The Master Programmer

"Hey, Olly," Jason called, his voice tinged with curiosity, "where did she go? Did you kill her already?" Jason chuckled as he nudged Oliver after getting back to him, but Oliver glared at Jason. Oliver then chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, man. She's grabbing drinks for us and trying to catch up with her friend before we head out for food. She wanted to see Angela, but you guys just disappeared." Disappeared… Yeah, we disappeared. And we would have disappeared for a long time if it wasn't for the meddling kid called Jason. After all, he had cockblocked himself. He had no idea how he did something like that, but he had done it. Jason raised a brow at Oliver, looking around and then secretively speaking. "You sure? Or are you hiding the evidence? It's okay, you can tell me." "What are you saying? I can't be having a late-night date with a dead person can I?" Oliver said in mock arrogance, eliciting a smile from Jason. Was tha confidence? Interesting. This was the power of action! The power of doing things with no expectation, just to do them, to see if they can pay off. It was all about the process, not the outcome. It seemed Oliver was starting to understand this. After all, the process was getting him to change himself to become someone new. Oliver leaned closer, his expression teasing. "But I'm more interested in you though… You… there's no way you had sex with her in the bathrooms, right?" Jason's laughter erupted, smooth and self-assured. "What the hell are you even saying?" he asked, shaking his head. "You've got some wild imagination, my friend." Oliver leaned even closer, saying, "Don't even lie to me. I saw the way she was looking at you. You guys just clicked. Or maybe you did that magical thing where you connected. I saw it in real-time, and I tried to emulate it based on your tips. That's how I'm sure." Jason shook his head. "No. She's a good girl. A good girl who respects herself. I like that about her. And you… you better not think too much about stuff like this." Jason leaned in and chuckled, saying, "And you better not let Maya find out you thought her friend was handing out sex in Lounge bathrooms! If her friend is a slut what does that say about Maya? Birds of a feather, they say." Oliver laughed along but quickly sobered. "Nah. Maya's not like that… Honestly, though, it feels surreal. I can't believe I'm about to go on a date with her." Jason clapped a hand on Oliver's shoulder, his tone warm yet firm. "Remember this moment. Think about everything you overcame to get here. And remember that it's just the start. You've got the tools; now it's about using them. It's what I keep saying. Just follow through." As Oliver nodded along, Jason continued telling him what he needed to hear, still delivering little anchors to make him respect him more and more. "Stay true to yourself, and don't forget: if it doesn't align with what you want, walk away. Respect yourself first, and others will follow. You understand me, right?" "I get it," Oliver said with a smile. "It was so simple, now that I think about it. Jason… you're a fucking magician." "Magic? No, it's just a really good system, hahaha!!" as they laughed, Jason couldn't help but look at his progress with this guy… it was so close now. |———————————— || Master Programmer System || Stats | Missions | Items | Store | ————— Your Current Missions: —> Make your Sexy Boss Fall For You (19% done) —> Take Revenge on the Grumpy Middle-Aged Landlord (29% done) —> Take Revenge on the Goons (88% done) —> Get Your First Subordinate! (97% done) ————————————| Oliver was just one success away from making a grand gesture of respect towards Jason. It's a common sentiment; people often dislike the grind until they witness the fruits of their labour. Once they see the payoff, they're usually more than willing to put in the work consistently. As long as Oliver won by following Jason's advice, he would continue following Jason's advice all the time, and in so doing, he would reaffirm the magic of following his advice. That was the power of mentorship, the power of having someone lead the way. It was also the power behind Jason's words. Jason had been extremely focused on anchoring positive emotions to Oliver's upcoming date, emphasizing his personal growth and confidence. This not only empowered Oliver but also subtly built his belief in Jason's wisdom and guidance. A simple thing. But its profundity was never to be overstated. As they stood there, Jason gave him some more tips on how to escalate physically, and Oliver listened to it all. In the next moment, when they finally saw Angela and Maya standing together, with Maya carrying some drinks and both women coming towards them, the two stopped talking about stuff like that. But Oliver still had something to say. Oliver nodded earnestly. "Thanks, Jason. I wish you could tag along. You're like my lucky charm." Jason shook his head with a grin. "No, Olly, you got this. Just remember. Authenticity is everything. This is your moment, not mine. Own it. And take it all. After all, we get what we get because we deserve to get it. So if you put in the effort, and you don't get what you think you deserve, it is because you didn't put in the right effort." "Put in the effort towards what?" said Angela as she approached hearing them speaking amongst themselves. "We were just talking about Goals in life," Jason said, nonchalantly, gazing at Angela and Maya with a smile. "How it's always important to reach for them and say fuck you to everything that doesn't lead us to them." Maya was beside Angela, drinks in hand, smile on her face, but that was not really the thing that stood out to Jason. It was Angela… her subdued demeanour contrasting sharply with the lively lounge club atmosphere everywhere around her. Jason's sharp eyes even caught the faint traces of smeared makeup on Angela's face. Had she been crying? Damn.. there he went again, making a girl cry. The last time a girl cried because of him it was because she was cumming so hard she had started crying, thanking Jason for being in her life and making her feel the way she was feeling. This time, it was because he had told her to stop being a disgusting slut because then nobody would like or respect her and she would never respect herself. Damn... both versions were pretty fucked up, now that he thought about it. Jason met Angela's gaze briefly, his expression unreadable. Had his earlier words struck a deeper chord than he intended? The thought intrigued him. Maybe he had been too harsh. Anyway, he had not gotten a new mission, or some new announcement even after doing that much. This told him all he needed to know about her. Although she had been affected, she was still the same person she was... As Maya and Angela chatted, with Angela looking at him, Jason leaned back slightly, observing with quiet intensity. When the two groups reunited, Jason announced his departure. "I've got a bedtime, folks. Responsible guy and all. Unlike you disgusting party animals." Angela raised a brow, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Funny, I was just about to leave too," Jason smirked when he heard this. Was this part two? There was no way he had to cockblock himself twice in one night, right? If he did it a third time, he might level up into a grand wizard. Maya turned to Jason with a knowing grin. "Perfect. Take care of her, will you?" Jason turned to this smaller girl with a smirk. So she was effectively getting handed off huh… They must have spoken about this before coming here. Smart girls. And now since Jason was friends with Oliver, and the other side was friends with each other, if Jason wanted to maintain rapport, he needed to do exactly as he was told. Damn it… This might be time to cockblock himself again after all. Jason smiled. "Of course. Who else would be better suited for the job? As I said before... Responsible guy." Oliver chimed in at that moment, having walked over to Maya, and saying, "Don't worry. Angela is in good hands. And so are you." Oh? Imagery? This guy was using imagery in his speech? What a quick learner! In good hands, giving her the idea to be in his hands very soon. That was something he had only just said to him, and Oliver was applying it already. Olly... might be a genius. After bidding farewell and sharing some final words of wisdom, Jason exited with Angela, flagged down a taxi, and opened the door to climb in. Angela didn't seem to mind his less-than-chivalrous act; in fact, she wore a smile as she entered the cab. Once she relayed her address to the driver, locking eyes with him as she spoke, a hush fell over them as the taxi started its journey. Jason had expected her to hop over to him as soon as it began moving, but literally, nothing had happened in all this time. Maybe his breaking of rapport by not offering anything in the conversation was helping? Or maybe she had nothing to say to him… Either way, Jason settled in his seat, thinking that even this kind of quiet was not bad. The taxi ride was quiet, save for the gentle hum of the city outside. Angela sat beside Jason, staring out the window, her reflection ghosted in the glass. But still… for the good of Olly, he had to make sure that this friend was going to be fine. Jason glanced at her, a flicker of concern crossing his face. Had he pushed her too far? "Hey," he began, his voice softer now, "are you—" She interrupted him, her voice steady yet tinged with emotion. "Thank you, Jason." Jason blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "For what?" Angela turned to him, her eyes glistening under the passing streetlights. "For everything. For your words earlier. You made me see something I hadn't before." She took a deep breath. "I've been looking for validation in all the wrong places. From other people, from fleeting moments… when all along, I needed to find it within myself. My life, everything in it, is my responsibility. And if I want to change, I have to own that. So thank you for making me realise something like that. Even if it was with my face buried in the wall of a toilet stall with you whispering sweet nothings in my ear." Jason was secretly surprised by her reaction. It seemed his words had an impact after all! Or perhaps she was only pretending, hoping to elicit a response from him. Regardless, with no official announcement made, Jason knew he still had work to do. If she had already accepted the idea of change, then all he had to do was make her resolve herself to do it.