The core was a familiar district to Pre even though she didn't have the rank to live there. Lower ranks didn't come here much. The businesses were too pricey for Silvers, let alone Bronze or unranked. The only lowers in the Core either worked here or were lucky enough to know an elite. Pre fell in the latter category.

It was easy for her to navigate the core because of the Monte Cristo, Xinder's building. At over a hundred stories high, it was the tallest building in Toran. And, because it was so centrally located, it made a perfect landmark for Pre to gather her bearings.

She quickly triangulated where she was, where the Monte Cristo was, and where her apartment in the shell was. Part of her wanted to just call it a night, make the hours-long trek home, and collapse into the rectangular plank she called a bed.

The other part pulled her towards the Monte Cristo. It's so much closer, the laziness whispered. You could be asleep in like an hour, max. And Xin won't grill you that hard.

But her laziness was a liar.

After all, her best friend, Xinder Avasila, was one of only twelve Diamond-ranked people in the city. Xinder didn't understand what it must be like to be an unranked freak so he wasn't exactly the most sympathetic person when it came to her dating woes.

Yes but it'll be fiiine, her laziness coaxed. You could even call Tahir and have them pick you up in the limo. And tomorrow, Xinder will feed you brunch. You love brunch!

Pre did love brunch.

"Ugh, fine," she said out loud. Pleased with its success, her laziness receded back into her mind.

She pulled out her com. It looked like a smooth stone but made of metal, carved perfectly to fit snugly in her palm. As the DNA recognition triggered, it projected a holo-screen in the air above her fist.

With her other hand, she opened her messages and tapped one out to Tahir. It was easily past midnight at this point but he was on-call 24/7. Even so, she always felt bad when she asked them to pick her up so late at night.

A moment later they responded with a thumbs up memote, meaning they were on their way.

Tired and not wanting to get caught lurking outside of Angeli's place, Pre moved to a bench a couple of blocks away, sending him an updated pickup location.

Now that her laziness was sated, the memories of that night settled in. The regrets.

How long would she have to live like this? A nonexistent person, unworthy of love? When she had seen the match with Angeli, she thought she had a chance. Thought it would be her big break.

But like everything else in her life, it was just a big disappointment.

It's not like she had a great start to life either. She was a Collective kid: an offspring from a match who didn't want offspring and left to the care of the Connext-funded childcare service.

Growing up in the Collective wasn't bad. Connext made sure of that. Every child was minded by a staff of fully-trained, responsible, and respectful minders. She had food, shelter, education, community. It was where she had met Xinder.

The Collective was fine but it wasn't like growing up in luxury or with parents. Connext started you off with a comfortable baseline, then you were sent off to grow your fortune.

Except Pre's fortune never grew. She never got her first ranking. Never moved out of the 15x15 studio apartment that Connext provided to every 18-year-old once they joined the program.

For the past six years, she had been stuck in limbo, staying in her dead-end apartment, toiling at her dead-end job. Every time she got a match, she went out, did the date, maybe got to testing.

But that was it. No rating high enough to warrant a connection.

Her highest rating was 48%. Pre had found that person bland and uninspiring but she would've partnered up with them if only to get a ranking. Being Bronze was far better than being nothing.

Pre was pulled out of her reverie by the sight of a shiny black limo pulling around the corner. She immediately knew it was Xinder's, not just from familiarity but because only Diamonds had actual drivers in their cars. Everyone else had to use the city-mandated, speed-regulated, self-driving electric cars.

"Hey Tahir," she said as he pulled up. He nodded and the back door popped open, releasing the rich smell of leather and a whiff of cool air conditioning.

"Good evening Miss Pre," Tahir said as she got in. With practiced ease, they started up the limo again and navigated them out onto the main street.

"Wish it was," she said, sighing and flopping back on the seat.

"Another disappointing evening, Miss?"

"Yup." It wasn't the first time Pre had spilled her feelings and worries to the placid driver. There was something comforting and therapeutic in speaking to them. Even though Tahir was a ranked Silver, Pre felt like they could empathize with her struggle.

It was certainly more empathy and understanding than she got from Xinder.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Tahir said. "Forgive me for saying so miss but Connext must be a fool program. Anyone with half a brain could see that you are a vibrant, intelligent young woman. You'd think that something as smart as the Connext algorithm could see that and find someone suitable for you."

Pre turned her face so Tahir couldn't see the tears roll down her cheeks.

"Thanks, Tahir. You're the best driver a girl could ask for.

They replied in their infinitely kind voice. "That's the thing, miss. When you learn to love yourself, you'll learn to ask for so much more."