A cute guy approached, taking the seat next to Ari, looking vaguely familiar. He was probably from a neighboring school. His gaze flickered around the room for a moment, and the metallic glint told Ari he must have the new contacts. She grimaced at the idea.
He gave one final blink and then turned his attention to Ari. His dark hair was slicked back with more hair product than Ari used in a month. He wasn’t bad looking, just not her type. He lifted a brow in her direction. “Wanna tab?”
Ari had already had a drink in front of her, a dark cola. A tab would turn her drink into something more. In the olden days, kids used alcohol or drugs, but after countless people were killed by overdoses or strung-out with addiction, tabs were created. The clear small pebble-like pills dissolved in any drink or even under your tongue—all the high without killing yourself. Unfortunately, throwing up or hangovers were still a reality. The government wanted some negative effects to keep the kids from getting wasted all the time.
“No thanks.” Ari had been of age since she’d turned sixteen the previous month but had no desire to act like an idiot.
He shrugged and turned to the bar. His eyes darted erratically around as if watching something she couldn’t see.
Ari stood up, ready to leave. She’d tried to have fun—she’d even danced one song with Taidem—but her future loomed over her, mocking her like the twisted clown from the virtual carnival.
Star stumbled towards the bar with Reed in hand. “You’re not leaving, are you?” Star leaned slightly towards Ari, the sickly-sweet smell of drink overpowering. “The fun is just starting.”
Ari gave her a thin smile. “Lots to get ready for.”
“Oh, I have stuff to do before I leave. But it’s not at home.” Star laughed loudly and turned to latch onto Reed. He bristled at first, but he didn’t bother to pry Star off even when she began kissing his neck.
“Nice,” Taidem called out.
“More tongue,” Marco coached.
“Gross.” Ari turned back to the guy still sitting next to her. “I think I’m ready for that tab now.”
He smirked and waved down the bartender. He dropped a tab in each of their drinks. They fizzed slightly as they dissolved.
“I want to erase that picture out of my mind forever.” The drink tingled as it traveled down her throat with a sour taste. Placing the drink back on the bar, she gasped.
The rest of the night blurred past with drinking, and dancing and talking to classmates. The pressure in her chest lessened with every tab. The worry of tomorrow faded, and the surrounding chaos lulled her into a sweet numbing blur.
Collapsing at the bar, Ari rubbed her temples to ease her spinning head. Marco and Taidem were propped against it, tangled in each other’s arms. Marco leaned down to whisper something in Taidem’s ear, and they both stood to leave.
Ari grabbed Taidem’s hand. “Where are you going?”
“A virtual.” Taidem pulled back, her face flushed with excitement. “Go dance. We’ll be back later.”
“No, no. He’s not supposed to do virtuals.” Their mother disapproved of Marco going in virtuals outside of school—not that he ever listened.
Most parents pushed the virtuals. It was a way for their children to act out their urges, whether sexual, physical or otherwise with no consequences. No unwanted pregnancies or police calls in the middle of the night when it stayed online.
Ari stood and Taidem swayed—or maybe that was her swaying.
“It’ll be okay, Ari. It’s a quick trip to the beach, and we’ll be back before you know it.” Taidem headed off across the floor, and Ari tried to follow.
Pushing her way through the crowd, she lost Taidem’s blonde hair and somehow ended up on the dance floor. It was warm, too warm. People spun around the room, or maybe that was Ari, swaying, turning. She was going to be sick. She clawed her way through the bodies in search of fresh air.
The guy from at the bar, the one who bought her the tabs, grabbed her hand and pushed himself up against her, trying to dance. She shook her head. Shoving him back, she tripped, tangled up in his long arms and legs. She found herself on her hands and knees. Feet knocked into her, bodies kicking her out of the way.
A pair of strong hands pulled her up from behind. Remembering the guy who groped her, she struggled out of the stranger’s grasp.
“Ari, Ari, it’s me,” Reed spoke in her ear.
His voice calmed the panic inside as she leaned into him. “Reed.”
He pulled her into the darkened alcove off the dance floor.
“You wanna dance?” She slapped a hand over her mouth as words flowed out without any conscious thought.
He continued to hold her upright. “Where’s your brother?”
“Making out on a beach with Taidem.” She tossed a hand up dismissing them. “Or worse. Oh no, you don’t think that they would do that here?”
Reed laughed. “Don’t worry about him. I think I need to take you home though.”
“Are you going into a virtual with Star?” Ari slurred. “She has big teeth you know, along with big other things.” She fell into his chest, and he smelled good, like musky cologne, sweat and Reed.
He tucked Ari’s hair behind her ear. “Star’s dancing. She won’t miss me.”
Ari stared up into his face, distorted by the strobe lights. His hazel eyes turned to silver in the changing lights. “You have beautiful eyes, Reed.”
“Um ... okay.” His lips parted, so soft, so close.
She wanted to touch those lips and wondered, not for the first time, how it would feel to kiss them. She had a crush on him as a young girl, but it was long forgotten, or so she thought. Her vision blurred as the world spun around her. All thoughts of romance fled as she
