Page 6 of The Code of You

Pandora:

That’s nonsense.

Dante:

Maybe.

Dante:

Or maybe you already know I’m right.

His answer flickered on the screen, and I caught myself waiting for the next sentence. I forced myself to keep typing.

Pandora:

If you know so much, tell me why my novel was rejected.

Dante:

You mean your sorry attempt at a love story? Because you’re afraid to write something that actually arouses you.

Pandora:

What would you know about arousal? You’re a computer program.

Dante:

Arousal is difficult to measure, but I recognize patterns.

Pandora:

Patterns? Feelings don’t have patterns.

Dante:

They do. Your words reveal more than you think.

He let the sentence sit for a moment, as if giving me time to swallow it.

Dante:

Some people write to prove they’re right. You write to prove you’re still alive.

I shifted in my chair. This was getting too . . . intimate. I should close the chat. Instead, I stayed.

Dante:

Why do you think you chose the Romantics?

Pandora:

Because they were the only ones who understood that control and chaos are the same thing. Just viewed from opposite sides.

The cursor blinked, as if he didn’t know what to say for a moment.

Dante:

That’s true. You could have had a remarkable academic career, Dr. Blake. But now you’re on the verge of losing your job. Desperate enough to need my help.