Summary

The next day, Wallace returns to his assigned lab in the university’s biosciences building. Wallace’s lab adviser, Simone, is often harsh towards Wallace. Also, similar to his rapports with other students, Wallace often feels alienated from his lab mates. When Wallace was in his first year at the program, one of his lab mates was an older student named Henrik. Henrik, unlike the other lab mates, was quite kind to Wallace. Henrik helped Wallace in several ways, including teaching Wallace useful lab skills, coaching Wallace on presentations, and helping Wallace study for important tests. Wallace was generally self-sufficient in the program, but Henrik’s assistance did help him. Wallace harbored unexpressed romantic feelings towards Henrik. To Wallace’s dismay, Henrik left the university to run his own lab at a different institution. Now, the only person in the lab with whom Wallace...