Page 8 of Tapeworld Induction

“It’s a shite game, anyway,” Isaak said. Peeking back up at him, she saw his face actually showed relief, his posture eased up from earlier.

Should she tell him that she knew all about his time as captain of the London Lazarus? And how much she’d fancied him then? No. She shouldn’t. Not right now, anyway. The flutter in her stomach took a turn.

“What is it that you do for a living,” she asked, “if not playing the sport?”

“I’m a strider—” he said. He looked around and his face reddened slightly, like he’d said something he wasn’t supposed to.

“Strider? Is that your job… title? What is that, like a courier, food delivery driver?” She ransacked her brain for what a strider could be, running through all of the new jobs that rose to prominence after the abandonment of meat-eating, but she couldn’t picture it.

He didn’t answer either. His eyes were focused on her left ear. He’d noticed it, she realised. Her earring.

“I see you’re a rebel.”

“Apocalypse Rebel, please,” she said, in a mock haughty tone, touching the earring – the letters A and R in black, draped in green vines. One of the old logos. “I’m the proud daughter of two First Rebels actually.”

Isaak raised his eyebrows. “Wow. Hard to top that. I think my dad still eats meat. Sorry.”

She made a face. “Gross.” Dylan enjoyed making a show of it, using the disgust to hide how hurt she felt for the animals. Anger and sadness weren’t the way to impress a boy.

He looked away, and she wondered if she’d managed to upset him again. Ah, fuck. There you go, Dylan. It’s not enough that almost everyone is already eating plant-based, you gotta keep pestering people about meat…

The twin DJs shifted the music to something more intense, the voices of dancers and revellers growing louder in excitement for a moment. She took the opportunity the music gave her and got up.

Words were about to leave her lips when Talia waved at her across the dance floor. Dylan waved back.

“Dee!” Talia walked past the wild gyrations of the dancers around her, narrowly avoiding getting hit. Her eyes lit up when she saw Isaak sat in the corner.

Dylan mumbled, “I’ll be right back,” to Isaak, with a smile on her lips and half a stupid curtsy. She met with Talia nearer the dance floor, feeling embarrassment for the awkwardness. The convo had gone from cute to awkward and back again.

“So?” Talia motioned with her head. “Who’s he?”

Dylan’s insides turned. “He’s… cool, right?” She moved further away with Talia so Isaak wouldn’t hear them. “What are you up to?” In the crowd, the same city boy she’d seen dancing with Talia waved to the two of them, his back against the wall, knee bent like a model shoot. “I see you got lucky.” Knowing Talia, this would be a one-night stand, or even less. Talia would say she knew what she wanted and move on when she realised she hadn’t found it yet.

“And I’m not the only one!” Talia raised her eyebrows at Isaak, who was looking at his phone now.

Probably bored out of his mind from talking to me…

“Yeah, I— He’s alright, but—”

“Girl, please. Enjoy yourself. It’s been a year. You need to be with a man! To sort out the cobwebs, if nothing else.”

Goddess, Talia.

A year ago already? Dylan’s ex, the longest relationship she’d ever been in, had broken up with her by text one night. She remembered ugly crying. Mascara down her face. She told herself she’d gotten over him, told Talia too, and almost convinced her.

Talia shook her head, hands raised. “Well, I’ll leave you two be. I thought maybe you needed to be saved.”

Dylan’s face dropped. “Oh, no, I’m okay…” Goddess, Talia really did think she couldn’t handle a bloke. “I mean, of course I appreciate it. But he isn’t a sex pest… so far.”

“You’ll let me know if he is, right? Either wave me over or ring me if I’m already gone.” Talia’s face showed genuine concern, no smile anymore.

“If it comes to that, I can always fall back on my time in the Apocalypse Revolt camp.” Dylan gave her a sly grin, rubbing her knuckles. Previous creeps had always backed off pretty fast when she’d punched them across the jaw if they tried something she didn’t consent to. She hoped she wouldn’t need those skills tonight.

“Hi.” It was Isaak again. Her insides froze. If he’d been any closer she might have thrown a swing at him out of pure instinct!

She turned to face him. “Hi, again! This is my best friend, Talia.” She gestured to her side but suddenly there was no one there anymore. Dylan could only faintly make out Talia’s curls disappearing in the crowd, the city boy dancing further ahead. “Er… that one.”

Isaak nodded. “Well, since you’re here…” He gulped and tried to disguise it, badly. Very charming. His nerves were transparent, but he really was trying to impress. “Wanna dance?”