Part 7 Harper

I place my hand to my heart as I finally come to a stop in the Machine Shop. my chest rises and falls as I struggle to catch my breath.

What the hell happened last night? I asked myself as I pushed off the wall and made my way shakily to the mini-fridge I kept stocked with Sparky's.

Taking one out I drain it as soon as the top is popped, tossing it to the floor once it's empty.

As I'm reaching for another can, Rommie's angry looking face appears on the screen next to me.

"What the hell were you doing in Trance's quarter's last night Harper?" she demanded as I took hold of the next victim … er … can.

"I wish I knew Rom-Doll, but I can't remember a thing from last night. All I remember is Trance dragging me onto the dance floor, everything after that is a blur. Try as I might, I can't remember a damn thing," I explain as I took a smaller sip, only draining about a third this time.

She seems to visible calm, could that be jealousy that I'm sensing from the AI?

"Well, my avatar is talking to Trance right now, trying to get what happened out of her."

"How is Trance? She's not mad at me for bolting is she?" I anxiously ask, I don't want her to be mad at me. She is my best friend after all.

"As far as I know, she's fine. A little confused about you bolting, but aside from that … she's ok," Rommie replied as she walked through the door.

"Harper, what do you remember from last night?" she interrogated me as soon as the door closed behind her.

"Nothing, after Trance drug me onto the dance floor I can't remember a thing. Not until waking up this morning and finding Trance … um … next to me," I said hesitantly, knowing that if I said what really happened it would make Rommie angry again.

To be truthful, even this slight omission angered her, I watched as her eyes hardened for a brief moment, but then they softened again and was replaced by a curious look.

"Harper?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said as I finished off my second can and threw it onto the pile of can's I affectionately called 'Mount Sparky'.

"Why don't you have a hangover, Tyr was crawling across his floor this morning and Beka had to take some pills, even Trance is hung-over."

"Well Rom-Doll, that's simple, I don't get them. My body handles the alcohol differently, must be from growing up in the slums or something. I've never really understood it, but it has helped me win a lot of money over the years."

"I'd imagine so," she said with a disgusted look. Well, since you're the only one sober enough, I'll tell you. Dylan had to leave during the party; he'll be gone for a few weeks, that's all I know."

"So that means that Beka is in charge. Have you told her yet?"

"No, she's still recovering from the shock of finding you and Trance in …" she seemed to have trouble getting the last part out, but she finally managed, "bed."

"Beka … saw … us?" I said in absolute fear. My life was now officially over, Beka would make sure that neither Trance nor I would forget this, of course that's if she ever got over the shock first.

"Where's Trance?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"In her quarter's, she's still a little hung-over." The AI said from the screen.

"Thanks Rommie, I'll grab some hangover pills, she and I need to talk," I say as I run from the Machine Shop, not even hearing her tell me to wait.