Dedicated:

To Wattpad for being such a nice website :)

Copyright © 2014 Ariana Godoy

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or in any means—by electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission.

My wattpad love.

Four words.

It is unbelievable how four words can change your life forever. Phrases like "I truly love you" or "I really like you" are so powerful and strong; they can warm your heart in a matter of seconds. They can lead you to happiness. But it was not one of those phrases the one that changed my life. It was a much simpler phrase, one I never expected to read.  

It was past midnight. I was surfing on the internet like every Saturday night. After finishing a bowl of ice cream by myself, I was hyperactive and couldn't sleep. I guess the extra sugar in my system was not really helping. I was lying on my stomach moving my finger along the pointing device of my Hp laptop. I was searching for stories to read, I ran out of paper books so I decided to try those so famous online books. I was not having any success; most of the pages that offered the mentioned books were kind of expensive. I would have paid for those books that caught my attention but hey, I was seventeen. I barely had money for lunch at school. Besides, those websites asked for credit cards and I was really far away from getting one of those.  

Sighing in frustration, I was about to give up when I saw an orange icon and the word free. I clicked on it and the internet explorer showed me wonderland: Wattpad. My eyes widened in shock as I read the website's mottos: unlimited stories, free eBooks, free download for your phone. As I scroll down the page, I discovered many stories. Many tittles caught my attention. I wanted to read them all. I could not believe I could read all those amazing stories for free. My heart started hammering inside my chest in excitement.

For the first few days, I was a silent reader. I didn't have an account so I simply enjoyed reading the stories I liked.   But then I felt the need to support those writers who spend hours on their books so I created an account. I was soon fanning people and commenting on stories to show my support. A month later, I was an addict. I checked wattpad three times per day to see if the stories I was following were updated. 

"Are you listening to me?" Laura, my best friend, asked as we walked to school one day.

"Huh?" I asked closing the wattpad app on my IPhone. 

"You never listen to me, Julie. It's getting on my nerves," she complained walking faster, leaving me behind.

"Lau, wait!" I screamed running after her. 

I couldn't help it. Wattpad had become my guilty pleasure. I tried to balance things, you know, hanging out with my friends and spending time on wattpad but it was hard. However, after a few weeks I managed to find the perfect balance. Whenever I was with my friends, I wouldn't take my IPhone out of my pocket because I knew if I did I would succumb to the need of checking wattpad. 

Anyway, you are probably wondering about those four words that changed my life. Well, it happened one afternoon after getting home from school. I turned my laptop on and immediately logged in wattpad. It was then my eyes caught that phrase... 

Share your own story.

Four words, seventeen letters... I had always liked writing. I had a few un-finished stories in my laptop but never got the courage to finish them because I was lazy. Besides, I honestly never thought people would read them. It took me a few days to decide whether to post them or not. Clicking on the upload section and then on post a new story, I uploaded my first story. To say I was nervous is an understatement, I was terrified. I would check my mail each five seconds to see if I got a comment or anything. 

After two days of agony, my IPhone buzzed in my pocket. It was an email from wattpad "XxxxxX commented on your story" my heart came to a halt. I clicked on the link and proceeded to read the comment:

"I love it, you should write more! Upload soon!" 

I almost jumped in joy as I read it. Someone liked my story; someone had actually read my story and enjoyed it. I was grinning from ear to ear as I replied to her comment. I thanked for her for the nice comment. That was how everything started. Those four words had really gotten me into something I loved. I uploaded chapter after chapter, gaining more fans and making new friends in the process. That was what I enjoyed the most from wattpad, the fact that I got to meet people from every corner of the world. 

But then it happened. I was lying comfortable on my bed while reading on my IPhone when my phone buzzed, announcing I got a mail. Smiling, I clicked the mail opened.

"Dark_poet001 sent you a message" 

What an interesting username! I thought smiling. I was in such a good mood that day.

I clicked on the link that would lead me to my message board and frowned as I read the message:

"Your story is really girly, don't you think? It is not good if you ask me, I do not understand how it is so famous, its plot is not original at all." 

My finger froze on my IPhone’s screen. My good mood went down the drainage. Those words hurt me like hell. I cannot even describe the way they made feel. I was devastated. I had never got such a negative message in the two months I'd been on wattpad. I was sure the page was promoting a friendly environment but there were definitely people out there who didn't know how to be nice. I went to the profile of the person who sent this message and frowned even more. 

It was a guy. It was not very common to find males in this site. I read his profile info in silence: 

Name: Don't need to know, stalker. 
Location: Read the above.
Gender: M
Language: English.
Member since: Dec 2010.
Votes received: 10,859

He had posted two stories and a collection of dark poems. His profile info white box was empty. He didn't write anything about him. His profile picture was blank, literally blank. I struggled not to write insults on his message board. That would not make things better. I was going to prove him I was more mature and civilized than him. I carefully typed my message:

"Hello there, dark poet. 
I understand if you didn't like my story, 
but there was no need to be so rude. 

Hugs, 
Jules."

I pressed the send button. I didn't even get the chance to breathe when my phone buzzed announcing he had replied. Really? This guy was fast! My eyes narrowed at his reply.

@JulesRocks Touched a nerve? ;) 

I bit my lower lip in anger and quickly clicked the reply option.

@Dark_poet001 Hey, I’m just saying there's not need to be so rude. If you don't like my story just don't read it. Save your rudeness for yourself.

After a few minutes he replied: 

@JulesRocks Cut the drama, girly. This is not one of your stories, this is the real world ;p

and that, my friends, was how an epic argument started: 

Me: First of all, don't call me girly. I don't know you. Second, I’m not being dramatic. It wouldn't kill you to be nice.

Him: Why would I be nice to you? I don't know you. 

Me: Exactly, you don't know me. There is no reason for you to be rude to me.

Him: ;) Whatever, girly.

Me: Don't call me that.

Him: It suits you. 

Me: It doesn't! Just be nicer the next time you want to say your opinion about a story.

Him: Oh, did I hurt your feelings? 

Me: Yes.

I thought for a moment he was going to apologize, how stupid of me to think that! 

Him: You want to cry on my shoulder, girly? ;) 

Me: Can't you just apologize?

Him: Nope.

Me: I give up. Just don't talk to me ever again.

Him: Aww you're breaking my heart, girly. Can't you see?

Me: Shut up! Being sarcastic is not really helping.

Him: I think it is ;) 

Me: Why are you so mean to me?

Him: Because.

Me: Because...?

Him: No reason :) 

Me: Just stay away from me.

Him: You are the one who's on my profile. Leave, stalker.

Me: I am not stalking you. I came here to see if we could get to an agreement. I want you to understand that your rude messages hurt people.

Him: Blah blah blah.

Me: You are....

Him: Can't think of a proper insult, Mrs. Strawberry?

Me: Strawberry? What the...

Him: Yeah, you're like a strawberry. Your stories are so cheesy.

Me: You are unbelievable.

Him: Thanks ;)

Me: It was not a compliment!

Him: it was for me ;)

Me: I'm out of here.

Him: Go, shoo! You're staining my page with your pink fingertips and strawberry's smell. 

I got out of his page fuming. This guy was unbelievable! He had no manner or respect for people. I could feel my heart beating desperately inside my chest. Arg! I buried my face in my pillow and growled in anger. He really got on my nerves. How could he be so rude? My phone buzzed and I slowly checked the screen. It was a new mail. 

"Dark_poet001 sent you a private message"

I clicked on it and frowned reading it:

"It was nice talk to you, Mrs. Strawberry. This is not over :)"


I squeezed my fists. Oh, it's on! 

  X - X  

That was the first chapter.

Next chapter will be more exciting, I promise.  

Hugs, Arix.