Jared blinked as the early morning light streamed through his window, dragging him out of a deep sleep. For a split second, he thought he was back in 2024, the dull hum of his old life awaiting him. But then the events of yesterday crashed into his mind, and he sat up abruptly.
'Wait... I'm still in 2021,' he thought, glancing around his room. The familiar posters on the wall, his old gaming setup, and the clutter that had long been sold or replaced in the futureāeverything was exactly how it used to be.
He grabbed his phone from the nightstand, excitement bubbling up in his chest. He had muted the notifications last night after uploading his video, but now he was dying to see what had happened.
With a quick tap, he unlocked his phone and opened TikTok. The screen loaded, and his heart nearly stopped.
22.4K views.
Jared stared at the number, barely able to believe it. He scrolled down to check the comments, his fingers moving fast with anticipation. The likes were pouring in, and the comments section was buzzing with activity.
[@ChillVibes: HOW is this not viral yet?? š„]
[@AliciasFiles: Dude, the timing is INSANE! š³]
[@ClipKing: Finally, someone with real editing skills.]
[@VisualHype: WOAH THIS NEEDS MORE LIKES?!]
Jared couldn't help but grin. 'This is it. This is what I've been working for,' he thought. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and for the first time in a long while, he felt like things were finally moving in the right direction.
He glanced at his follower count. 713 followers.
'Seven hundred followers in one night?' He couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. He had never gained so many followers so quickly. This wasn't just progressāit was a breakthrough.
Just as he was about to check more a new message from the system appeared on the screen:
[Congratulations, Host! Your video has gained over 22K views.]
[Task Complete: Upload a Video and Boost its Reach.]
[Reward: Video Enhancement Feature for Future Posts.]
Jared's excitement peaked. 'Video Enhancement Feature?' He opened the system to find an explanation.
[The Enhancement Feature allows subtle manipulation of your content's appeal. It optimizes video quality, smooths transitions, and enhances audience engagement by targeting key interest points.]
He stared at the message; eyebrows raised. "So, it's basically a cheat code for making even better videos," he muttered. "Nice."
As Jared closed the explanation, he remembered the Quest Log from before. Curious, he opened it to check for any new tasks.
Sure enough, a System Quest appeared:
[Quest: Complete a 30-minute outdoor exercise routine to unlock the next use of the Video Booster.]
Jared smirked. "Exercise, huh? So now the system's playing life coach too." He wasn't exactly thrilled, but if working out was the price to unlock the feature again, he could deal with it. He tossed the phone on his bed and grabbed some clothes to change into.
Before he could leave, the door to his room burst open.
"Yo, Mom says breakfast is ready!" Connor announced, barging in with his usual chaotic energy. He had a Nerf gun in hand, and the look on his face immediately made Jared suspicious.
Jared narrowed his eyes. "Connor, don't even think aboutā"
Too late. A foam dart smacked him square in the head.
"Headshot!" Connor yelled, raising the Nerf gun triumphantly. "Bro, you're so slow. Seriously, you need to start running or something."
Jared groaned, tossing a pillow at him. "Seriously? I just woke up, man!"
Connor dodged the pillow and spun the Nerf gun in his hands like some kind of action hero. "If you worked out more, maybe you'd have faster reflexes."
Jared rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't worry. I'm working out, alright. And when I'm done, I'll make sure you're the first one I chase down."
Connor grinned, clearly unbothered. "Yeah, yeah. Talk big, slowpoke." He started backing out of the room, keeping the Nerf gun aimed at Jared. "See you downstairsātry not to pass out doing push-ups!"
With that, Connor slammed the door and bolted down the hallway, his laughter echoing as he disappeared.
Jared shook his head, chuckling to himself. 'Little brothers...'
After breakfast, Jared decided to take his workout to the local park. The fresh air and wide-open space felt way better than doing squats in his backyard. He popped in his headphones and started his 30-minute routineāpushups, jumping jacks, some jogging around the park's path.
The system had asked for a 30-minute workout, and Jared wasn't about to slack off. It didn't take long before his muscles started burning, but he pushed through.
By the time the 30 minutes were up, his legs felt like jelly. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at his phone.
[Quest Complete: 30-minute outdoor workout.]
[Video Boost Recharged for Next Use.]
Jared smirked. "Back in business."
Exhausted but satisfied, he headed back home. When he stepped inside, he was greeted by the smell of something baking in the kitchen.
"Jared, is that you?" his mom called from the kitchen.
"Yeah, Mom!" Jared shouted back, kicking off his shoes.
His mom walked into the living room, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She gave him a quick once-over and raised an eyebrow. "You've been working out? Since when?"
Jared laughed. "Since today, apparently. I've gotta stay in shape."
She shook her head, smiling. "Well, good for you. Just don't go pushing yourself too hard, alright? You barely exercised before."
"Don't worry, I'm pacing myself," Jared said, still catching his breath. "What's that smell, by the way?"
"Baking banana bread," she replied. "Should be ready in about 20 minutes. You hungry?"
"Starving," Jared admitted, his stomach growling on cue.
"Then grab a shower, and I'll have some ready for you when you're done."
"Deal." Jared smiled and headed upstairs, feeling grateful for his mom's thoughtfulness.
After a quick shower, Jared returned to his room, feeling refreshed. He collapsed onto his bed, muscles still sore from the workout, but the thrill of success kept him going. He grabbed his phone, opened TikTok, and blinked at what he saw.
27.8K views.
His heart skipped a beat. 'This video's not slowing down,' heĀ thought, eyes widening as he scrolled through the new comments and likes.
His follower count had jumped to 926. People were commenting nonstop, liking and sharing his video. The growth was real, and it didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.
Feeling the rush of excitement, Jared pushed himself up and made his way to his PC. It was time to get back to work.
He fired up Before Effects, pulling up the clips he had already gathered for his second edit. The Video Booster was ready, and he was determined to make this one even better than the last. His new followers were watching, and he wasn't about to let them down.
Jared cracked his knuckles and smirked. 'Let's do this.'
---
A/N: One of the @'s in the comments is a real account :P
I'd like it if you left comments, suggesting ideas, advice, even hating on my story, I don't mind since I want to get better.