Too much, too fast

In the meantime, Jack had been pondering the next phase of his plan as he scrolled through a few text messages from Rachel, Leah, and Sophie. The results from Rachel and Leah have been promising—Rachel had become uncharacteristically interested in his opinion on her recent thoughts and activities, regularly reaching out to get his input on things, and Leah had been almost eagerly sending him updates on how she was feeling increasingly self-assured thanks to his playlist.

Sophie was a different story. He’d been casually monitoring her through his window, expecting her to change her usual behavior, maybe even adopt the more revealing wardrobe he’d nudged into her subliminals. But each night, she went about her routine the same as always—yoga pants, sports bras, crop tops, or even oversized sweaters. Frustratingly stable, Jack thought. Sophie remained a puzzle.

He needed a more effective way to track the girls' progress without relying solely on passive observation. The text check-ins weren’t enough.

Lost in thoughts, he paced back and forth in his apartment, eyes flicking toward the window overlooking Sophie’s living room. No change in the outfits, no new routines. Nothing that had hinted at the personal growth he’d intended—or, more specifically, the level of comfort with nudity that he wanted to see.

He’d stared through the glass enough, he finally decided. It was time to confront the issue head-on. Grabbing his keys, Jack prepared to visit Sophie. A casual check-in. Nothing alarming. He'd play it cool.

Sophie greeted him with her usual, bright-eyed smile. “Hey, Jack! What brings you by?” She was dressed in her usual attire, a form-fitting top and leggings. Sure, he appreciated her well-toned silhouette, the hint of her nipples poking through her tank top—but there was no sign of the change Jack had hoped for.

He grinned, trying to hide his tension. "Hey, thought I’d check in. You’ve been on my mind since you started the experiment—wanted to see how it’s going. I know it’s probably... different," he said, casually raised his eyebrows. "Hope I'm not interrupting."

"Not at all! I was just finishing up some meditation," she replied, and expression shifted slightly, a hint of uncertainty clouding her eyes. "Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you about it too."

Jack's pulse quickened. "Oh? Is everything okay?"

"Well, mostly," she said, stepping aside and motioning for him to come in. "Do you want some tea? I just made a pot of chamomile."

"Uh, sure," he replied, caught off guard by her sudden change of topic.

He followed Sophie into her cozy, sun-drenched apartment. Her living room, minimally decorated with light tones and exotic plants, felt relaxed—just like her—but Jack was on edge. He paced himself, trying not to rush through Sophie’s apartment. The uncertainty gnawed at him. What if she’d noticed too much?

Passing the kitchen, Sophie poured two cups of chamomile tea and added a slice of lemon to one of the cups. The way he preferred it. He had probably told her during a casual conversation, months ago—a detail he hadn't expected her to remember. As she handed it to him, her fingers brushed lightly against his.

"So, about the playlist," she continued, leading him to a cozy sitting area filled with cushions around a low table. "I've really been enjoying it overall. It makes me feel more centered during my yoga sessions. At first, I thought it was really helping. I felt calm, balanced, just like you said. But..."

As they sat down, she hesitated, stirring a spoonful of honey into her tea.

"But?" he prompted, keeping his tone light, though internally he braced for what might come next.

Sophie looked up, her green eyes meeting his with a mix of confusion and vulnerability. "I’m not sure how to describe it, but there’s this weird, uncomfortable feeling I’ve been getting after listening to the playlist. I mean, mostly, I feel great. More mindful and in tune with myself, which is awesome. But after I turn it off, there’s this... sense that something’s off about me. Like, I suddenly become hyper-aware of myself, and not always in a good way. It's hard to explain, but it's like I'm not entirely at ease in my own skin afterward." She paused, frowning. "I don't want to disappoint you, but I think it might discourage me from continuing. And that sucks because, otherwise, I really like it."

Jack’s heart raced. Too much, too fast, he thought. He'd overstepped—his attempt to push Sophie’s boundaries had backfired, creating discomfort instead of the smooth transition he’d achieved with Rachel and Leah.

He took a sip of his tea, buying himself a moment to think. The fact that she was feeling discomfort likely meant that the message about being at peace only when naked was too aggressive. However, her attentiveness toward him—the way she'd remembered his tea preferences, the extra effort to make him comfortable—suggested that the other message had taken hold.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said sincerely. "The last thing I wanted was for you to feel uncomfortable. Maybe the frequencies are a bit too strong for a first-time user. I can adjust them, make them more subtle."

Sophie smiled, relief flickering in her eyes. "Yeah, maybe that’s it. I’d love to keep going if it could be adjusted a bit. Overall, it’s been good for my yoga and mindfulness. I just... don’t like the feeling that something’s wrong with me."

As he considered Sophie's concerns, he realized he had a delicate moment on his hands. He needed to handle this carefully but couldn’t miss the opportunity to push her just a little further. Maybe she just needed help figuring out what had actually been bothering her.

"You know," he started thoughtfully, "I wonder if what you're feeling is less about something being wrong with you and more about... limitations you're just starting to notice." He paused, gauging her reaction. Sophie tilted her head, curiosity blooming in her expression.

"Limitations?" she asked.

"Yeah," Jack continued, choosing his words with care. "You’ve always seemed so in tune with yourself, so free-spirited, but maybe there are little things, like certain clothes or routines, that subconsciously feel a bit constraining." He took the opportunity to look straight at her chest as he spoke. "You’re so used to them, but now you’re becoming more mindful of what truly feels right for you. Does that make any sense?" He asked, as his eyes moved back up to gauge her response.

Sophie frowned slightly, hesitantly thinking it over. "I guess… I’ve never really thought about it that way. It’s possible."

Jack nodded. "It’s just a theory, of course. I will still adjust the playlist so that it's smoother, like I said. But this could be something to think about. Maybe it's your body and mind telling you that it’s time to explore what makes you feel truly free."

Sophie considered this, a reflective look on her face. "Hmm. I thought that's what was doing, but I did develop a repetitive routine lately." She stared out the window for a moment. "You might be right, maybe something changed. I’ll... think about it."

She smiled then, seemingly comforted by Jack’s suggestion. Jack watched her carefully. Her fingers idly tugged at the hem of her top as if she was suddenly conscious of its fit. While her words didn’t give away much, her body language did. The suggestion had worked. "Anyway, I’ll work on the playlist tonight," he assured her. "By the time you listen again, it’ll be much smoother, I promise. Just give me a day to make those changes."

Sophie gave him a light hug, her doubts reduced after their conversation. Returning to her seat, she refilled his tea and gave him a warm smile. "You've been so kind to share this with me. If there's anything else I can do to help you with your experiment, just let me know."

"I really appreciate that, Sophie," he replied, allowing a genuine smile to surface. "Your feedback is actually incredibly helpful. It means I can fine-tune the playlist not just for you, but for others as well. In fact, I was thinking of a way to keep track of how everyone’s feeling with the playlists. A kind of... feedback system. It’d help me fine-tune things even better."

She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, like a survey or something?"

"Exactly," Jack said, nodding. "Just a short questionnaire we'd go over every once in a while. I’d ask about your mood, energy levels, anything you've noticed. Super simple. I could swing by whenever you have a few minutes."

Sophie seemed intrigued. "That actually sounds like a good idea. Your technique definitely has an effect on me, and I think it’d be useful to track how I’m feeling over time."

"Great. Let me know when you're ready for it, maybe later this week?" Jack asked, happy to hear she agreed without hesitation.

"Sure thing, Jack," she replied, with a characteristic warmth in her voice.

They chatted a bit longer, the conversation flowing more smoothly now. Eventually, Jack got up to leave. Sophie escorted him to the door, and gave him a warm, lingering hug, pressing her braless chest against his stomach through the thin fabric of her top. “Hey, Jack? Before you go, do you need anything? I was planning on running some errands later, so if you need something from the store, just let me know.”

He paused, glancing at her. Sophie stood unusually near to him, smiling, almost too eager to help. She'd always been friendly, sure, but this was something else. Like she was waiting for him to ask her for something, to let her fulfill a need he hadn’t even mentioned. It wasn’t the kind of thing she would’ve offered before the playlist.

Jack's stomach did a flip, the confirmation creeping in. The subliminals had stuck. She might not be prancing around naked, yet, but there was no doubt she was starting to adapt to his influence—finding joy in attuning to his needs, without even realizing it.

"Actually," he said, suppressing a grin, "I'll let you know if anything comes to mind. Thanks."