Chapter 22 – Reactions and Reservations
Later that afternoon, Alan walked into the living room with a mug of lukewarm coffee and the usual air of someone trying to be useful in a place that didn't want him.
He found Jake at the computer, laser-focused, typing like a machine. Lines of text flashed across the screen as he pulled up a hosting site, scanning options and typing in domain names.
Alan squinted. "Hey, uh… what are you doing?"
Jake barely looked up. "Buying a server."
Alan blinked. "I thought I said I'd think about it."
"You did," Jake said. "But Charlie didn't."
Alan blinked again. "Wait—what?"
Jake pointed to the credit card sitting next to the keyboard. "He said I could use it. Two grand limit. We agreed on the server plan, domain registration, and a business license."
Alan stared at the card like it was radioactive. "You're ten!"
"Yeah," Jake said, still typing. "And building something people are going to use. I need to move fast."
Alan ran a hand through his hair. "Jake, this is serious stuff. Servers? Legal paperwork? This isn't a lemonade stand."
Jake finally turned to him. "Exactly. That's why I'm doing it now, while I still have the edge. I'm not playing around."
Alan paced in front of the couch. "You know, most kids your age worry about cartoons and snack time."
Jake tilted his head. "Cartoons are great. But I'm trying to build something that changes the way people interact. I know where this internet thing is going. I've seen the future."
Alan looked genuinely torn. "And you're sure this isn't just a phase? Some genius streak that burns out?"
Jake gave him a long look. "Do I look unsure?"
Alan sighed and sat down. "I just… I didn't expect this. Not from you. You used to eat dryer sheets."
Jake smirked. "That was one time. And I was four."
Charlie walked in just in time to hear that. "Honestly, that explains a lot."
Alan turned to him. "You're really letting him use your credit card?"
Charlie shrugged, sipping from his glass. "He gave me a pitch. Showed me a working site. Kid's sharp. Smarter than both of us combined."
Alan frowned. "Okay, maybe smarter than you."
Charlie grinned. "There it is."
Jake looked between them, then back to the screen. He clicked "Confirm."
The screen blinked once. Then loaded a fresh page.
"Your server has been deployed."
Jake leaned back in the chair and smiled.
FaceWorld was officially online.
An hour later Jake sat at Charlie's living room computer, eyes locked on the screen as the final lines of code fell into place. The server was live. The domain was registered. The world was about to change—and they didn't even know it yet.
FaceWorld.com blinked into existence.
It was simple. Clean. Personal.
Jake typed the tagline at the top of the homepage:
"Your World. Your People. Your Face."
He clicked through the demo users he'd built:
JakeHarper – the admin.
AlanH19 – bio: "Divorced. Stressed. Trying his best?"
UncleC – bio: "Don't ask. Just vibe."
He smiled. Everything was working. Profiles, message walls, friend requests. It was barebones, but it ran smoothly. A site that, to most people, looked like a toy.
But Jake knew better.
This was a blueprint for the future.
---
Charlie wandered into the room, drink in hand, and leaned over the back of the couch.
"You still poking around on that computer of mine?"
Jake didn't look away. "I just launched my site. It's online now. Public."
Charlie blinked. "You serious?"
Jake nodded. "Took your investment. Put it to work."
Charlie stared at the screen. "So… what is it? A blog?"
"It's a social network," Jake explained. "People make profiles, post stuff, connect with friends. You know—like real life, but online."
Charlie squinted. "So... dating?"
Jake sighed. "You really only have one gear, huh?"
Charlie grinned. "It's a good gear."
---
Later, Alan shuffled in with a mug of coffee, still looking half-asleep.
"What's going on?" he asked, glancing between Jake and the glowing monitor.
"Jake's little computer project is live," Charlie said. "Turns out I might've funded the next internet empire."
Alan blinked. "Wait, what? It's up?"
Jake nodded. "FaceWorld.com. It's live. Registered. Hosted. Running."
Alan leaned over the desk. "It's real. Huh…"
Jake clicked around the site. "Everything's ready. Now I just need users."
Charlie tilted his head. "So how are you gonna do that? Flyers? Stand on the corner with a sign?"
Jake smirked. "Not quite. I've got a plan."
---
Jake opened a new script on the PC. It wasn't fancy, but it worked—he wrote a small bulk email system that could push a clean, simple message to hundreds of people at once. He'd been collecting public email addresses from college forums and university directories for days.
He tested it with one account first—smooth delivery.
Then he queued up the real list: 400 addresses.
The message was direct:
---
Subject: Be the First to Join the Future of the Internet
Body:
Tired of being disconnected?
Introducing FaceWorld – a new way to share your life, connect with people, and make your mark online.
Join now. Create your profile. Invite your friends.
[www.FaceWorld.com]
---
Jake hovered his hand over the Enter key.
Then clicked.
The email blast was out.
---
The Next Morning
He refreshed the user dashboard.
12 signups.
Then 27.
Then 41.
Jake's eyes widened. He hadn't even slept—he didn't want to miss it. The numbers kept rising.
Charlie poked his head in. "So, email thing worked?"
Jake nodded. "It's working."
Alan, now a little more awake, stared at the screen. "You've got strangers signing up?"
"Yeah," Jake said. "People I've never met. College kids. Tech forums. It's real."
Alan rubbed his forehead. "I… honestly don't know whether to be impressed or terrified."
Jake grinned. "Both works."
He sat back in the chair, watching the numbers rise.
FaceWorld wasn't just alive.
It was breathing.