Thankful for her bag, she pulled out her tablet and flipped it on. A bright green message instantly popped up.
Thought you might need this. ~ Garrett.
Maybe she wasn’t completely alone.
CHAPTER 6
Tessa pulled out her earbuds for the first time the next morning, and repeatedly blinked her eyes until her gaming contacts cleared. Tessa had her hair up in a messy bun, exposing the shaved underside of her hair and the port in the back of her neck. Grabbing her coffee, she turned to Ari. “What was the deal with you leaving the VR lab early yesterday?”
“I had to get out of there. You know?” Ari gathered her bag, ready to leave for morning classes. She really didn’t feel like getting into it this morning.
“No, I don’t.” There was a brief, awkward pause that Tessa was in no hurry to fill.
“I have a problem with being in the program ... like I want to tear out my port.” Ari didn’t know why she told her roommate. Maybe she was looking for sympathy? Help? She got neither.
Tessa laughed. “That’s a good one.” She continued laughing as she grabbed her bag and headed out the door.
Ari swore under her breath as the door hissed shut. It was going to be a long day.
Her first two classes sped by in a flurry of notes. It helped that she came in just before the bell rang and sat on the opposite side of the room from Wake. She was up and gone before he could say a word.
Arriving at her third period class, she settled in the chair and pulled out her tablet to go through her schedule. The guy next to Ari uploaded a file directly to his desk and began manipulating his notes. The desks had ports to upload to and write on whenever they needed. Ari preferred holding her tablet in her hand, almost like a real book.
Her HUB vibrated with a message from Garrett.
Heard about Dr. Coleman’s class yesterday. Wanted to see how you were doing?
She moaned and wondered just how many people knew about her meltdown.
How did you find out?
I know the TA, Mica.
I’m not as crazy as it probably sounds.
Don’t worry. All the hot girls are a bit crazy.
Ari’s mouth dropped, not sure how to take that. She didn’t have time to reply before the class began.
The fast-paced lecture kept everyone’s attention. In a slimming business suit, Dr. Cox paced in front of the students. Her strong voice carried without a microphone.
As the instructor outlined the syllabus, Ari realized this class might end up being one of her favorites. Hard, yes, but fascinating. The workings and reasoning behind human behavior was complex and engrossing all at the same time. The class dismissed all too soon for Ari.
For lunch, Ari headed down to the student commons building in the middle of campus. Not feeling like a big meal, she ordered a vanilla meal shake from the automated window. It tasted like ice cream but contained the vitamins and nutrients of a complete meal. Ari’s mom hated the engineered food, but Ari could eat ice cream for the rest of her life. She grabbed a small apple, so she could tell her mom she did, and worked on the shake while reading about the circuitry of the human brain.
She read the same sentence several times, struggling to focus amid the noise of the cafeteria. It wasn’t until someone pushed a white napkin across the table did Ari realize she was no longer alone.
“Hey, Reed.” She studied the simple cartoon drawn on the napkin. A clown was sucking on a cigarette while making a balloon animal and getting ash on the large-eyed child waiting in line. A smile grew on her face which turned into a laugh. “I haven’t gotten one of these cartoons for quite a while.”
“You haven’t needed one for a while.”
She didn’t want to tell him she had kept every drawing he’d given her back at home. Reed used to sneak cartoons into Ari’s bags, or books, and even one into her breakfast box when she was younger, right after she lost her dad. They always cheered her up, no matter how bizarre. Maybe it was because they were so bizarre.
Looking up and meeting Reed’s gaze, the laughter slowly died. It wasn’t very often she found herself alone with Reed. And the last couple of times hadn’t been promising.
“Thanks.” Her thumb brushed over the cartoon. “I never thought I’d miss the old neighborhood.” She realized he was just taking care of her, like he had done when her dad abandoned her. He treated her like a younger sister, but unfortunately, Ari’s thoughts weren’t very sisterly.
“Just remember these rich kids are jealous. Their parents had to sell their vacation home to pay for this.”
“Not my roommate. She still has her vacation home and a couple others to spare.” It was hard for Ari not to be jealous of Tessa.
“Yeah, some are luckier than others, but that’s why we’re here. Right? To have more opportunity than our parents did.”
She reached for the spoon in her shake and swallowed a cold bite. The freezing lump hit her stomach and cleared her head. It was easy to forget about the worry of tomorrow with Reed nearby. “It’s totally over-rated.”
“What is?” He glanced up, meeting her eyes, and those eyes of a million colors shone back with curiosity. In the middle of a noisy cafeteria, a small bit of quiet spanned the distance between them.
She lowered her gaze, which made it easier to think. “The money. These people all spend it on a fake life, with plastic faces, and perfect bodies. Give me ice cream, fake or not, and I can die happy.”
CHAPTER 7
After missing Art Design the day before without any major consequences, Ari decided to skip her VR class. Better to take a demerit than freak out again, and it gave her one more day to figure out what to do. She completed homework during her VR class and then headed to her last class of the day.
“We missed your theatrics in class today.” Wake brushed by as she entered the classroom.
She glared at him while taking her seat. Why wouldn’t that creep just leave her alone?
Professor Mienka taught art design and dressed the part. She was a tall woman with a heavy accent. Long curly hair fell to the middle of her back, and she had a natural beauty that Ari guessed many men fought over. And the woman insisted everyone call her by her first name, Irina.
By the end of the day, Ari welcomed the homework; at least, the kind didn’t require trips to the VR. She studied until the words blurred together on her small interface screen and then passed out for the night.
The next day, she tried to become invisible as she found a seat in the back for her first class. She kept to herself and tried to focus on the lecture and not her upcoming class with Dr. Coleman. She couldn’t skip again and avoiding it wouldn’t help anything.
Her HUB vibrated with a message from Garrett.
Want to meet for lunch today?
Ari wondered if he was asking her on a date. She didn’t have much experience with dating. Most guys wanted to take girls on VR dates to foreign destinations. Ari had to admit Rome or Greece probably impressed girls more than a coffee shop.
Sure. Where?
I’ll meet you outside your dorm.
Thoughts of Garrett helped distract her as she finished class. As promised, Garrett stood outside her building, bag in one hand and drink carrier in the other. Instead of the lab uniform, he wore slimming jeans and a green shirt. His yellow hair had a cute, messy look, and his smile was infectious.
“You, me and some killer meatballs.”
She returned the smile. “Lead the way.”
He curved off into the fake manicured grass behind her dorm. A small lake bordered the north of campus. They strolled to a grouping of large boulders overlooking the water.
“Need some help?” he asked, nodding to the large boulder.
“No, I got it.” She climbed up easily and then grabbed the food, so he could climb up beside her.
“Just to warn you, these meatballs go beyond mere mortal food at our campus. Once tasted, your diet will never be the same again.”
Ari laughed. �
�Okay. I’ve been warned.”
With one bite, a flood of flavors flooded her mouth. Messy and delicious, the meatball tasted like a complete meal, like her mom’s lasagna with bread rolled into one ball. She devoured the meatballs and cleaned up afterwards. “You’re right. That was amazing.”
Garrett had already polished off his meatballs and was sucking down a drink. She looked over at his bright yellow hair and several hoops running up one ear. The black eyeliner and goofy grin belied his age.
He handed her a drink. She grabbed it, but he didn’t let go.
“Do you have a plan for the virtuals?” His grin gone and his large eyes containing no hint of laughter.
Her stomach sank, and she wondered how he knew. “No. Just hope they don’t kick me out until after Christmas,” Ari gave a forced laugh. It was either laugh or cry.
He relinquished his hold on the cup. “Okay, then.”
She sipped her soda, a unique rich flavor, with a hint of cream and salt. The soda reminded her of her father, something he’d always splurge on. She rubbed a spot on her chest and cursed herself for missing her father. He left us. She stared out at the lake for a while longer wondering if she had the courage to even show up for the next class.
“You ready for your class?” Garrett asked.
“No,” Ari replied, “But do I have a choice?”
“We could get drunk, steal a boat, and roam the river like pirates.” Happy Garrett was back, with his bright eyes and smile.
“Ask me in two hours, and I might take you up on it.”
Garrett hopped off the rock first then turned to help her down. For some reason her muscles didn’t want to work as her brain requested. She stumbled a bit, and Garrett reached out to catch her.
“You okay there?”
His voice sounded farther away than usual. She looked at him, wondering what he was talking about. He could almost be a fairy with his pointed nose and light pink lips. Why was she thinking about fairies?
“Ari,” he called her name.
He asked her a question, but she struggled to focus on the words coming out of his mouth.
“You’ll be fine. It will relax you.”
“What?” Something wasn’t right. He took her hand and led her back to the virtuals building.
The sun warmed her skin, a fuzzy heat she drank up. She tried to stop and bake in the sun, but Garrett kept pulling her hand.
“Class,” he said loudly. “School. Remember, not getting kicked out till after Christmas?”
Then she did. She hoped she wasn’t late to class. The virtuals. She should be freaking out, but again her body didn’t want to obey.
“What did you do to me?” she asked Garrett. “Did you put a tab in my drink?” She would have tasted it.
“Sort of. A relaxing tab I got after a skiing accident. A little help to get you through your virtuals.”
Ari grabbed his shirt, angry. “You drugged me?”
Her third day away from home, and she’d been drugged. She could be a poster child for those warning posters in school, showing you what not to do. Her mother would probably reprimand her for trusting boys with colored hair and rings in their ears. If he was a fairy, he was a bad one indeed.
“It wasn’t a lot. I didn’t think it would affect you so much. You must not tab often. Get through your class and then you can yell at me. Okay?”
“O ... kay.” Ari’s speech slowed as her brain took in everything he said. “Class first, then yell at you.” She wiped his chin where he’d missed the sauce from his sandwich and then licked her finger.
Ari couldn’t help but laugh, happy everything else was gone.
“Come on. You better hurry to class or you’ll be late.” Garrett led her to class like a gentleman, except for the whole drugging thing, of course.
Everyone was already seated when Garrett handed Ari her bag and pushed her through the door.
The teacher stood in front of the class with an unhappy look on his face. “Welcome, Ms. Mendez. Glad you made it to class today. I hope you can stay.”
Unsure if he asked a question or made a statement, she played it safe by heading straight to her chair. Her purple painted shoes took one step after another. She slumped into the chair with a bump, letting a surprised squeak escape.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. Sitting was good.
Dr. Coleman resumed his lecture. Ari only caught phrases about sending homework to their class hard drive and what to focus on in today’s virtuals. Without warning, Mica appeared at her side to help her hook into her virtual.
“Mica, will you give me a happy virtual today?” Ari asked.
“Dr. Coleman assigns the virtuals, not me. Let’s get you hooked in.” Mica directed Ari’s head to the chair and inserted her data port.
The next time Ari opened her eyes, a gray bird—a pigeon maybe—stared at her, cocking its head from side-to-side as if curious.
“Caw,” Ari squawked at the bird.
The bird twitched and then flew off.
It took her a few moments to realize where she was. The damp air and smell of old fish and seaweed brought an unexpected smile to her face. She loved the ocean.
Her feet ran along on a wooden walkway. Dodging tourists, she weaved her way around small brightly painted restaurants and gift shops. She turned a corner and hit the railing. Gripping the cold bars, she watched the raw power of the ocean as it crashed onto the shore.
A loud breath escaped her lips. The beauty overwhelmed her, the immense nature of the water. Waves shattered with a force of a wild animal. Pushing and pulling, back and forth. She briefly glimpsed Professor Coleman, but the waves demanded her attention.
Dark over-sized rocks blocked the path down to the beach, creating a wall of sorts. She’d never been in the ocean before, and she wasn’t about to lose her chance. Lifting herself over the ledge, she climbed down. It probably wasn’t her smartest decision. It took longer than she wanted to maneuver herself amongst the dark craggy rocks. The wind off the sea chilled her to the bone and tugged at her hair. Determined to stand in the water, she had to touch the end of the world. A loose rock fell under the weight of her foot. She slipped and lost her footing. She caught herself on a sharp rock, cutting her hand.
She paused to regain her balance. A quick glance down showed her she still had what looked like ten feet to go. The blood on her hand made her head spin. This is not real. I’m almost there. Glancing down again, she wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her. The ground appeared closer. What was ten feet looked like one or two. She ignored the anomaly and jumped off. Her feet landed softly on the sand beneath. Could Garrett’s drugs affect my perception inside the virtual?
She dismissed any worries and headed to the sea. She kicked off her shoes in the sand and waded into the icy water until it reached her calves. Her toes squished deep in the sand as goosebumps covered her arms. Starring out into the great abyss, Ari hadn’t felt so alive, so at peace, since her father left. The crash of a nearby wave sprayed her, leaving drops of salt water clinging to her skin. She lifted her arm to taste the ocean.
A small voice crept in the back of her thoughts, distracting her. This isn’t real. You’re in a machine with cable coming out of your neck.
Lifting a hand to her face, she was surprised at the tears she found. Unsure whether to laugh or cry at the irony that she couldn’t quite enjoy the virtual even with a drug in her system, she decided it was okay to do both.
Squinting against the bright lights, she found herself back in the class room without remembering that she left the VR. For the first time, Ari experienced what others called ‘coming down’ after a VR. Her body sagged in the chair, void of any energy or desire to come back to reality. The sandwich sat heavy in her stomach.
Hands soon found her and unhooked the cable from her neck. Ari turned around to thank Mica but instead found the large hands of Dr. Coleman putting the cable back in its spot at the terminal. Anger etched the sharp lines in his face. Glancing around,
she found the rest of the students still hooked into their chairs.
Ari lowered her gaze and focused on her hands. She rubbed her fingers together and marveled the numb feeling, like rubbing silly-putty. Focus, dammit. Dr. Coleman grabbed a nearby chair and sat across from her.
“Ms. Mendez.” Dr. Coleman waited until she lifted her gaze. His jaw clenched, his cold eyes held an undeniable anger.
His silence unnerved Ari. “Sorry, I didn’t understand the assignment.” Which was an understatement.
“You show up two days ago only to leave in hysterics, and today you come in high. Is this really the way you want to start out your career?”
She shook her head, not trusting her voice.
“You got nothing, huh?” He stood walking over to his desk. “I’ll mark down a demerit in your file and talk to your advisor.”
“No, it’s just ...” She froze, unsure of where to start.
He stopped and turned around. “It’s what?”
“I have a ... problem with virtuals.”
“I don’t think ‘problem’ begins to cover it.”
“I don’t like them.”
“Then leave.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Leave. Grab your bags and head out that door, because there are plenty of kids wanting to get accepted here and they actually like virtuals. Love them, to be honest.”
Leave, I could just leave. Standing there, every cell in her body ached to go back home, to the comfort of her room, her mom, her life. But that was why she was here, to make a better life for her family, for herself. Lifting her chin, she resolved to do better, be better, to remember why she came here.
“Your tests show you have a lot of potential, but so do a lot of people. You have two days to get over it. The first test is on Friday, and you will need at least a C to continue in the program, especially since you have failed your last two assignments. I don’t care about excuses.”
“Okay.” Ari grabbed her bag to leave. She wasn’t sure how she was going to do it, but she’d worry about that when she was sober. All she wanted was to bury herself somewhere.
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