The Bad Boy Computer Programmer At Wattpad

DELTA FORCE (Part 2)

[[Delta] Stilling her pen, Delta looked up.]

Amanda bit her bottom lip, somewhat ashamed of what she was about to say. "All that? I'm just a parrot, repeating other people's words. It's self-help stuff I've read. I'm obsessed with self-help books. But the truth is--." She paused for a beat, glancing down at her hands. "I'm still lost--behind a wall of bits and bytes. I'm still not living the life I want despite having all the self-help knowledge."

[[Delta] "Bits of what?]

"My life is virtual, not real," Amanda clarified. "Bits and bytes."

[[Delta] "Oh--got it.]

"It's like I'm isolated behind a wall of technology and information," Amanda continued. "And no matter how much I read, I can't get passed the wall."

[[Delta] "Go on."]

"I'm not sure what else to say." Amanda's words trailed off as though her mind hit a dead end. She giggled to herself, then added, "You could say it's possible I've read an unhealthy amount of self-help books. I think the Dunbar and Encyclopedia Effect is--affecting me."

[[Delta] "The what?"]

Not registering Delta's question, Amanda continued. "It's like--my brain is so full of advice and inspirational quotes and possibilities--I'm paralyzed now. It's like I've got all these words in my head, but I can't transfer their wisdom to my life. I've got the tools, but I still don't know how to alter myself to be who I want to be."

[[Delta] Delta stopped writing and reread her notes for a moment. "Just to make sure I'm clear--words have given you a toolbox of knowledge to build anything you want, but you're still building walls instead of your best self."]

Amanda nodded. "Pretty much."

[[Delta] Closing her notebook and leaning into the camera, Delta said, "So you're tired of living your life virtually?"]

"Desperately." Amanda sighed. It felt good for her ears to hear her truth spoken out loud.

[[Delta] "I get it." Pausing for a beat, Delta added, "I'm surrounded by a city full of people, yet there are days when I feel all alone."]

Amanda smiled. "All the Facebook likes in the world still can't replace a hug."

[[Delta] "Exactly." Leaning back in her chair, Delta tapped her lips with the orange ostrich feather as though thinking of a solution. After a moment of silence, she said, "This is actually something we're working on at Wattpad."]

Amanda's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Really? How?"

[[Delta] "Uh--?" Delta scanned the environment around her desk as though searching for an answer. "Well, uh--. We think connecting users to physical reality would be--." Tapping her feather pen furiously against the corner of her desk, Delta continued to stumble over her words. "We want to help users like you connect--in reality. And, uh--we have to help each other. Because--? We need your help so our engineers can build--?]

Amanda's eyes furrowed in confusion as she tried to follow where Delta's words were leading.

[[Delta] Releasing a heavy sigh, Delta gripped the edge of her desk with both hands. "I'm not sure how to say it." Holding her index finger up, she bent her body to the left and disappeared from view.]

Oh my gawd, Amanda thought. What can't she tell me?

[[Delta] Springing back up, Delta pulled another wheeled office chair into view and motioned to the man sitting in it. "Our engineers will be working on a project in the coming weeks, and they'll be interviewing some of Wattpad's users to get a better idea of--?"]

Amanda stared at Ian on screen.

[[Ian] Ian stared into the camera at Amanda.]

[[Delta] Delta stared at Ian as she tripped over words to complete her thoughts. "So they can get a better idea about--?" Releasing a frustrated groan while gripping Ian's chair so he couldn't scoot out of view, Delta turned to the camera and said, "Would it be okay for one of our engineers to interview you?"]

Suddenly, Amanda became extremely aware of the fact she wore rags and had garbage in her hair. She tried to respond to Delta's question, but her mouth was gaped open too wide to be of any use.

[[Delta] Delta patted Ian's shoulder. "This is one of our engineers--Ian." Nodding towards the camera, she added, "Ian, this is Amanda."]

[[Ian] Ian didn't respond right away. He seemed disoriented and shell shocked. "Nice to meet you, Amanda."]

Huh?

A metaphorical knife of disappointment thrusted through Amanda's heart as she stared at the man who consumed her every thought for the last week.

Nice to meet me, Amanda thought. Desperation tried to think of an alternate explanation for Ian's distant response, but her mind concluded the obvious. He doesn't remember me. Oh my gawd, he doesn't remember meeting me. The jinx magic was just--my imagination.