"Phoebe Amsel is a customer of delete, and after reading over her account information, we’ve assessed the fact that she is eighteen. She purchased the virtual program so she could escape her Asperger Syndrome, only to find out that they prefer this world. They detest the idea of going back to the real world. " -- (x)
“My colors ran all over the page, poured out of the lines and meshed together to form colors no one had yet recognized. I was different–unique, bold, strong, smart, and hard-headed. I was simply me.” ― Jeannie Davide-Rivera
Imagine being trapped inside your own body. The difficultly of not understanding how the rest of the world kept going when you couldn't even stay on pace. You saw people do what people were suppose to do, but you couldn't too. Phoebe was trapped in a syndrome that kept her from branching out and being 'normal'. Every single birthday candle wasted on a simple unrealistic wish; "I want to be normal, like all the other kids."
Phoebe dealt with issues where she couldn't socialize. High school was her worst nightmare, always being asked if she was retarded. She wasn't stupid, she passed all her classes with flying colors she just couldn't express herself and communicate on their level. Oblivious was her middle name, so clueless to all the side comments said about her that she never knew exactly what they all meant. Observation was her go-to thing. She would sit on the sidelines watching everyone. She would pick up on how they would communicate through their body language and how people walked. It was intriguing yet frustrating.
Her home life wasn't the best environment for someone struggling with Aspergers. Her mother never had the patients to deal with her, she just couldn't relate. Although her mother never said it Phoebe knew she wasn't the type of daughter she wanted, especially one who hated almost everything her mother loved. On the other hand her father was her best friend because he understood. He took out the time to spend it with Phoebe and help her deal with some of her problems.
Becoming an older sister was one of the best things had happened to Phoebe. She always wanted a little sister but a little brother was just as nice. She had someone to grow up with and keep her company. When Hadley began to grow an addiction it really impacted Phoebe. She worried about her brother and really wanted to help him even thought she didn't know how. There was one occasion where she confronted her brother and asked him why he was doing drugs, she wanted him to stop and better himself. In result Hadley lashed out on Phoebe and it scared her. After that Phoebe had a hard time connecting with Hadley again and she kept her distance.
Now with the purchase of Delete and finally a way out Phoebe is able to be who she truly wants to be and finally have a normal life.
"Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it."
-- Bruce Lee
Phoebe aspires to be outgoing, friendly, and open to all. She is her total opposite in the sense that now she can start a conversation on her own and finally make eye contact. There might be moments where she freezes and gets a little shy but she's great at overcoming it. All the observation she did while in the real world has help her mold herself to be someone she can be proud of. Phoebe is still learning about herself and finding out things that completely surprise her. Throughout this journey in the virtual world a lot of layers of Phoebe will be revealed, some surprising and some predictable. It's now a matter of time.
