“Why the mystery?”
“Everyone needs a little mystery.” Garrett squeezed Ari’s shoulder hard, and she gave a little jump.
Reed couldn’t cover the look of disgust that crossed his face. She wasn’t going to feel guilty though. She had seen him with countless girls himself; he was in no position to judge.
“Right. I’ll head off. Ari, you sure you’re okay?” Reed asked one more time.
“Promise.” Something inside of her sunk as she watched Reed walk off. She realized she missed him, but he wasn’t hers to miss.
Garrett pulled her up from her seat. “Do you need anything else to drink?”
“Do I?” Ari returned the question. “It’s all fake anyway. Can’t I tell my brain to release the chemicals that make me act like the rest of the stupid drunk girls?”
“Some people might call you a buzzkill, ya know?” Garrett pulled her into a hug, his mouth brushing against her neck. His lips sent a tingle throughout her body.
Ari scanned the balcony to see who else was up there. There were a few couples lying down on the couches making out, while others were drinking and talking. Garrett would probably expect something like that, being up there. Her stomach tightened, wishing she would have stayed at the bar.
Stepping back, he led her to a plush reclined chair. “Have a seat, and I’ll grab a couple drinks.” Ari watched him cross the rooftop to the other side of the bar. She took a seat and wondered how many other girls had he brought here? She was letting Reed and Marco get in her head, and they had occupied too many of her thoughts already. It was time for her to live her own life.
Garrett returned and handed Ari a green concoction. She took a small sip and the taste of apples flooded her mouth.
“Sweet apples.”
He lifted his drink, a dark amber color. “Here’s to you and your educational success.”
Ari took another drink and inhaled afterward as the sweet liquor warmed its way down her throat. She set down the glass, remembering her last incident drinking—virtual or not.
“Anything wrong?” Garrett asked.
“No, my mind’s all over the place, taking in the fact that this is my new life.”
“It is only beginning,” Garrett said as he leaned forward, kissing her softly on the lips. It was so gentle and warm, she melted against him. His mouth tasted of alcohol, warm and rich. Soon his drink was put down, and they reclined against the couch with Garrett on top of Ari, pushing her into the back of the couch. It wasn’t long before Garrett’s hands were all over her body.
Ari tried to close her eyes and enjoy being with Garrett. But soon Reed’s annoying voice crept into her head. She couldn’t help but wonder how many girls, in how many places, he had done this with before. And despite what everyone said, this felt all too real.
Garrett’s hands were warm as he touched the bare skin on her leg. As his fingers traced it higher, Ari froze.
“I’m not that drunk,” Ari said, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.
“No, you’re not. Just like that wasn’t real liquor, this isn’t real either.” He went to kiss her neck, pushing the limits of her dress.
“Garrett there are people up here.” Ari eyed the other couples who didn’t seem to notice anything beyond their partner.
“They aren’t real.” He waved them off with a free hand. “Just part of the simulation. Most people headed to the virtuals.”
He kissed Ari again with more determination. Her thoughts flew a mile a minute. Was this wrong? She never had gone beyond kissing before. She hadn’t known Garrett for long, but he had saved her butt. She owed him.
She wasn’t going to do this because of obligation though. She tried to push her way free of Garrett, but he wasn’t giving up easily. Since he could do this with any computer animation here, she failed to see the appeal. He kept murmuring things about her body that made her feel like she needed to shower. His grip tightened on her body, his tongue a dead slug trying to invade her mouth.
She couldn’t take it anymore and wasn’t sure if she could fight her way out of his hold. Her heart raced with a panic which had nothing to do with the VR and everything to do with Garrett. Without a second thought, she left.
Chapter Twelve
Ari sat at her computer, retyping the same code into her programming interface for the sixth time. She was supposed to be working on the physical world for her first virtual. At least she’d decided on her setting. That had taken an hour in itself.
It didn’t help that her interface ring, which was securely stowed in her bag, was flashing with unread messages. Garrett.
It had been a week since she’d talked to him. A week since she’d left the virtual in the middle of making out with him. She had woken in a panic and pulled the plug. The guy who had manned the door, had watched in a dazed stupor as she’d sprinted out of the building, not looking back.
It had been a long week.
With her grades barely above passing, she had been working hard at her assignments. She typed in the code in for a sky for the seventh time. She finally closed her tablet, which was plugged into her hard drive, in exasperation and reached for her ring. She checked her HUB and scanned the messages.
Twenty-five were from Garrett. The first few started with apologies. By the end she could see the anger dripping into them. His last one read: If you won’t call me, I can’t fix it.
Ari knew he deserved an answer, so she decided she wouldn’t finish her homework that night without talking to him. She didn’t think “I’m a scared prude” or “It didn’t feel right” was really an answer he’d understand. After everything he’d done for her, she didn’t want it to end
