Dark Leather

The next morning they walked together to school, seperating as soon as
they entered the halls. The day went by in relative peace, Ilana did as she was
told, not wanting to anger Celest at the moment. As the day quickly progressed Ilana dreaded
more and more the end of the day when she would have to return with
Celest to her home. But when the time came she went without complaint.

When they arrived at Celest home she told Ilana to make her a
sandwich, having showed her the night before where everything was. Then Celest went
up to her room to change, tonight she had to work but she had to think of how
to keep Ilana out of trouble. By the time Celest came back downstairs and took
her sandwich from Ilana she knew what she would do.

\"I\'m leaving for work now and while I\'m gone you\'ll clean this house, top to
bottom. I\'ve already shown you where everything is, and when I get home tonight
I\'ll be expecting to see a very clean house.\"

Ilana nods her head, then watches as Celest leaves. As soon as the door
shuts she finds the cleaning supplies she\'ll need and gets to work. Not once does
the thought of running away enter her mind.


Celest came home late that night. Work had lasted longer than normal, not
that she minded, the money had been good. While she unlocked the door and
walked in she cursed her father, whom ever he may be, for cursing her with his
looks. Her mother was too pale of complexion to ever of conceived a child that
has hair darker than the darkest night, eyes like onyx and skin the color of burnt
toast.

When she\'d walked through the club to go home after work a couple had blocked her
way and started saying all kinds of cruel things about the way she looked. Being
darker than they were. It had taken Roger and a handful of security men to take
them away, but their words still stung.

She had had to endure people like that throughout her life, and it didn\'t
matter how many times it happened it still stung, still hurt. Some days she
wished she were more light colored like her mother, or plain like Ilana. Ilana had
fair skin and brown hair, her eyes were a dull hazel, even that she would of been
satisfied with. The way she looks stands out in a crowd.

If only people knew the real truth about the mother and daughter living in
the perfect suburban neighborhood in the perfect white house. Even the way the
house is decorated is normal. Everything in earthy tones. She walks
into the house, into the front entrance, or small foyar, shutting and locking the
door behind her. She had decorated the place in a way as too give off the vibes
of normalcy, for the times when Michelle had come over.

Though there is nothing normal about her life. Her mother has been drugged
up since she could remember, it is a wonder she even remember her own
name. She herself looks as if she is a stow away, a dark little child living in a
white woman\'s house. She\'s been supporting the household most of her life,
doing odd little jobs here and there, even lying about her age. Her mother had
been unable to hold a job the last six years, and any money she did happen to get
ahold of went to her habits. How do you make something like that normal?

A noise to the side interrupts her thoughts and she turns to see Ilana
putting the broom and mop into the cleaning closet. Celest turns back to the
room and really looks at it, she\'s suprised to find that everything is indeed clean,
very clean. She walks around the living room adjoining the small foyar, then into
the kitchen and bathroom downstairs. The real test is when she walked up
stairs. All three bedrooms, and the bathroom, are clean, spotless.
Back downstairs she goes over to where Ilana stands, looking tired and
worn out, and gives her an approving smile.

\"You did good, very good.\"

She motions her into the kitchen and has her make two sanwiches while
she gets out some chips. When Ilana brings the finished sandwiches to the table
Celest has her sit down at the table. Ilana obeys, though a little afraid after what
had happened the night before.

\"Tomorrow night I want you to do the same, it\'ll be your job to keep the
house clean.\"

Ilana doesn\'t say much, just eats her sandwich, enjoying the fact that
she\'s able to eat. She hadn\'t been able to eat anything for over a day. She hadn\'t
dared eat anything at school earlier, again not wanting to anger Celest.

That night, like the night before, Ilana slept on the floor next to Celest\'s
bed, her night was filled with nightmares and other unpleasent things. The week
went the same as the first two days. They went to school, then after school Celest
would eat a little then leave for work. Ilana would clean while she was gone,
when Celest came back after work they\'d eat a little something then go to bed.
But then Friday came around with some very bad news for Ilana.

Ilana had went to join her group as normal but they had turned their backs
to her, ignoring the fact that she was even there at all, all except for Andrew.

\"What\'s going on, Andrew?\"

She had asked him carefully.

\"Christine called everyone up last night and they decided that she is their
new leader and you are no longer a part of the group.\"

Ilana had sighed and looked down at the foor.

\"Ilana, I didn\'t agree with her, we\'re both outcasts now. I couldn\'t just
stand by and watch as my friend was hurt.\"

Their had been tears in her eyes when she looked up at him, she hadn\'t been
sure what to think, or do.

\"Thank you, but I\'m not worth it, I guess it is better this way...\"

She had walked off and spent the rest of the day alone. When school was
over her and Celest had gone to her home to get a few things. There they
encountered Ilana\'s parents, who had breezed by them, not paying them any
attention. Neither of them had asked how she had been doing, or who her friend
was. Ilana hadn\'t taken long, just grabbed a few things then left.

All that night while she cleaned she fought against the tears, trying to keep
herself from crying. Not only because she knew Celest wouldn\'t like it, but
because she didn\'t want to be that weak. She should fight for her place back in
the group, but what would be the purpose? It would get her about as far as
fighting with Celest would.

She went through the motions of the evening in a daze, Celest noticed it
but left her alone with her thoughts, understanding that she needed it.

****


Celest was almost to the point of sweet, oblivious, sleep when Ilana
started crying and woke her, though groggily. Celest moved to the edge of the
bed and brought her arm down, putting her hand over Ilana\'s mouth and nose
and holding it down with enough force to hurt. She watched her through half
opened eyes as she struggled a little, the crying stopped completely, forgotten in
the moment. Finally she moves her hand away and Ilana takes deep breaths, staring at
her with wide eyes.

\"I thought I told you I don\'t like crying, the next time I hear you cry you
won\'t get off so easily.\"

With her eyes adjusted to the dark she can see Ilana\'s head nod. She
hated crying with a passion, had refused her whole life to give in and cry. Her
hatred of it steemed from the fact that her earliest memories were of her mother
crying, drunk or doped up on drugs. She had lain on the floor cursing her father,
whom she had never met, cursing her life, and cursing her own child. She had
been barely three but it had been burned into her mind, she would never forget.
Because of that she had come to hate crying, hate tears.

When she thought about it, though, she couldn\'t blame Ilana. Her own
parents hadn\'t even noticed the days that she had been gone, nor had they cared
when they had gone by the day before. Celest knows that today she had been told by her group
that she was no longer one of \'them\'. In a way they were much alike. Cursing
softly she moves back, taking the blanket with her.

\"Come on, bring your blanket and come on the bed.\"

She orders and Ilana slowly rises, the blanket clutched close. The least
she could do was allow her to sleep on the bed, if only for tonight. She had to be
careful that a small act of kindness would be taken as weakness and exploited.
Cautiously Ilana climbs on the bed and lays down, her eyes are as wide as an
owls. Celest lays her head down next to Ilana\'s and smiles.

\"I don\'t bite, promise.\"

She chuckles and lays a hand across Ilana\'s waist. Ilana didn\'t feel even
a little safe, especially after Celest had almost killed her. It doesn\'t take long for
her to fall asleep, as tired as she is both mentally and physically. Everyone
hated her now and she wished more than anything that things were back like they
use to be.

Celest wakes early the next morning, it is Saturday and she had no
obligations. Which was why she thought it odd she was awake so early when
normally she sleeps in well into the afternoon. When she finally becomes aware
that Ilana is curled up against her, arms hugging her close, she realizes why she
had awaken early. She isn\'t use to having someone else in the bed with her.

Turning her head to look at Ilana she smiles softly, Ilana looked like a little
angel when she sleeps. The way her hair draped across her back and small strands
fell against her face, accenting her more angular shaped face, her lips seemed
more full when she was relaxed. Celest moves the strands of hair from her face,
giving herself a better view of her face, and in the process waking Ilana who
groggily opens her eyes and looks up.

\"Morning.\"

Ilana smiles half heartedly, a little scared to do anything. She is most
certainly scared that she\'s so close to Celest who\'s hand is now moving along
her back as she moves even closer to her. Celest moves her head so that she\'s
inches from Ilana\'s and before the other can do anything she kisses her, softly at
first. Celest\'s hand is still at her back, her kiss deepens as her hand moves back up to
rest on her shoulder. Celest kisses her jaw, then down her neck, her hand
moves the top of her shirt around so that she can kiss her shoulder.

Ilana isn\'t sure what to do, isn\'t sure if she can stop it, or if she wants to.
Everything is so new to her anymore that she\'s not certain of anything, except that
she won\'t stop Celest, won\'t say no. Because in a way it feels good to be touched.
Celest moves her lips back to Ilana\'s, as she does so she moves on top of Ilana,
her hands going to move her shirt up to expose her stomach.

Celest moves down and kisses her stomach, tracing her bellybutton with
her tongue, then kisses upward, moving the shirt as she goes. When the shirt is
up far enough to expose her breasts Celest pulls it all the way off and kisses
each breast in turn. By now Ilana\'s breathing has become labored, her hands
grasp at the blanket under her.

Suddenly the phone rings and Celest collapses against Ilana, eyes closed.

\"Damn phone!\"

She sighs and gets up, plucking the phone from it\'s hook none too gently.
She has her own private line that only Peter and Roger know the number to, so
she know\'s that whom ever it is it\'s important, but that doesn\'t mean she\'s happy
about it.

\"Hello?\"

\"You sound unhappy, did I interrupt something?\"

It was Peter, and if he was calling their is a job to do, something she
isn\'t likely to turn down. She glances over at Ilana who is covering herself
with the blanket, then back to the phone.

\"Yes, but what do you need? A job?\"

He chuckles, \"Yes, a job, and I am sorry about the interruption, but I
thought you\'d be interested in this one.\"

\"That\'s all right, their is always tomorrow, right? Usual place?\"

\"Yes.\"

\"If you could, call back ten minutes after you hang up, let it ring twice and
then hang up. That way it\'ll give me some leeway to get dressed and ready to go
and make sure I don\'t loose track of time.\"

\"Seems I really did interrupt something. Al lright, I\'ll call you back ten
minutes after I hang up, let it ring twice, and hang up.\"

\"Thanks.\" She can hear him laugh in the background as he hangs up the
phone. She turns around and moves back over to Ilana, carefully pulling the
blanket back, Ilana watches her but doesn\'t move. When the blanket is
completely gone Celest moves down and pulls her shorts off, leaving her
completely naked on the bed. Celest stands up at the side of the bed and looks
down at Ilana then leans over and kisses her lips softly, when she moves back
she offers her a hand up, which Ilana takes without question.

\"We need to get dressed, I\'ve got a job to do and I want you to come with
me, I want you to see some of what I do for a living.\"

She takes Ilana\'s hand and leads her over to the closet and starts going
through her cloths. After a few tries she hands Ilana some cloths to wear and
finds some for herself.

\"Put it on, go ahead. We\'re close enough to the same size that you\'ll be
able to wear my cloths just fine.\"

Celest quckly pulls on a bra supporting a form fitting, a short sleeved, white
shirt that has the picture of a tropical paradise on the front and a dark pair of
jeans, sneaker\'s to follow. Ilana is a little slower putting on her cloths, an almost
match to Celest\'s, only her shirt is bright red with \'no one\'s babe\' written on it in
gold lettering. Celest combs through her hair quick, pulling it back in a ponytail,
then brushes Ilana\'s, though she leaves her\'s down. About then the phone comes
to life, ringing twice then stops.

\"Looks like our time is up.\"

She grabs two sweater\'s from the bottom draw of her dresser, both of
them are a dark grey, then leaves the room. Ilana followes closely behind her. It
is barely eight in the morning and Celest felt it when she opened the door to
leave. She has Ilana grab a jacket for them before she comes out, it was just too
cold at the moment for them to go as they are. It is slowly becoming winter,
October had slipped into November and even that is heading towards
December far too quckly. They\'d been lucky so far this year, last winter there had
been snow covering the ground the first week of November. Weather has always
been one thing that is unpredictable.

They walked a block before hailing a taxi, then Celest had the taxi drop
them off a block away from where she is suppose to meet Peter, always cautious,
always careful. It\'s been awhile since she\'s done something and not worried
about back tracking and watching for anyone who might be following her. At her
age it seems all wrong.

When they arrive at the appointed meeting place Peter is al lready there.
He seems a little suprised to see Ilana with her but doesn\'t comment much.
\"Morning, ladies.\"

\"Morning, Peter. I\'d like you to meet Ilana, Ilana this is Peter.\"

Peter steps forward and shakes Ilana\'s hand. When he releases her hand
she shrinks back, behind Celest.