Hi my name is Blair, but my brother tends to call me Lair, the only reason for this is that I am trying to pretend to be a man. I have short black hair and tanned skin, and my eyes are bright blue. No I am not a lesbian, but I am one of the few these days that are fine with any relationship as long as its love. The year is 1887 and I know I have different beliefs, but the reason why, is for my brother, I have always known he was attracted to men and not women. But now on to the real story, my brother wanted to work on the rail lines going across Canada, and so did I. Women are not aloud to do 'men's work' but I decided I wanted to, I have worked on a farm all my life I'm not a weak little women that sits and drinks tea. I was outside helping my pa and brother every day, whilst my ma and older sister cleaned the inside, they told me I was just in the way. I rather the out doors, when men use to visit my father they thought I was a man working on the farm. That was until they looked a bit closer, or my ma made me go change into 'more lady like clothing.'

So my brother and I are standing outside the sign up area for the building of the train tracks, I am dressed as a man, but they still look closely because of my height, I am only 4'11" which is quiet small for a man. I might have forgotten to mention, but I am eighteen years and my brother is twenty. My mother was very reluctant to let us go, because the conditions can be hard. If you have not noticed yet, I am slightly scatter brained

"How old are you son?" asked the man running the booth

"18 sir" I said in lower tone

"Are you sure? You look a little small to be eighteen"

"I am sure, I am the smallest of my family, the runt if you will" I said trying to humor the man.

"Alright whatever, and how about you young man?" said looking towards my brother

"Twenty sir, this is my younger brother" replied my brother

"Names" the man was starting to sound bored by the point

"My brothers name is Lair, and I am Alex lighter" replied my brother, his name suited him perfectly, he was 6'2" no one believes we are brother and sister, and apparently according to the girls that we rarely meet, my brother is quiet hansom.

"Ok here are your papers. Next!"

As we moved out of line Alex had a smirk on his face, him and I had always been closer then most brother and sisters because we worked along side each other at home.

"Hey let me see yours, apparently some times people even if they sign up together won't get on the same area of job" Alex demanded

"Here" I said sarcastically, he just laughed

"Hey we work right beside each other, same exact place"

"Awesome! Now I need that back, to get onto the carriage."

"Ok" he replied as he passed the paper back. We showed the loaders, and again they stared, I was going to have to get use to it. As we looked down the large carriage, there were only 3 open places on the bench; we took the two next to each other. I noticed my brother looking across from him, there was a very good looking black man. My brother doesn't just break half the social rules, he breaks them all apparently. I just smiled, I wanted my brother to find someone to love, and maybe this was the time.

"Hey what you gaping at kid?" asked the man

"Um um sorry sir, didn't mean to disturb you" Alex answered blushing

"Did you just call me sir? Trying to make fun oh me?" the man asked

"No I would never do that! My dad taught me to respect people, and I don't believe that doesn't apply to other color, really what'd the difference between us other then color, my insides are just the same as yours." Alex sounded appalled.

"And just how do you know that fact, every dissected a black man and white man and compared them?" the man sounded angry, and the rest in the carriage were staying out of it.

"Nope our uncles a doctor!" I exclaimed happily

"I am suppose to believe you two are related huh?" he scoffed

"We are, he just is a little short and less bulky" Alex mumbled

"Yup, I got the short part of my family, he got the tall" I added

"I see, but do they really look the same?"

"Ya, at least that's what he told us, but he is still back over in Britain, he told us in a letter. Even the brain and heart, so I think why treat you any different than I would a white man"

"Thanks, I have never heard a white man say anything like that, now may I ask your names?" questioned the man

"Yes if you will give us yours after" Alex smirked

"Course I will"

"I am Lair! And this is my older brother Alex" I said in a sing song voice, but keeping my low tone. The man laughed

"My name in Abimbola"

"So were you born in Africa?" I queried

"Ya I was, it was beautiful, and I was rich there, but I wanted adventure, I come here and I suddenly lose half my rich's"

"Abimbola means wealthy does is not?" Alex blurted then covered his mouth with his hand, realizing he should not know that for a man who was not rich.

"Yes, but how did you know that?" Inclined Abimbola

"I got a language book when I was younger for French and English, and I liked it so much each year instead of getting separate birthday and Christmas presents I would get a translation book because they were expensive, but I really wanted them."

"Ah I see" the man smiled I could tell he liked my brother, but I had no idea in what way.

Change POV

I looked over to see my sister had fallen asleep, I smiled over at Abimbola, he was an amazingly beautiful man. He looked strong and sturdy and like he could nock over anything that got in his way. His skin was a magnificent dark chocolate color and looked flawless, at least what I could see of it. He was wearing a white short sleeve shirt with a light leather vest over it and dark brown cotton pants. I was wearing a black shirt with a dark leather vest and light brown cotton pants; I had noticed earlier we were wearing the opposite colors but the same clothing; his shoes were a lot nicer than mine though. When he smiled back at me he had perfect white teeth, my teeth are strait on the top but the bottom isn't so nice, and they are slightly yellow. I now realized I am comparing myself, like I always seem to do.

"You two seem quiet close." Abimbola acknowledged

"Ya, he may be small, but he is strong I learned that a while ago due to a punch to the face when I was telling him he needed to stay home since he was to small to go to work on the rails. He certainly proved me wrong." I smiled down at my sister, feeling bad that I had to call her a guy, but I knew it was that or be left with out a friend that knows all about who I am, and that I can talk to about anything. I seriously loved Blair more then anyone, she was the least judging person I had ever met; she knew I liked men and accepted that. Abimbola, ok I really need a nick name for him, his name is way to long, but he laughed, he had a beautiful booming laugh that filled the whole carriage.

"He can punch well, that's different for a guy that small is he also a hard worker?" asked Abimbola

"He can throw hay bunch's faster then I can, and he threw me once when we were playing around, that was scary knowing he could do that, my pa was laughing so hard, seeing his tall big son laying on the ground and his little 4'11" son standing there looking dazed and confused to what happened. So yes he is strong and a hard worker, when he wants to be." I replied softly

"Your lucky to have him with you out here, its hard work, this is my third location change, I truly hope you two get to stay together"

"Me two, me two," I whispered

"Hey Alex don't worry each of my locations have been for at least 6 months, and during November December January they let you go home, usually I just go to someone's house to be a servant for those months, since the rest of my family is still in Africa."

"Thanks, and can I make a shorter name for you Abimbola?" I asked

"Sure, that's fine" he looked like he was trying to make me happy now.

"How about Abim Or Ab or Bola or Bim? Which one do you like the most?" I stuttered out. He let out a breath that sounded like the start of a laugh

"I like Ab the most, it's manly but very short" Ab replied, I was smiling like a kid that just got a piece of candy, Ab seemed not to be able to resist in laughing.

"Ok" I chirped

Change POV

I was happy to have met nice people for once, I had never met such nice white people before. Or so beautiful, Alex was especially beautiful; he had shoulder length dark brown hair and his clothes fit him perfectly. His little brother Lair I thought could pull off being a girl if he wanted to. Yes if you hadn't figured it out I like men, more then women, it would be a miracle if Alex also liked men, but it is possible. I really can't believe that Lair is so strong, one day I will have to test that! I could see that Alex was about to fall asleep on the guy next to him, and the guy did not look happy.

"Hey I will switch with you if you would rather?" I invited

"Do you really think this guy wants to wake up with his head on some black mans shoulder" the guy snootily replied

"Didn't ya just hear our conversation sir" I ground out

"Whatever if he yells at you it's not my problem" he said while rolling his eyes

"Ok that's fine, now switch unless you want his head on your shoulder!" I growled

"Alright, alright!" the man looked surprised that I would talk to him like that. I quickly got up and he moved and I sat down, without Alex even noticing the change.

It was a few hours later that I noticed I had fallen asleep but was leaning on Alex, and Lair and I were keeping him in the middle. Lair was still asleep and looked like a little kitten, he was wearing a loose leather vest and a loose brown cotton shirt under and large black pants tied at the waste, the clothes most likely made him look even smaller, but they were probably Alex's old clothes that he had grown out of, and had been handed down. When I yawned Alex rubbed his eyes, and looked over at me, his eyes got big and he looked scared.

"Have a good sleep?" I laughed

"Weren't um you weren't you sitting where the guy that was beside he is now?" Alex stuttered

"Ya but when you started to fall sleep he didn't look happy at where your head was headed, so I switched with him, hope ya don't mind." I professed

"Na its no problem, just a question, I haven't seen many blacks in Canada, how is it holding up for you?"

"People aren't the nicest, but whatever, I seem to be placed with the white instead of the Chinese but at least I can speak your language"

"Haha ya, I know a little bit of Chinese, but it is hard to learn, each pronunciation means something different, so it is hard to say anything without almost completely messing it up."

"Ah I see." I replied off handedly, I noticed we were still sitting a little close, but when I looked to my other side there was a man to close to me to move, and then I remember, Lair was leaning against Alex, which pushed him right up close to me.

"Sorry for being so close, Lair is like a cat and tries to squish himself into small spaces" Alex mumbled. I looked over to the other side of Lair and noticed the man beside him was also asleep, and falling over onto Lair, I almost laughed then thought of something

"Hey can I ask you something Alex?" I wondered

"Sure" he replied offhandedly, but when I leaned into his hear to whisper his back went rigged

"Is Lair really a man? Or only posing?" I whispered quietly as I could, at the other end of the carriage there was two Chinese men yelling at each other, so I hoped I wouldn't be over heard. I was really confused how anyone could sleep through it. Alex looked scared out of his mind and was even more rigged.

"What did you just say" he seethed in a quiet voice

"You know what I said, and I won't tell anyone I promise" He turned to look at me with angry eyes; he had seemed like such a calm guy.

"I have heard that one before" he turned away from me and looked the other way towards his 'brother' I heard a yawn and looked over to see Lair trying to stretch.

"Hey, what's wrong 'lex?" I heard Lair ask in a sleepy voice

"Nothing" Alex sighed

"Don't lie to me!" Barked Lair

"He asked me a stupid question" Alex said looking into Lairs eyes

"Oh that question," Lair leaned around Alex and into my ear said "You will never know now will ya?" then laughed loudly, but sounded quiet like a man.

"How the hell did you know what he was talkin about?" I demanded

"That question has been asked quiet a few times over the years." snipped Alex, he seemed a bit more relaxed though.

"Sorry, its just you are so small."

"Doesn't mean I'm not strong"

"I know that, but we shall test that when we get there"

"Yup" He chirped

Change POV

It had been about 10 hours when we finally got to the work area. I was exhausted from travelling; I am not use to sitting long. The lead guy was yelling PAPERS! And as I handed him mine he looked me over but let me pass, I was home free now! Alex and Abimbola were behind me.

"Come on guys; let's go find where we are staying!" I exclaimed happily

"Ok, ok we are coming" Alex laughed when I grabbed onto his arm. He looked back at Abimbola

"You coming Ab?" he asked blushing, and I knew just why! He had gave him a nick name

"May I call you Bola?" I asked

"Sure? Why not that same as Alex?" he seemed confused

"Because that is his name for you" I giggled, Alex went even redder, and Bola turned slightly red

"Oh" Bola mumbled

Change POV

My sister really didn't know the word tact at all it seemed, but I had seen the blush on Ab, which I do thank her for. But I have to wonder if the blush really meant something or not. I noticed my sister had walked up to a man with a clip board.

"Excuse me sir, would you happen to know where Lair and Alex Lighter and Abimbola Um, what's your last name Bola?" I overheard my sister saying.

"Oh it's Conteh" he answered

"Are staying?" she ended. The man looked like he wanted to laugh but held it in.

"Yes, just let me look, alright so Alex and Lair are in tent number 3 it's the third one from the left side and Abimbola is staying in tent number 4 right beside yours, and yes switching is aloud. There is 4 to a tent." He scoffed when he was talking to Ab.

"Alright thanks" she turned around "Alright lets go, I wonder if anyone in our tent will switch with you Bola."

"I sure hope so" He replied, I hoped that was a good sign

"Me to" I whispered, apparently my sister heard though and laughed, but when I looked back at Ab he didn't seem to have noticed anything.

Change POV

This was getting weird; Alex and Lair seemed to have some weird mind connection where they always knew what each other were thinking. I really wish I could get into the mind of Alex, maybe Lair will help me out. I sure hope so or else I may not have any hope at all. I realized we were at our tents, when I walked into my tent there were three white men and they seemed to turn away from me, so I said.

"sorry its not my fault I was born with this skin, but if I can I am going to switch into my friends tent next door"

"Alright whatever" was all I got, so I dropped my bag and walked over to number 3s tent

"Hey guys, how you settling in?" I asked

"Well it seems one of the guys from the last place didn't come back, so there is only three in this tent and we already asked the guy if he wouldn't mind switching, and he said that was fine." Lair said in a rush

"Alright nice to know" then I turned to the person and said "Thanks, the guys in the tent I am suppose to be in didn't seem to like me so much"

"Most just don't like what they don't know, so no problem"

"I will go grab my bag then"

"How bought I walk with you?"

"Thanks, nice to know I will be workin' with some nice people this time round"

"Yup." He replied and we walked out the door to tent 4, I noticed he was around 6' tall had blond hair and was odd looking, maybe that's why he was so nice, he might know how it feels to be ousted. When we walked in the others looked relieved I almost laughed.

"Are you switching him?" asked one of the guys

"Yes sir" he replied. I grabbed my bag and pillow (I had brought a pillow when on my second stint when I noticed how horrid the ones they had were, sure hope Alex and Lair also did) and I walked back to the brother's tent. They were both pulling stuff out of their bags, I noticed Lair had a little stuffy that looked like either her or her mom had made it, it was a bland beige. When I fully stepped in I saw that each of the brothers had a pillow about half the size of a regular one and Alex had a small blanket, it looked like they each brought comfort from home. When they looked up at me Alex blushed and tried to push his small blanket under the thin blankets they gave to us, but Lair just laid his stuffy on the pillow, it seemed to be a bear.

"I um get cold in the night." Was all Alex said, and Lair just smiled at him

"Well then it was smart to bring an extra blanket these things don't do much. The pillow, even better, be thankful you have it, my first six months I had their flimsy little one, and I brought this the next time, best thing I ever bought" I replied smiling at him

"Our mom made us pack them, she took a pillow and cut it in half and sewed it back together, so it took up less space her saying was "Last thing that you two want is sore necks!" Lair said sighing looking like he missed his mother.

Change POV

"Aw, come here Lair, there is no need to miss home, we will be back in not to long, and we have each other right?" I said to my sister, she crawled into my arms, Ab looked quiet surprised, I guess most siblings aren't this close, but we are completely platonic towards each other.

"Ya I guess, you know you can set up your stuff right Bola?" she answered

"Hmm oh I guess I should get to that huh?"

"Ya" I said trailing off at the end. Then Lair crawled off of me and onto her mat and laid down and snuggled with her teddy then seemed to realize something and sat up.

"Bola! I forgot to introduce you to my teddy! His name is blahck, but spelt B-l-a-h-c-k like Blah, because of his color!" Lair sounded so excited that I had to laugh, Lair stared because I barely ever laughed and it was more of a giggle. I NEVER giggled it was a rule of mine, uh oh, broke a rule…

"HA! you owe me a penny!"

"Darn" I said under my breath

"Why do you owe him a penny?" Ab asked

"I broke one of my own rules and now I have to pay for it." I replied
"Wait, you can't laugh, why?" he sounded slightly sad

"I can laugh just not THAT laugh" I exclaimed

"Why? It was fine to me" Ab looked slightly dreamy, I turned red as a tomato

"It's a girly thing" I mumbled

"Ahh manly, of course, every guy has to be freaking manly" Ab looked angry, I put my hand on his shoulder; he turned his head towards me, looking like he gave himself whiplash

"Hey sorry, I didn't mean it in a bad way; I just personally don't like that laugh" I revised quickly.

"Its just that, usually if a guy says he isn't manly enough, the father put that thought into the kids head" he explained

Change POV

"Ah, that's why you sounded so against it!" I chirped "Well our father accept's us for who we are! He could have cared less as to how Alex acted, he was just happy to have him, do you see me trying to me all manly nope, nope!"

"That makes me feel much better" Bola lightly said, my brother was looking more and more like a tomato.

"You know I am right here! I can hear you guys!" he burst out. Bola and myself couldn't help but laugh. My brother just stared at Bola, he seemed to like the large mans booming laugh.

"See you have a nice laugh Ab!" my brother exclaimed. Ab blushed, even with his dark skin you could see the tint

"Thanks, but I still like yours." Bola replied becoming a darker color. I was starting to think I needed to make a plan, these two were already starting to like each other and they hardly had even talked! I decided I was going to take a walk.

"Hey, I am gunna go take a piss then go for a walk, you two do some talking." I was almost out the tent flap when Bola asked

"Are you sure that's safe, the others saw you with me, and you are smaller then most of them."

"I will be fine, I may be short, but I am strong and my legs go faster then people would think, that's why you should never underestimate someone."

"Alright, but if you come back in here hurt, I told you so!" he almost yelled as I walked out

"I also have a loud voice, I will yell if you need me, and Alex will know if I do, he always seems to, now you too talk while I am gone I will be back before the sun fully sets"

"Alright, see ya bro" my brother said with a smile that said thanks and I just smirked back and kept walking

Change POV

"I have to ask, did your brother have a certain purpose in doing that?" I asked

"Most likely, almost everything he does has a purpose, even introducing Blahck, it was probably to make me feel better about… ah never mind" Alex replied

"No what were you about to say" I softly queried

"Its not really important" he was trying to avoid answering, so I started making my bed to maybe make him feel better.

"Well yo brother said for us to talk, so how bought yo tell me this and yo can ask me any question yo like" I know I was going off the deep end but, I though why not try.

"Umm well I brought my blanket my mother made me when I was around 3, I seem to not be able to sleep without it, I find it annoying," he had grabbed the small beige blanket and was playing with it in his hands "well I think that fully answers your question, now for me to think one up…" he trailed off, I hoped he didn't ask the fatal question, because I am a man of my word, I will answer him.

"I know! This may sound rude, but I ask you to answer truthfully, are you more attracted to men or women, I promise I won't tell anyone! Well maybe Lair, but he won't care or tell anyone the thing is I was surprised when he took a liking to you he usually won't talk to anyone" He sounded slightly proud of himself, but he must know that no one in there right mind, would answer that, it could get a person killed!

"I hardly know if your promise means anything, and from what I have seen of Lair he seems pretty talkative"

"I promise that if I do I will through out my blanket with you watching"

"Alright, well the former one you said and sorry if you can't remember what you said I will not say that out loud"

"Oh I remember" he was beaming

"Now I get to ask you the same thing! So if you are the same we can't get ourselves killed"

"What? You never said that!" he cried "But anyways why do you think I am so happy?" he laughed but a deeper laugh, that I didn't like half as much.

"Good to know, and neither of us said this straight out, so there is no proving anything! And I like your other laugh better" I admitted, I still could hardly believe I had met another man with the same likes as my self, and he wasn't bad looking AND I got to stay in the same tent as him!

Change POV

I ended up giggling again; I guess it didn't matter if he liked it. I was amazed that he was also gay, but I dare not do anything, I just met this guy.

"Do you really like my giggle better?" I just had to ask

"Yes" he sounded exasperated "And I have to ask, do yo actually get cold easily? Because that blanket won't do much good" He queried. I think this was the most in the past 12 hours that I had ever blushed in my whole life put together.

"Ya, I do, at home I sleep with 3 blankets in the winter and a thick blanket in the summer, I thought they would have more blankets then this." I said sadly, happy that it was almost summer, but scared for when it got later in the year.

"I would think Lair would be the one to get cold, he didn't even wear a sweater when he went out of here" Ab thought aloud

"Na he is a little furnace, he is always warm, I am jealous of him for that reason"

"Well I am usually also, I guess me and him will have to sleep on either side of you hmm?" He casually hinted, I realized I was blushing AGAIN!

"Uh um, I, I, I guess so." I stuttered out. He laughed but then we just sat there in silence, I got into my bed, and he moved his mat closer, then went over to Lair's mat and moved hers closer. Then he went back to his mat and laid down, I was drowsy and he was on the edge of his mat closest to me so I moved towards the heat of his body (I swear it was for the heat!) He rolled over and threw his arm across me, that was about the time I fell asleep.

Change POV

I was sitting on a stump hoping Alex and Bola were figuring things out, or at least Alex got something out of this. I was amazed at how much he was talking so much or at all or that I was. But I think Bola is a good guy, Alex is usually good at judging peoples character. That's when I noticed I wasn't alone.

"Hey kid, what you doing at a place like this, its not easy work if that's what you are thinking." A large man asked, well everyone is larger then me, but still he was almost as tall as my brother

"I know that, I haven't sat on my ass doing nothing all my life, if that's what you were thinkin'." I replied

"Oh ya, well that won't help ya when you have to work as fast as everyone else, and you will get less food, well you probably need less anyways" another guy shorter but larger around the middle

"I bet I could eat as much as you if I wanted, and you are twice my size around, I wonder how you keep up" I knew I was digging myself a hole, but I wanted to prove myself

"You are gunna get it for that!" the large guy yelled, and he tried to punch me, he went fast, but I expected that, I remembered my number one rule, never underestimate your opponent, I blocked with my arm and jumped and tried to kick him in the head, but he blocked my foot and when I landed he tripped me, then another guy, there were four of them, went to jump and straddle me, but I put up my knee, and his nuts landed on my knee.

"You know you shouldn't underestimate people" I sneered as he grunted

"You little basterd! I am gunna get you for that!" He screeched, I jumped up and ran closer to my tent.

"ALEX ABIMBOLA! SOME HELP HERE!" I yelled at the top of my lungs

Change POV

"mmm did yo hear something?" I asked feeling Alex's heat against my body, it was the nicest feeling I had ever had.

"I think so" he replied then I heard it again

"FOR GOODNESS SAKES! ALEX, BOLA!" Alex jumped out of the bed at the sound of his brother's voice, I jumped up at the same time and got out the tent door and saw Lair running with a bunch of guys behind him, holy could that kid run fast I thought.

"You weren't lying when you said he could run eh?" I asked

"Nope, now let's help the squirt out hmm?" He replied

"Yup" I answered then we started walking up to them

"Hey what you guys think you are doing to my little brother?" Alex asked

"He sure is little, and why don't you mind your own business bud" A slightly fat and shorter man said

"My brother is my business, wouldn't you agree Ab?"

"Yes, yes I would"

"Is that so, well the word of a colored doesn't do much good huh?" said one of the other guys.

"What the difference poo brains? I bet his brain is more developed then yours!" Lair spat

"This is why we were running after him!" a taller guy said

"Your mouth always gets you in trouble! And why would you care what a 'little kid' as you put it, says anyways?" Alex replied scoffing. The guys just stared at him and looked like they were trying to come up with something to say, then just walked away.

"Do yo know what's funny? Those guys were the people I was supposed to stay with in that tent. So happy I don't have to now." I laughed, then walked back into the tent to Let Alex and his little brother have some time to talk it out.

Change POV

"Ya I bet" I replied "Now what did you say to get those guys so angry Lair?" I sounded condescending.

"Umm, it was a few things, mostly I think it was the part when I said that I wondered how the fatter one could keep up and that I could probably eat as much as him…" Lair trailed off

"Why are you always doing this? You some how got into a fight ever time we went into town, and they knew you were a girl and you still won. While that was funny, but this is a work area, now we are going to have to deal with those guys for the next 6 months!" I was annoyed

"Sorry Alex." Lair looked at me with puppy dog eyes

"Ahh no! You know I can't resist that look!" I cried, and hugged her.

"Muhaha I win" she exclaimed, then we walked back into the tent.

"Can we please go back to bed?" asked Ab

"Of course, lets get some sleep, its going to be an early morning" I replied. Lair was giving me a look and I nodded down at her, she smiled back at me. We could have conversations with our eyes, she had asked about me and Ab. When we walked in she just looked at where the mats and blankets were and smiled even bigger and looked between me and Ab. I looked at Ab and he was looking at his feet, and I could tell from his stance that he was blushing. Lair laughed and went to her bed and turned her back to the other beds. When Ab looked at me he seemed to be terrified, I lightly placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry he already knows about me, he is the only one we can trust." I whispered then laid down on my mat and patted his mat beside mine. He laid down and once we had our blankets properly over us, he put the edge of his blanket over me and hugged me from behind.

Change POV

I woke up to the sound of a loud trumpet type noise, the sun barely penetrating the canvas of the tent, and groaned. I glanced over to see Bola and Alex waking up Alex stretching his arm off of where it had lazed over Bola's stomach through the night. I was over joyed that he had finally found someone.