What Keeps Our Hearts Beating

Chapter 18

Midnight struck and Raiph couldn't sleep. He instead walked over to Ming, shaking him awake.

"Raiph, what the hell? What time is it?"

Raiph couldn't breathe, feeling like he would hyperventilate.

"I know you've been working with Lacey to help Brasen."

"That's a lie!" Ming sat up quickly, hitting his head against the bed post. "Ow," he rubbed his head. "Damn it Raiph. This will leave a bump for the dance tomorrow."

"Don't try to change the subject, Ming. Lacey's the one who told me"

Ming kept rubbing his head and then held his hands up in surrender. "So sue me, Raiph. You're the one all up Weber's ass we couldn't confide in you."

"I thought you were my friend, Ming!" Raiph threw his friend off the bed, landing in a pile of blankets.

Ming rolled out of Raiph's path and angrily tossed a pillow at Raiph's head.

"Well, Brasen was my friend too."

Raiph stood up and Ming grabbed two more pillows off Raiph's bed and held them up threateningly. "I have more of these and I'm not afraid to use them."

Raiph stared at how ridiculous Ming looked and tried to stifle his laughter. "I'm so afraid. Killer pillows."

Ming stared at the pillows and laughed. "Hey, I'm resourceful. What can I say?"

Raiph held his hand out to his friend. "Truce."

Ming dropped one of the pillows and cautiously held his hand out. "Truce... Now why the hell did you interrupt my beauty sleep?"

Raiph walked over to the large brick fireplace and bent down, striking a match to light the kindling beneath a log in the fireplace, the cinders burning and flickering as the flame ignited.

"Something happened today in the lab," he said, his voice cracking as smoke blew up the _ through the chimney. "It was bad, Ming. I can't even explain it. I fear everything I have known may have been a lie."

Ming nodded, "I know the feeling. What I've seen from the surveillance footage is messed up." He paused. "You know it is too."

He turned to face Ming as the fire crackled behind him, the wood feeding the flames though Raiph felt cold as ice. "I need to see something," he replied brusquely, clinging to his hands nervously like he was about to take a math test. "I need to see footage of that room today. I think there is something Brasen wants me to see."

Ming nodded in understanding. "We set-up that feed and it is stored on my secure database. We have to go to the linen room to see it."

Raiph nodded, the horizon appearing farther and farther away as he gazed out the window. "It was no good living in a dream," he thought somberly.

He grabbed his reading glasses off his nightstand. "Show me."

***

Sandra was dreaming of winning the competition, the trophy in her hands when she was jostled awake, a hand muffling her cry.

She bit onto his finger and heard Raiph curse in the darkness.

"Raiph," she whispered harshly. "You'd better have a good reason for waking me up at..." she stared at her watch..."Midnight! I am going to kill you."

He shushed her, his finger against his lip to soothe where she bit him. "I don't have time to explain and don't want to wake up the others."

His gaze went longingly toward Lacey. Sandra had guessed, rather hoped, Lacey's annoying somber mood that evening suggested her and Raiph had broken up. She hoped it was finally official. Raiph was too good for that two faced princess.

"I guess it's off between you two."

He nodded, removing his glasses and his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose like he was having a migraine.

"Are you alright?" she asked, sitting up and adjusting her bra strap, not used to having a boy on her bed at midnight.

"No," he replied harshly, and then stared off into space. "Sandra, I want to go to the dance with you."

Sandra stared at him like she was hearing things. "OK, I think you are sleep walking or talking or something, but no. I am not going to ditch Ming the day before because you and Miss Princess had a fight..."

"Ming is on board."

Sandra clasped her hands in silent hooray that she could go with the better looking of the two boys, but something just wasn't settling right with her stomach, and she doubted it was from the mystery mashed potatoes she had for dinner. "What the hell is going on Raiph?"

"I can't tell you right now. Not till I know more. But I need you to adjust the costume for me. To fit me, not Ming."

Sandra's elation of her new date was short lived when she realized what he wanted her to do. "You are like 2 sizes taller than Ming. It will take me all night to correct the costume."

"Thanks Sandra," he said with a smile. "I'll do your math homework for a week."

She lit the candle next to her sewing kit, grabbing the bear costume off the table. "Two weeks. And Raiph, you'd better tell me what the hell is really going on and it better be good or else I am going to suffocate you with this bear's head tomorrow night."

"I promise," he said, staring at his hands that were nervously clasped together like in prayer. The lone candle flickering next to Sandra made her stomach cringe as his jet blue eyes stared dead-set back at her. "But be careful what you wish for."