SIERRA'S LEONE

TIME CAPSULE

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

They were in Sierra's bedroom. Cecile's sleepovers were as routine as brushing one's teeth. Her parents never wondered if she was where she said.

"A doctor, but my dad can't afford it, so; I don't know. I want a job where I have enough money to go to the restaurant and buy outfits from a shop and not from Emmaus [charity shop]."

Sierra turned to face Cecile, "and you?"

Cecile's eyes shimmered, and her teeth appeared in the dark as she smiled, "I want to see the world."

"At the same time, you're wealthy."

"Yep, I'm rich, and my parents don't give a shit about me. At least your dad cares."

Sierra grimaced, "my dad won't even allow me to wear lipstick though I'm sixteen; he filters all the calls I get and forbids me to wear mini skirts."

Sierra was tired of her father's privacy invasion. She sometimes wished he disappeared. Conscious, his daughter was no longer a child, but a teen, the man, spied on Sierra. Mr. Lennox appeared almost everywhere Sierra went like a mother hen.

"He's watching out for you. Look at me. I've had my pierced belly poking out from this crop top, and my head has been shaved for a month now. My parents still haven't said a thing."

How ironic life was.

Sierra wanted more freedom and found herself bound by her overprotective father, and Cecile craved attention from hers.

No matter how much Cecile skipped school, caused a fight, or went home drunk, her parents remained sterile to her presence. The more time passed, the more Cecile's behavior became borderline.

Jacob advised Sierra to be with Cecile as much as possible. For him, Cecile completely lost it the day she offered to help him lose his virginity.

"What kind of husband would you like?"

Cecile laughed, "husband, what's the use of having one when there are so many men out there. I mean, how can someone wish to be with me for the rest of their life? Do you truly believe a guy can love you for life?"

"But you're dating Daniel, don'tㅡ you."

Cecile turned to face Sierra, "let me stop you right there, my dear virgin. Daniel and I are having fun; we're teens making out, and having sex is part of the joys of being teens."

Sierra's cheeks rose in a blush. Though Cecile and her talked hours about sex, amongst other things, she still had this forsaken shy reaction whenever they chatted about the subject.

"You know what?" Cecile said as she laid on her back and stared at the ceiling, "I don't need a man; my ideal guy is you. I wish you were a guy sometimes."

"Stop it, Cecile, you're making me regret inviting you to a sleepover."

Cecile turned to her side and stretched out her hands to tickle Sierra, "we could have a hot night; I haven't slept with a girl yet. Your father should be filtering me too."

The girls laughed; here they were nine years after, still besties closer than ever.

Cecile got up and went to get a pen and paper, "tell me how your ideal guy would be like, let's say, ideal husband since you want one."

Sierra sat up, "eh, I don't know. I'd like him to be good with his hands since I'm terrible with mine. I don't mind if he isn't rich, but it would be great if he had a well-paid job."

"You mean like a lawyer, doctor, scientist?"

Sierra's eyes grew big, "yeah, something like that, or a job with an artistic touch."