A/N: Hello there! This is my first attempt at writing fiction... Review if ya like! :D

Disclamier: I don't own InuYasha...just my character(s).

This...is a long one. :D

Rain

Its always raining at this damn place. I can never catch a break, I think inwardly, listening to the sound of the rain as it pounds over my umbrella and hits the cracked pavement below me.

I'm a chauffeur. Well, I'm the person who holds the huge umbrella for the wealthy people who stay at the prestigious hotel I work for…Okay, I'm more like an umbrella-girl than a chauffeur. But I like the sound of Chauffeur better, it makes me sound more important.

I'm supposed to be waiting on a guest of very great magnitude to arrive to the hotel. The unrelenting rain shows no mercy toward me while I wait. I've been standing here for about thirty minutes waiting for this "It person" to show up. I'm soaking wet, shivering and I. Have. Had. It. For such a prestigious hotel, how come they couldn't make a gazebo or something so I won't have to stand here like an idiot holding an umbrella?

Oh screw this, I contemplate, If this fool doesn't show up in two more minutes, I…My thoughts were left unfinished.

A white limousine pulls around the elegant driveway which is pretty big in size.

"Took 'em long enough." I mumble brooding over the limousine. " Well, time to work." I think aloud to myself, and plaster on a forged smile. They don't pay me enough for this. I rehearse my lines in my head as the limousine nears. Hello! Welcome to Celestial heights! I hope you enjoy your stay here as much as I do. That's a lie. I don't even stay here.

The limo pulls up to were I am standing.

My hand tightens on the handle. I always get edgy every time someone pulls up. The rain has dwindled to a light mist, but I am unyielding to loosen the grip on the umbrella. We're near the end of October, and it's raining.

Hello! Welcome to..

A real chauffeur steps out of the driver's seat and walks around the car to open the door that the "special person" is sitting behind.

..Celestial heights!

The chauffeur opens the door, bows deeply and mumbles something to the person who I cannot see.

I suck in a swig of cool air through my teeth, let it out, and step over to the limousine to recite my well rehearsed lines to the guest. With a quick bow, I start my speech.

"Hello! Welcome to Celestial Heights! I hope you enjoy your stay here as much as I do. Please, Let me show you to the door." With that said, I thrust the umbrella at the car door. Almost forgot I had it. They really don't pay me enough for this.

I have seen my share of ugly people since I'm usually the one helping them to the door. It's hard to miss 'em. Once you see one, your like Whoa. For the life of me I can't stop staring at them. Occasionally the men who stay at the inn are bald, have too big noses or no front teeth. women have huge eyes, no eye brows or both. Sometimes, I have to stop myself form laughing out loud at the un-deservering old folk that usually come to stay here.

On rare occasion, there are usually some young business people that stay here as well. But that's rare. A few of the men are quite handsome and a couple of the women are beautiful.

I remember this one guy that stepped out of his limo looking like a sex god in a tuxedo. The man was hot. He had shoulder length black, silky hair, a pale perfect face and dangerous but appealing dark blue eyes.

I couldn't say anything for about ten seconds since I was eye ogling the man. I don't think he noticed because he was on his cellular the whole time, so he didn't catch me looking at him. Whenever I'm around people like that, I get nervous. I cant look 'em straight in the eye. I don't know what's wrong with me. It's like I'm unworthy to met their gaze. Just to put it bluntly, I'm a tad bit shy. Just because I hold an umbrella, it doesn't mean that I converse with anybody who is underneath it. I do what I gotta do and then get the hell out of there.

After that encounter, there hasn't been even one good looking man who has graced my eyes or stood under my umbrella.

Until now that is.

So here I am, expecting the old or the ugly when all my assumptions were proven wrong at once.

He wasn't old.

He sure as hell wasn't ugly.

The "special man" that I've been waiting thirty minutes for that rose up under my umbrella was drop dead gorgeous.

Just like the last time, I'm ogling the man. But he wasn't the guy from last time. I couldn't speak, but it didn't last long.

The first thing I noticed about him was his hair. Silver locks tumbled around his broad suit covered shoulders. And I thought my hair was strange (We'll get to that later). My eyes quickly made their way to his face, which I nearly gasped at.

Gorgeous isn't the word fit him. Hell, I couldn't think of one word when it came to him.

I quickly cast my eyes down before he sees me drooling over him, and smile nervously as he comes to stand under my umbrella. My heart hammered in my chest, and my grip tightened once again on the umbrella handle.

I must have been standing there for longer than need be, because I could feel his eyes on me, as if waiting for something. Those golden, demanding eyes…..

"Proceed." He more or less demanded. His voice smooth and sensual, yet it had a cold edge to it.

I jumped a little, and mentally slapped myself.

'Stupid Kissa, stupid…'

"Right away sir." I gave a small bow. " This way please."

I quickly turned and lead him to the elegantly carved double doors, mentally kicking myself the whole way. Nearing our destination, I paused and swiftly pulled one of the double doors open and bowed deeply, well I bowed as deep as the umbrella would allow, which wasn't much.

"Please, enjoy your stay." I chimed, looking up to meet his golden eyes, didn't like what I saw there, so I looked straight ahead, that nervous smile made its way back to my lips.

'Why he gotta look at a sista like that?' I thought to myself , feeling his gaze as he scrutinize me, and made me wiggle uncomfortably. A frown made it's way to my face.

' Step through the door…. Come on!'

"Girl."

Surprised, I looked up to him, looking at his perfect nose rather than his eyes.

"Yes sir?" I answered

'What the hell I do!'

With his eyes still intensely staring down at me he asked, err, commanded, " Tell me your name."

'oh.'

" Kissa sir." I replied.

With a 'hn' he walked through the door and to the awaiting personnel that meet him in the lobby.

I watched him walk away, as I held open the door for the suitcases that the chauffeur rolled in on one of those rolling carts.

"That was unexpected." I mumble to myself, letting the glass door swing and close itself.

With my shift over, and it still raining cats and dogs, I gave a small 'whoop' and hopped, skipped, and hummed to myself as I made my way to the designated apartments for the employees of the hotel. Yes, the hotel is that big. But hey, I wasn't complaining. Just about everything was free, didn't have to pay for rent, thank God, Neither did you have to pay for food, cause there's a huge cafeteria where we all eat.

I let down my umbrella and made my way through the double doors, greeting the attendant at the front desk. I trudged up the stairs and made a right, walked a couple of doors down, and bam, I was at my room. I dig through my pocket and pull out my keys. I continue to hum to myself as I unlock the door and push it open . I revile in the silence for a moment and walked to my bed, after closing the door and shucking off my bright yellow raincoat. I sighed as I fell into my bed somewhat releasing the stress that crawled up my shoulders. I slowly sat up and pushed myself off the bed, all the while untying the bandanna that kept my hair from getting drenched.

I made my way to the bathroom mirror, watching as my purple locks fell free from restrictions. I was average height, about five four, and my skin is of a light brown color. My mom is Caucasian while my dad is African American. Oh, I know I'm adopted, I'm just waiting for my so called parents to bring it up. My eyes are large and dark brown, for now, and my lips are slim and pouted. I sighed to myself as I ran my hand through my unruly shoulder length hair. It's hard smiling all the time when you have a permenate frown on your face. I sighed for the ump-teenth time as I prepared to take out my colored contacts. I absolutely hated touching my own eye, but it had to be done to keep my little secret. With that done, I rubbed my eyes and refocused them on my reflection.

A girl with ruby red eyes started back at me.

Like I said, I don't know where the heck I got the eyes from. I know I didn't get them from my mom's side. And I'm sure I didn't get from dad either. I've tried everything to at least make my hair look normal, but the hair dye just won't take to it. I've tried a dozen times. So, the least I could do is hide my eyes from others who may ridicule me. I don't take criticism very well.

Lucky, I didn't have to hide it all from the present workers who also live here in the dorms. I'll leave my hair out for all to see, but re-apply my contacts before I leave out my dorm and into some other area. A couple people have come up to me and asked me where I purchased my hair dye, and I'd tell them that I to order it off the internet site that I'd forgotten the name of. There's nothing wrong with a little white lie.

I turned from the mirror, and skipped to my closet, humming that same tune that refused to get out of my head. I slid open the door and looked into my small closet. I stood there for a second, hands on my hips, a second later I finally decide to pull out a worn out pair of jeans and plain black T-shirt. I laid that on the bed, and plucked out some undergarments and a bra from a small dresser right beside the closet. I sauntered back to the bathroom. Over the toilet is where I keep my towels and soap and stuff. I grabbed my trusty loffah and my favorite body wash and turned on the shower. I adjusted the temperature of water, then slowly stepped in. As I cleansed myself of today's filth, I started to sing the song I had in my head all day, the song I just recently learned.

Oh, and one more thing before I forget. I recently found out that I'm a very talented singer. Only a couple of people know about it, and that's when I myself found out too. We where holding another one of our weekly slumber parties and we burst out in a random song while painting each other's fingernails. When I sung, I got lost in the harmony of my own voice and I swear by all that is holy the melody I sung to in my head could be heard through out the room, no radio required. And that's exactly what happened.

Freaky? I know. I sometimes doubt that I'm even human because of what I can do and what I look like. I mean, just think, weird hair, wrong colored eyes, and a voice to kill for. But then again, being the optimistic person I am, I know I can't be the only one, right? Some nights I'll stay up in my small bed and just let my mind contemplate on who I am, and my it will always come to that conclusion that I was never human. That I was a…demon. I'd scoff at myself and roll my eyes. Demons don't exist. I'd rather think of myself as a fallen Angel. Yeah, that sounds better.

I can sing anything from English to Asian. I like's variety. But to keep myself out of a mess of trouble and public bewilderment, I rarely sing. I haven't done so after that first incident. But, being in the privacy of my own bathroom, I guess a little song wouldn't hurt.

So when I sing in the shower it's like I can hear every pitch, and strum of the instruments in whatever song I'm singing at the time as clear as I can see day. It's kinda cool.

"Kimi ga tabidatsu hi wa," I started, warming myself up.

Itsumo to onaji 'jaane' to te wo futta

"Marude ashita no mata" I closed my eyes, and swayed slowly back and forth, losing myself in the song.

Kono machi de au mitai ni

Ai woo shinjiru no wa

Jibun ni mo makenai koto

Yume ga kanau hi made

"Egao no mama hoshi wo mite inori sasage koko ni iru kara," the music flows from me, and glides around my skin like a tender caress. I can't see it when it happens, but I can feel it. My aura pulses and changes with every pitch in my voice.

Watashi wa kimi no tote no sora de itai

My voice rose to match the passion of the instrumental,

"Kanashimi made mo tasutsumi konde

Itsudemo miageru toki wa hitori janai to

Tooku de omoeru you ni

Kaeru basho-"

"Kissa! Come on girl! It's time to eat!" Callie, one of my best friends hollered on the other side of the door.

My eyes snap open, and I promptly stop singing. As the melody dies around me and the aura seeps back from within, I turn off the now cold shower and hop out to dry.

"I'm coming!" I hollered back, wiping away as many droplets of water as possible before stumbling in to my bed to put on the fresh clothes I'd pulled out earlier. I speed walk back to the bathroom where I re-administer my brown contacts. I quickly pull my still wet hair back in a sloppy ponytail, and join Callie in the hallway. I grin when I see her.

"What's uppers girly?" I say, giving her a fleeting hug.

"You know, same old shit, just a different day." She replied, linking arms with me and heading to our next destination.

She's about the same height as me, but unlike me she has creamy skin and a sprinkle of freckles that decorate the bridge of her nose. Her hair is black and thick with curls, and her eyes are grey. She's a little on the chubby side, but that doesn't deter her from getting what she wants, or making herself look good. She's wearing her Tinkerbell pajama pants and a black shirt that says, 'WTF you looking at?' written across the front in crude letters.

A couple of doors down from my room is my other bestie, Anais. We stopped, and banged on her door before letting ourselves in. Her room is the same as mine, but unlike me, her plain walls are decorated with pictures of famous singers or actors she ripped from magazines. Anais was currently lying on her stomach on her bed, looking through one of her Hypehair magazines she purchases monthly. She looked up from the current page she was on and gave a smile.

"Hey peoples!" she spoke, raising from her position on the bed.

Anais is dark skinned, and had dark brown eyes. She had an hourglass shape and just loved to show it off. She never once dwelled on the same hairstyle. Oh no, she liked to have an array of different styles. Anais was the one who helped me want to reveal my hair to others because hell, she dyed her hair every chance she got. Right now, her hair was flaming red with blonde tracks(extensions) scattered through out her hair. She was dressed in her favorite pair of skinny jeans and a low cut tank top that showed her toned and pierced bellybutton.

"You know what time it is." I said looking down at choice of clothing, and poked at her exposed stomach, " how in the world do you stay that skinny?"

"Girl, what you talking about, I'm fat as hell." she replied, patting her flat stomach. She looked at me, that grin still plastered on her face.

I smacked my lips. " I didn't know weighing one hundred and twenty was the new obese." I reply, shaking my head.

Anais rolled her eyes, " Anyway, your just as skinny as me, but you have more meat on your bones." she said, standing she walked to me and pinched my side.

"Hey!" I yelp, playfully punching her in the arm.

" Come on ya'll, all this talk about being skinny is making me hungry." Callie suggested, rubbing her growling stomach. " Big girls gotta eat."

We all laughed and made our out Anais's room and to the cafeteria. On our way there we gossiped about random things. Anais and Callie worked the same job I did, just different shifts. We talked about the weather and how stupid it's been acting, and some of the people we greet who check in the hotel. Speaking of guest…

"There was this one man that was-" I paused and shook my head.

We made it right on time to the cafeteria. The food is wonderful. It's set up like a buffet: there's two long tables with six different types of foods on both sides. They change them regularly, and have really good specials. Today's was gumbo. Hushpuppies, French fries, and rice where stationed around a huge pot of gumbo. After we loaded our plate, we found our favorite booth and slid in. We all bowed our head and graced our food before digging in.

" What are you talking about?" Callie asked, before stuffing her face full of gumbo and rice.

"What man?" Anais questioned, picking through her leafy salad.

I sighed again after popping a hushpuppy into my awaiting mouth. Mmm, so good.

" He didn't give me a name." I replied, looking to my bewildered friends. " But, strangely enough he asked for mine," I say while shaking my head, "which was kinda odd."

Anais and Callie both raised an eyebrow.

I huffed and continued on. "He reminded me of a Greek god." I closed my eyes , reliving the moment, albeit short, but still. My friends listened intently. It's not everyday that you greet someone that looks that good.

"His hair was silvery white, and his eyes," I stopped and kept my eyes closed, picturing his golden irises.

"Hey!" Callie chirped, batting me on the arm, ruining my daydreaming.

"Come on, finish the picture." chimed Anais.

I opened my eyes and laughed, then continued, " His eyes are like, golden and it was like he could look straight through me." I gave an involuntary shiver. " His hair was silvery white, and he has a face that Michael Jackson would kill for."

Callie laughed while Anais thought out loud, "White hair huh? I've never seen anyone with that color before, must be some new trend."

I spooned some gumbo into my mouth before shaking my head and knotted my black eyebrows. " See, that's the thing, his hair looks as natural as mine." I say, pulling at one of my lavender locks.

" Oh, well he sounds like your type." Callie said.

I gave Callie a look, "I don't have a type."

"You've never had one." Anais coughed. I sent a glare in her direction. Callie snickered.

"Anyway, He looked demanding too." I said, munching on another hushpuppy.

"What do mean by that?" Anais asked.

I took a sip of my Sprite. " Well you know, smooth baritone voice, piercing gaze, " I count the points on my fingers , " powerful aura, it all kinda screams 'OBEY ME!' don't ya think?"

" Girl, if he looks the way you described him, I'll obey him any day." Anais said, a dreamy look on her face.

I laughed and rolled my eyes, "Good luck with that. I don't think we'll see him anytime soon, unless we're on maid duty next week," I snorted, " which I highly doubt."

"That reminds me," Callie said, looking over her shoulder, "lets go check out the board."

The board was the huge stick pin wall that all us employee's names on multi-colored paper. At the end of the week, we'd check it out to see where our supervisor's stationed us for next week. They hired me as a chauffeur, but maybe the week after that I'd be a maid or a desk clerk….but usually I'm a maid. The board also has flyers for activities the staff members can participate in just to make living here a little bit more entertaining.

After disposing our empty plates, we wander over to the board and pick out our names. I scan for my name and oh, lookie here, Maid. I sighed inwardly and followed the dots over to the room number.

Kissa Holyfield- Maid….. Room # 305 10th floor, Suite.

Start Time: 7:00 A.M… End Time: 8:15 A.M

' Wonderful.' I thought blandly. I looked over to my bestie's, eyebrow raised, " What ya got?"

" Cafeteria worker." Callie grumbled.

"Garbage Disposal?" Anais shrieked, nearly scaring me out my skin.

" Oh Hell no, they got the wrong one!" Anais practically shouted at the paper.

Callie slid away from the distraught female and took an interest in a plastic tree on the other side of the board, while I let my hand slowly slide my face, rolled my eyes toward the ceiling, and gave an exaggerated sigh. Not again.

"Anais-" I started but was interrupted.

" I am not about to put on that ugly ass uniform," she demanded to no one, hand one her hip, the other clenched in a fist at her side, " and pick up other peoples trash damnit!"

I grabbed both her shoulders and gave a little shake.

" Go complain to your supervisor, not the whole damn cafeteria!" I told her in a hushed tone, "Everyone's staring." I glance over my shoulder and watched as people stopped what they where doing to gaze in our direction.

I gave a cheesy smile and grabbed a fuming Anais and rushed out of the cafeteria. A couple minute's later Callie ambled away from her plant and caught up to me in the hallway.

When we arrived to my room, Anais threw herself on my bed and started to bawl like the overly dramatic drama queen she is. I glanced at Callie, who looked back at me and shrugged.

I walk over to my bed and plop down beside Anais and starting rubbing her back in small circles. " Come on Anais, It's only for a week."

All the while Callie is shifting through my CD's, trying to find a song that'll pump her up. This happens at least two day's a week.

" I don't care if it was for a day! I'm not doing it!" she shouted through my pillow.

I stopped rubbing her back and stood up and crossed my arms and narrowed my scarlet eyes at her thin form. " Fine. Get fired over something this stupid. I don't care anymore."

"I'm not gonna get fired!" she shouted again into my pillow, kicking her legs in the air.

" Well, act like an adult and calm yo skinny ass down." I laughed, "your acting like a spoiled brat."

She quickly sat up in mock horror. " I am not a spoiled brat."

" Whatever you say." I reply, and joined Callie while she tried to pick a song from the Album she choose.

"Let's do this one." I said, pointing to number five, which was called Contagious.

Callie looked at me and rolled her eyes. "Do we have to do this one? We do this one every other day!"

I put the CD in my Radio and skipped to number five. I looked back to Callie and said, " Oh, like you don't like it." I laughed and added, " You should've never picked out because you knew what song we where going to."

Callie gave a look of indifference while Anais sat on my bed, confused. Just as she was about to ask what were we talking about, I pushed the play button and realization hit her. Before the singing could start, I paused it, looking to my best friends with a huge grin on my face.

" Who's playin' who?" I ask them, and they began talking at once.

Why sing to an song when you can act it out?

Callie raised her hand like she was still in high school. " I'm Kelly in this one!"

" Okay, I'll be mister Biggs." I say, retying my messy hair into a neater ponytail.

"Why am I always the woman?" Anais asked, shoving her arms across her chest, job placement obviously forgotten.

"Because you wait to late to call another person." Callie said, walking over to the bed. "Now lay your skinny butt on the bed."

Anais glared at her, but complied. As she made her way to the other half of my bed, she mumbled, "This would be a lot less awkward if we had an actual man instead of you."

" Don't worry Hun, I don't swing that way." Callie said as she threw her arm around Anais tiny waist, pulling her closer. " And you should know this after how many times we've done this."

"Anyway!" I interrupted, "lets do this thang!" With a laugh, I push play and step out my room. We let the song drone on so it can get to the good part. As soon as I hear the creaking noise coming from my radio, I know it's time to enter.

I open the door slowly, trying to keep my face serious. I eye the bed and in mock out rage and lip-sing, "What the hell is goin' on between sheets in my home?"

Anais has a shocked expression on her face as she and Callie sit up with the sheets wrapped around both of them. She looks to me with sorrow in her eyes and says, "Baby, wait let me explain before you start to point your cane."

I stand in one spot, my fist clenching and unclenching.

" Girl, I'm about to have a fit."

Callie, barely containing a smile, shakes her head and lip sings, "Oh, it's about to be some shit." She opens her eyes and rolls them to the ceiling and then says, "How did I get into this?" she then looked at Anais in disgust, " Should've never came home with this bitch."

Anais narrowed her eyes at her.

I point a quivering finger at Anais. "You low down dirty woman, go back to where you come from."

She gives me a desperate look and pleads, " But baby wait-"

"But wait my ass." I snap, and point to the door, "Hit the streets your ass is grass."

Callie snickered, before singing, "Now Mr. Biggs before ya done-"

My eyes snapped to her, "Wait, how you know my name son?"

Anais quickly crawled out the bed and came to stand in front of me, " Honey wait I was gonna tell you."

My eyes stayed on Callie, who doing her best to control herself from laughing out loud.

I pretend to push Anais out the way, " Move, this cat looks real familiar," I say, still eyeing Callie.

I raise an eyebrow and slowly advance toward my bed. "Now, don't I know you from somewhere a long time ago?"

Callie shakes her head, " No, No I don't think so."

I nod my head and sing, " Yeah, yeah, I feel I know you brother very well."

Callie shakes her head again, "No, No you mistaking me for somebody else."

"Frank!" Anais lip-sings behind me.

I turn around and say, " Shut up! Can't you see two men are talkin'?"

"But-" She starts.

"I thought I told yo ass to get to walkin" I interrupted her, pointed my finger once again to the door. Before I can contain it, I crack a smile. This is hilarious.

I look to both of them before saying, " Now, I think ya'll need to leave this place cause I'm about to catch a case."

With our favorite part over, we let the rest of the song play and I watch as Callie rolls on bed laughing her ass off, while Anais snickering beside me. Before the next song plays I saunter over to my radio and stop the CD and look to my friends, " Well, what to do now?"

Callie sat cross legged on my bed and Anais sat on the edge of it, checking out her electric green painted nails. Callie looks at me and asks, " Did you notice that Karaoke flyer on the board today?"

I shake my head no and walk the short distance to my bed and belly flop down on it.

"Well, It's Karaoke Fright Knight, and they're holding it in the hotel lobby. It said anyone could enter and you could win a whole month stay in the hotel, free of charge."

My eyebrows perked and Anais turned to look Callie in the face. " Everything's free?"

Callie nodded enthusiastically, " Everything. From Massages to Manicures and anything else in between." her eyebrows knotted and she mumbled, "at least that's what the flyer said."

After a moment, Anais cast her attention from her nails to Callie. They looked at each other, like they where having some kind of telepathic conversation, then simultaneously looked at me. My eyes shifted between the two, trying to figure them out, and once I did, I dropped my gaze and blurted, "No."

Both gave an exasperated sigh. Callie threw her hands in the air and asked me, "Why Not?"

Anais shook her head and said, " Com'on Kissa, you could blow those other chicks out the water."

I shook my head and stubbornly replied, " I ain't doing it."

" You don't have to worry about hiding your eyes or anything cause it's taking place on Halloween Night." Callie commented.

I look at her, "Okay, but You know I'm shy. And I don't want people to find out about my…. Well, you know."

"Kissa, it's Karaoke, the music plays by itself." Anais replied.

I narrowed my eyes at her, "Your not helping my situation." I grumbled. "And it doesn't matter cause it'll happen anyway."

Callie shrugged, "The audience might think it's a trick."

I huffed and sat up. "I don't know guys, Can't we just go watch?" I try to compromise with them.

"No Kissa, you have to do something!" Anais argued. " You never really go to any of the events, you don't try to get out there and meet new people." she continued on. when I tried to retaliate, she held up her hand to stop me. "You have never had a boyfriend before, never. You sit in here and do nothing when your off." Anais said. "All we ask of you is to do something at least once to get your heart pumping and your adrenaline rushing." she reached down and grabbed my hand. "Is that too much to ask?"

I was about answer 'yes' but, I thought about it. She was right, I've never participate in any of the events and I'm too shy to even look a guy in the eye. I'm nineteen years old and I'm still going threw issue's I should have gotten over a lonnng time ago. It was about time for a change. I'd just have to be brave enough to do it. I took a deep breathe and let it out. I stared at Anais and said with as much determination I could muster, "I'll do it."

I watched as a grin appeared on her face, and Callie clap her hands in celebration.

"It took you long enough girly." Anais said, quickly hopping up from her position and dragging me from my bed and out my room, Callie following after.

"Where are we going?" I asked, easily keeping up with Anais's small strides.

"Back to the board to sign you up." She replied.

I groaned, an uneasy feeling settling in my stomach.

'I should've never agreed to this.'

Two minutes later we made it to the board and scanned for the sign up sheet, well they did. I on the other hand stood there and let them do all the work.

"Ah-ha!" Callie said triumphantly. She found it.

'Damn'

She handed me a pen attached to some string. I took it and glowered at her before looking at the list.

I made a face at all the name on the sign up sheet. I gripped the pen in my right hand and looked at my friends. Anais looked at me expectantly and Callie said, "Well?"

I grimaced but turned around and signed my name on number 22. I dropped the pen where it swung from the string and turned back to them. "There." I said, hands on my hips.

'I can not believe I'm doing this.'

Anais, giddy once again, grabbed me and pulled me back down the hallway, this time making a detour for her room instead. She sat me on her bed and went to her closet.

"I've been saving this for the right occasion." she said as she rummaged through her small closet.

I looked to Callie who smirked at me and then looked back to Anais who was holding something on a hanger with a black plastic protection thingy over it. I raised my eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" I asked slowly, not sure where this was going.

Anais removed the plastic covering from the hanger to expose a….. skimpy piece of clothing.

My eyes widened. "What the hell?" I exclaimed. " You expect ME to wear that?"

What dangled off the hanger was a sleeveless dress that seemed like a black swimsuit, with lots of choice slits cut out from the sides and back. The skirt that moved very slightly was a see through netted mesh with a very generous slit on the right side. It was slim and form fitting, but it wasn't my cup of tea. Matter of fact, it was far from it.

"Try it on." Anais said, pushing the dress toward me.

I looked at her, and pointed at the dress, horror written all over my face. " I am NOT getting in that!"

Anais pouted, "Com'on I was saving it for you."

I scoffed, and turned my head, " Whateva, it looks like something straight out of a strip club."

Her eyes flicked back and forth and she shifted her weight to her other side. Frowning she mumbled, " And what if it is?"

My head snapped back to her. "What?"

"Kiki, just put it on. We just want to see if you can wear it." Callie asked me, awakening from her silence.

I groaned but stood up and took the dress from Anais. I held it up to my face and just glared at it. My hand dropped to my side and dragged the dress with me as I walked into the bathroom, grumbling about how stupid this was the whole nine steps. Once I made it into the bathroom, I locked the door and sighed heavily. I took another look at the abomination in my hand. I shook my head but I shucked off my comfortable clothing, and stood there in my undies and bra. I took the dress off the hanger and looked for a way to get in it. There was no zipper in the back nor was there any buttons. Confused, I hollered to Anais, " How the hell do I get in this?"

"It's a two piece!" she replied. "Take off the skirt and step into the one piece."

Before I could ask how to do that she inserted, " There should be a clasp on your skirt."

Turning the dress this way and that, I look for the clasp. "Where is the little- found it." I mumbled. I unhooked the clasp and laid the skirt on the covered toilet. Without the skirt it was just a swimsuit. I step through the top of the one piece and pull the piece over my hips and put my arms through. The material was stretchy and comfortable enough. With that on, I reach for the skirt and secure back to it's rightful place. It settled around my hips and the long slit showed my entire right leg. Without taking a look in the small bathroom mirror, I begrudgingly open the door to reveal my new look.

Anais gasped, "I love it!" then quickly ran over to me, grasping odd pieces of material and pulling them one way then another.

"Kiki, when I'm done with you, you'll have to beat those boys off with the ugly stick!" taking me by the hands we spun around a couple of times. I smile, and looked over to Cassie, who was busy digging around in Anais's closet.

"Okay, we know that one's a keeper," Cassie says from within the confines of the closet, " now for option number two."

"Option number two?" I ask, twisting around and letting the skirt float around my legs. She pulls out another plastic covered hanger.

Anais scratches her head and lightly chuckles, " Oh, I forgot about that one."

Cassie uncovers it and this time I gagged. "Oh com'on! This one's nothing but strips!"

The dress, if I can call it that, was an olive green. One strip of green satin hung on the hanger.

My hands flap uselessly to my sides, "Where'd the top of it go?"

"This is the top of it," Callie said, shaking it.

"Don't worry, it covers more than you think." Anais added.

Callie pushes the dress in my hands and I'm ushered back into the bathroom. I shake my head and smile to myself. 'what have I gotten myself into?'

A/N: well...How'd I do? More Shessy on the way!

Oh and you pronounce Anais like Anna-ee's. I thought it was cute.

The song I used in this chapter is called 'Motherland' by Crystal Kay.