and smarten her up. However, it was the first time she had wiped a satisfied smirk off of her daughter's face with it.

“You can keep your biased opinions to yourself.” Doris said to Cissily's now shocked face. “Arnold has been through enough in his life without you saying things like that about him.”

“M-m-ma.” Cissily reached up and touched her sore cheek.

“Has he slept with Fareena? Or Maxine? Or Gail? Or Hanna? Or Shaniqua?” Doris asked and named the girls at the lunch table that she and Arnold ate with during the week. “What about all of the girls on his floor? Has he slept with all of them? Has he?”

Cissily didn't say anything and just rubbed her cheek.

“You can't stand there and claim that he didn't have the chance to, not after everything else that has been going on and how long he has been without a girlfriend.” Doris said and her anger at her daughter faded away. “I'm not saying he won't. I'm only saying that you categorizing him like that is both unfair and unjustified.”

“But... Ma...”

“Cissily, I told you. Until we can work around the restrictions on you, you will be unhappy with him. There's no other outcome. Nothing you can do can mitigate the circumstances. Nothing.” Doris let out a sigh. “Arnold's life is going to change again. He won't have access to the lab, where he enjoys everything, and the financial future of his family is in doubt.”

Cissily looked at Arnold and back at her mother.

“I was giving him a hug, because he deserves to have someone hold him in his time of need. I wasn't flirting or trying to do anything except give him a loving hug.” Doris said and looked at Arnold. “You can let her hand go.”

Arnold opened his hand and Cissily looked at her hand. There were no marks, finger indents, or blossoming bruises, despite how tightly Arnold had held her and how hard she had tried to get away.

“I will see you at home tonight.” Doris said, pointedly. “We need to have a little talk about your public outbursts.”

Cissily opened her mouth to tell her off, glanced at the group of still silent girls off to the side, then she thought better of it and turned around. She left the lobby at a normal walk, to her mother's surprise.

“I'm sorry about that, Arnold.” Doris said and looked up at his face. “Thank you for not saying anything during all of that.” She touched his hand and held it for a moment, then let it go. “I think she would have ranted and raved at you if you had.”

Arnold nodded. “I can't ask my mom to change her mind.”

Doris chuckled, despite not being in a laughing mood. “She might be just as angry as Cissily if you did.”

Arnold nodded again.

“I have a half-squashed lunch that might still be edible if you want to share it.” Doris held up the bag.

“Kelly's still here and she might have lunch ready.” Arnold said.

“I assume so.” Doris said and used one arm to give him another hug, then whispered in his ear. “Come down after roll call and I'll make love to you as much as I'm able.”

“If Kelly leaves.” Arnold said and she nodded. He walked over to the elevator and stepped inside, then rode it up to the top floor. Half of the doors were closed and he greeted the remaining girls as he walked passed them to his closed door. It wasn't locked, so he knocked once, waited several seconds, then opened the door.

Arnold's tactic had worked and Kelly had just enough time to duck out of view of the hallway. He shut the door and saw that she wore a tiny pair of shorts and a low cut t-shirt.

“I have lunch ready.” Kelly said and went over to the counter, then put the two plates of food on the table. “I wasn't sure if you were going to be late or not.” She said and sat down as Arnold stripped off his suit. “Do you have to go back to work?”

“No.” Arnold said and pulled on a pair of basketball shorts. He came over to the table and sat down. The both of them ate their food and then washed the dishes in the sink.

“Arnold, you look sad.” Kelly said. She had noticed it while they ate and had waited until now to mention it. Arnold explained about this being his last week to work and how he was on mandatory vacation next week. Kelly almost shouted in happiness that he would have an entire week off and would be back home. She knew that wasn't the response he needed to hear, despite how happy Annie would be to have him back.

“I'm sorry you can't go back into the lab as a worker after that.” Kelly said and stepped close to him. “The professor can't make an exception?”

Arnold shook his head. “College rules say I need to earn seniority for a year to gain access to the lab.”

Kelly took in a sharp breath. “No, that...” She put her arms around him. “Those idiots.” She said and pressed her chest into his. “They are going to lose their best worker for an entire year, just because they think you need to earn seniority?” She shook her head. “You're the second assistant to the professor! You're already head and shoulders over the other lab workers!”

Arnold put his arms around her and held her. Kelly didn't say anything and rested her forehead against his. The two of them stood there for several minutes and just held each other.

“Do you want to play Fortune's Favour for a while?” Kelly asked.

“No.” Arnold said. “Did you complete the quest?”

“Yes, and I got the protective sash, but...” Kelly sighed. “...you're not going to believe what happened.”

“The Matriarch stepped out of the ritual circle.” Arnold said.

Kelly gasped and stared into his eyes. “How did you know that?”

“It's one of the abilities I have access to now.”

Kelly blinked her eyes for a moment. “What? How did you...” She stopped and thought about what she saw him do in the ritual circle. “You received a popup after that spirit thing. What did it say?”

“It gave me a new sub-class.”

“What? How? You need a main class in order to have a sub-class.” Kelly said, then she frowned. “Wait a second. What class lets you do things like that with ghosts?” She asked, because she hadn't heard about anything like that happening in the game before.

“My new sub-class is Shaman.” Arnold said with a hint of a smile.