SOLVED. 1980s or 90s YA Sci-Fi book about a group of friends who play a virtual reality game and end up on another planet. [s]

[Dave]

Hey folks, been looking for YEARS for this book. Narrated first person, main character is a girl. They live in something of a ghetto, and they have to find bits and pieces of things to turn their home into somewhere they can survive. I remember there being an old stained mattress that they found, for instance. Somehow they get invited to play a VR type of game, The simulations happened inside of pods of some kind, they would go to sleep and wake up in the simulation. And if they got hurt, I think it would either shut off the simulation or they would be fine when the simulation ended. Either way they didn't take pain too seriously. They realized that they were no longer in a simulation and actually on the planet when they stuck their hand in something, like poisoned water or getting burned or something, and it hurt them and they couldn't stop the simulation. But they were suspecting that this time was a little different before that happened, that was just the thing that made them know they were in reality instead of virtual reality. Everyone had a role to play, like someone was a healer and someone was a builder, maybe, or some sort of engineering and creating. And the narrator wondered what her role was.

Any help you can give would be absolutely great. Thanks!

[Cupcakedoll]

[Dave]

THAT'S IT!!!! ❤️❤️❤️