Episode 7

"You wanna go to lunch?" Darlene asked as Nikki finished a song.

Nikki looked at her phone for the time. "Sure." She tucked the cell into her small purse and hid some of her sheet music inside the piano before joining Darlene.

"So who was the hunk?" She asked.

"Who?"

"Who? the surfer beau." Darlene rolled her eyes.

"Landon." Nikki gushed. "He just moved here and goes to my school."

"He's hot." Darlene prodded.

"He asked me to go to the Ice Knights game tonight." Nikki tried not to squeal.

Darlene gave Nikki a long hard appraising look.

"What?" Nikki asked.

"You are really sounding like a girl now. It's just. . . Well I like it." Darlene smiled. "It suits you."

Nikki didn't know whether to take this as a compliment or not, but she had to agree with her co-worker, she was sounding very girly.

"So what are you going to wear?"

Nikki thought about it for a moment. "I hadn't thought about it. Is there a special outfit for first date hockey games?"

"I'd say comfy but sexy."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Nikki asked. "I've never been on a date as a girl before."

"It's to a hockey game, right?"

Nikki nodded.

The two girls grabbed a chicken Caesar wrap and made their way to a table.

"Skinny jeans or capris with flats and a sporty top that can also be kind of sexy." Darlene smiled.

"Not heels?" Nikki inquired. "Guys like girls in heels."

"Not to a hockey game and especially not if you aren't used to wearing them. Think about walking up and down the steps." Darlene pointed out.

"Flats it is." Nikki agreed around a mouthful. "What about the blouse?"

"Well, what does Nick find sexy at hockey games?"

Nikki thought about that for a moment. "Tight team shirts."

"There you go."

"Nick?" a voice asked.

Nikki's heart skipped a beat. She turned to see Luke looking curiously at her. "Luke, Hi." She greeted a little self conscious.

"Sorry, Nikki." Luke apologized, stressing her feminine name. "It's just that.. . . Um.. . .Well, You've been Nikki for quite some time. We - the guys and I haven't seen Nick in a while now."

"I'll see you back at the store." Darlene excused herself feeling uncomfortable.

Nikki's heart tightened. She hated this part of being a gendermorph even more than the endless hunger after morphing or the raging hormones. Luke and some of Nick's friends didn't feel comfortable around Nikki. She suspected that one or two of them might have been aroused around her. It would be extremely embarrassing and uncomfortable for them. It had to be hard on them too; feeling like you were losing a friend every time they morphed.

"I'm sorry Luke." Nikki apologized. "I miss hanging with you guys too. Its just that I've got something going on. I've been morphing almost every night this week. I need to stay female for a week or two so that I don't go into a morphing coma."

Luke sighed. "Right." he mumbled. "You know we were all going to have a LAN party this next weekend. We were kind of counting on you."

Nikki felt horrible. Nick had helped to set up the party. They had seven other guys all lined up for the party; Nick would have been eight. It was to have been an epic night. "I... uh...Nikki has something going on during the day." She hated referring to herself in third person, but a lot of people had a hard time differentiating or feeling comfortable if she didn't. "If I get done in time would I be able to fill in for Nick?" She hoped that didn't sound as confusing to Luke as it sometimes did to her.

"I'll talk with the guys." Luke smirked.

Nikki stood up from the table. She'd have to take her wrap back to the store to finish it. "Thank you, Luke. She suddenly felt the urge to hug him.

She stepped forward with her arms out, but Luke hesitated.

"Oh. ooops, I'm sorry." Nikki put her arms down and held back.

"No. it's okay." Luke forced a smile. He put his arms out, but the awkwardness made the moment pass.

"I've got to get back to work." She excused herself. Part of her was frustrated by the inability of having normal friends and normal relationships, and all of her just wanted to cry.

Nikki made a hasty retreat back towards the store. She scarffed the rest of her wrap down without tasting it. It was one thing after another. Sometimes she cursed her dad's family for passing this morphing gene on to her. When was all of this mess going to stop?

Back at her piano, She began playing again. This time it was mostly songs in a minor chord.

"Nikki." Mrs. York stood beside her.

"Yes?" Nikki looked up blinking her eyes to keep the tears at bay.

"Do you think you could try playing something a bit happier? This music is driving customers out of the store."

"Yes, Mrs. York." Nikki finished off the musical thought and switched to some happier music.

"Thank you, Nikki." Mrs. York nodded before turning and walking away.

Along with changing the music style, Nikki banished thoughts of Luke and Nick's other friends from her mind. Nikki had a new friend, possibly a boyfriend, and he was taking her to an Ice Knight game. She was going to have to rush from work to the team store and get an appropriate shirt, all Nick had at home were sweaters, definitely not sporty sexy, at least in Nick's eyes.

"Nikki, Right?" a voice greeted.

Nikki looked up and almost froze her playing. She had to concentrate to not lose the song at all as she looked up into Lil' Foot's smiling face.

Nikki nodded.

"Did you ever run into that guy who also plays the piano here?" he asked.

"No." Nikki forced a smile as she tried to swallow a large lump. Pieces of her nightmares flashed through her mind.

"Hmmm." Lil' Foot thought for a moment.

Nikki looked around using only her peripheral vision and spotted the dealers muscle.

"Well. If you do run into him, please tell him that I wanted to speak to him." He smiled.

He had a nice smile. She couldn't believe she had just thought that. How could she think that Lil' Foot had a nice smile. These hormones were definitely out of control if she could think such a thing. This guy wanted her dead. He just didn't know it.

"No problem." She forced the smile.

"You're still on for my grandma's party, right?" he asked.

"You gave me money. I have to honor the contract." she suppressed the shiver that wanted to trickle down her spine. She glanced around again.

Lil' Foot followed her gaze. "What?" he asked. "Who are you looking for?"

"I don't see your girlfriend." Nikki stated.

"She's probably at Victoria's Secret spending all of my money." Lil' Foot shrugged. "See you this weekend."

Nikki nodded. She watched as his body guards followed him towards the mall entrance then let out a long breath and felt her muscles loosen.

Nikki heard a short whistle from above her. She looked up to see Darlene looking down at her. Once spotted, she shrugged her shoulders.

Nikki shrugged back and began playing again. She could barely keep the music flowing through her mind as it whizzed around thinking first of Landon and his beautiful hair and broad shoulders then of Lil'Foot with his nice smile and his threat for Nick.

It wasn't long before Nikki was able to head up to the break area. She would get fifteen minutes to stretch out and relax her fingers and drink some water. Popcorn sounded good too.

She was just sitting down with her microwave popcorn and slipping off her heels when Darlene strode across the room and took up a seat across from her. Without asking, Darlene grabbed a large handful of the popcorn. "So, what happened at lunch? and who was the guy talking to you?"

"Nick and his friend Luke had set up a big gaming party this next weekend." Nikki began. "Nick was all excited, but then he morphed. Luke feels uncomfortable around me like this, but was wondering if Nick would be back in time for the party."

"Oh." Darlene was bored. "What about the other guy?" she took another handful of Nikki's popcorn

"You don't know who that was?" Nikki asked.

"I really don't get too good of a look at them when all I can see is the tops of their heads." She pointed out. "Should I know him?"

Nikki wanted to scream. He was only one of the largest drug dealers in the area and the guy who shot Vic and has been stalking the store looking for Nick. Instead, Nikki took a deep breath. "Just a guy who wants me to play piano for his grandmother's party in a few days."

Nikki's mind wandered back to Landon. "Oh, Excuse me Darlene, I need to call a friend." She nudged the popcorn across the table towards her friend and took the back door outside.

"Hey Sarah, I need a favor." She quickly explained the last minute date with Landon.

* * *

Mrs. York had James walk Nikki out to her car again. With Vic's shooting, everyone was being escorted to their vehicles.

"Thanks James." Nikki sat in her car, took off her shoes and tossed them into the seat beside her. She didn't mind wearing heels too much, but only for short periods of time. Her mother and father both told her that the more she wore them the more she would be able to wear them.

Once home, Nikki grabbed her purse and shoes and quickly walked to the front door in her stocking feet.

"How was your day?" her mother chimed from the living room.

"Strange, but good. I have to hurry; I have to meet a friend." She explained as she went up stairs to her bedroom.

Once her door was closed, Nikki Stripped off all of her clothes except her bra and panties. She quickly re applied her deodorant and pulled her skinny jeans out of her closet and pried herself into them. She pulled the Ice Knight shirt out of her purse and slipped it over her curves and looked at herself in the mirror.

Nikki had to mentally remind herself that the curves that she was seeing in the mirror were natural and what was desired; especially if she wanted Landon to like her, but did Sarah have to get a pink shirt?

Nikki studied herself in the mirror a moment longer before digging through her closet. She pulled out a cropped denim jacket and pulled it on over her shoulders. It softens the amount of pink and went well with her jeans so she kept it on.

A knock sounded at her door.

"Yes?" She answered absently still looking in the mirror at her feminine form.

"You're meeting a friend?" her mother asked.

Nikki could feel her cheeks burning. "Landon, the guy I kind of like..."

Her mother raised an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"He stopped by work today and asked if I would like to go to the Ice Knight's game tonight."

"Oh?" Her mother still looked quizzical. "When is he picking you up? I'm sure your father would like to speak with him."

"What?" Nikki turned from the mirror to look at her mother with shock.

"No young lady in this house hold is allowed to go out on a date without your father or myself meeting her date."

"Mom, I'm a guy." Nikki stated without thinking.

"Not presently, you aren't." her mother pointed out. "If Alicia has to go through the dating hoops, so do you."

"It's not a date though." She protested. "We are meeting at the game and hanging out. It turns out that Landon likes hockey too."

"Call him up and ask him to pick you up." She suggested strongly.

"I don't have his number." Nikki was starting to panic.

"I have an idea." her father joined the conversation. "Go ahead and meet him at the game, have fun, but you are to have him meet up with us after wards."

"Really?" She whined. "You want him to follow me home to meet you?"

"It is that, or I go with you to the game." her father stated. "I haven't been to a Knight's game this season."

"No." Nikki reacted. "I'll have him come here."

"Great." her dad smiled.

Nikki closed her eyes with frustration as her parents looked at her for a moment longer before leaving.

"Close the door, please." She asked.

Nikki looked at the time and decided that she didn't have time so sulk before she had to leave. She sat down at her vanity and began playing with her hair. A little product a bit of playing and the conservative style she had been wearing at work was now a bit more wild. She sprayed it in place and went to work freshening her makeup.

Nikki liked the earrings that Alicia loaned her, but they didn't quite go with the more casual look. She replaced them with some modest hoops, added a bit of lip gloss and pulled out some casual flats from the back of her closet.

* * *

Nikki's heart began to race as she approached the will call. She had never been on a date as a girl and only a few casual ones as a guy. She told herself that this was just as friends. Landon saw a familiar face at the mall and wanted to see a game without going alone. But if this was just as friends, then why was she so anxious?

Nikki stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, then let it out very slowly trying to calm her heart.

Her heart caught in her throat as she saw Landon standing by the Will Call. He looked amazing in a L.A. Kings sweater. She kept her gaze upon the handsome young man until his sweeping gaze caught hers. A slight smirk on his face widened to a great smile just for her.

"I'm so glad you were able to come." Landon greeted.

"Like I said, I'm an Ice Knights fan." Nikki smiled.

"Well, you look very cute." he said sweeping his eyes down and then back up her body.

"Thanks, Landon." Nikki felt a jolt of warmth spread throughout her body. For some reason she cared how this guy felt about her.

"I got the tickets, shall we go in?"

"How much do I owe you?" Nikki asked.

"This game is on me." he escorted her slowly through the crowd to get in. "Next game, you can pay."

"Are you sure?"

Landon gave her another of his now famous smiles. Nikki wanted that smile to stay directed at her forever.

The two walked into the arena and began walking along the concourse. Hawkers selling everything from cotton candy to raffle tickets barked at them.

So many aromas filtered through the air: Garlic fries, pizza by the slice, hot dogs, and popcorn.

"You hungry?" Landon asked.

Nikki shook her head, "I'll get something later, but we can stop to get something if you are hungry." She looked down at her ticket to see where they were heading. She had to read the ticket twice to make sure of what she was seeing. "These tickets are a fortune." She gasped.

"I like to sit in good seats when I go." Landon shrugged.

"I've never seen a game from these seats." Nikki couldn't believe her eyes.

Landon guided her through the crowd, around the barkers and to the center of the concourse.

"Your tickets?" a concierge asked.

Landon and Nikki showed her their tickets.

"Just down there. Enjoy the game."

Nikki stepped to the edge of the steps leading down and looked around the arena. The cool, slightly metallic smell from the ice tickled her nose. Landon smiled down at her, watching her as she took in the arena. Nikki blushed when she realized that he was watching her.

Landon took her hand in his strong one and gently guided her down the steps. Nikki's mind raced. She had never been even this intimate as a girl. The rush of dopamine felt wonderful. She felt so safe with Landon, just his holding her hand.

Landon turned at one of the rows and began counting off the seats. Nikki looked from the seats to the ice and gasped. They were so close to the ice.

"Here we are." he announced breaking through her silent stupor. Nikki sat down and looked around. They were about eight rows from the boards. With this vantage they were looking just over the glass to the ice. Their view would be unobstructed by the line that the top of the glass created.

A skater came out of a tunnel just below and to the left of them. He was quickly followed by several more. A slight cheer rose as fans recognized their team.

"We are right behind the bench." Nikki couldn't control her excitement. "Landon, these seats are amazing." She watched as Landon looked around.

"Yes. They are pretty good." he agreed.

Nikki was further in awe when she realized that the seats in this section were padded and each had a small piece of paper taped to the seat in front of it. Nikki grabbed the paper and glanced over it. "You can order your food from your seats? How cool."

Landon was obviously enjoying her making a fool of herself.

"Sorry." She apologized. "It's just that when I come to the games, I'm usually sitting up there." She pointed across the arena towards the second and third levels. "I bring tissue for the nose bleeds."

"Stop apologizing." he smiled. "Your enthusiasm is refreshing." Landon's gaze drifted from her to glide over the arena and then back to her. "I'm used to a bigger arena, but this is nice and kind of cozy."

"Do you often sit in this section?" She asked. "I mean not here. You've never been to this arena. I mean where you are from." Oh God she was rambling.

"My family had season tickets to the local sports teams where I'm from." Landon explained. "I like hockey the best, so I made sure to make it to as many games as I could.

The two got lost in conversation for quite a while. They would have missed the beginning of the game if the lights hadn't gone out to announce the team members and then sing the national anthem.

"You ever sing the National Anthem at a game?" Landon asked.

"No." Nikki was incredulous. "I can't sing."

"I did when I was a kid." Landon stated. "It was kind of cool."

"I bet I could do it pretty well on my sax." She stated absently. Nikki turned to the ice as the puck was being dropped to start the game.

Her eyes traveled watching either the puck or where the players were skating to. Her mind wandering between the game and whether or not she had been too talkative with Landon. Some guys didn't like it when girls rambled on.

The seats were incredible. Not only could she see most of the ice unobstructed, but she could see and even hear the plays as they came and went from the bench just a few rows in front of her.

"Put it out front!" she heard herself call out as she watched the players fighting over the puck behind the net. "Out front!"

The puck was kicked free and was hit down to the other end of the ice. Some of the players skated into the bench ending their rotation, while one chased down a player from the other team and slammed him into the boards hard causing the glass to rattle.

"Ouch." Landon commented.

Without looking at Landon. "Are you kidding? That was a soft hit. Wait a minute or two."

Sure enough a minute later one player checked the other into the boards with a large booming noise. If the glass had rattled any harder, it would have come out of its frames. Nikki's heart beat quicker as she watched the checked player try to trip the other player when the ref wasn't looking.

"There's a fight a brewing." She commented.

"Oh?" Landon asked.

"Those two will be going at it soon." She pointed to the two players who were poking at each other.

"They let them fight in this league?" Landon asked.

"Well, yeah." Nikki said. "What's the point of the intimidation factor if you can't carry out on your threats?"

"Back home, they would break them up." Landon explained.

The puck went back and forth down the ice a few times.

"There they go!" Nikki jumped to her feet. The two players had thrown off their gloves and began circling one another. "Stop dancing and hit him!" she screamed. She could barely contain her excitement. She had only been to hockey games as a guy and guys had to keep their emotions in check, but as a girl, she felt the freedom to scream. Especially as her blood seemed to boil at the possibility of two guys fighting like gladiators.

The crowd erupted as the players began throwing punches, then grabbed one another's sweater with one hand and continued punching with the other.

"Get him!" She heard Landon bellow.

"Oooh, hit 'm again!" she screamed. Her heart was pounding hard from so much excitement.

As the two players fell to the ice, the refs skated in and started pulling them apart.

Nikki turned to Landon and saw his eyes sparkling as he smiled at her. "You really do like hockey."

"Yes! I told you."

"Most people just say that they do."

"I'm not embarrassing you, am I?" she suddenly felt her face heat up.

"Not at all. I think you are incredible."

Nikki didn't know if her face could get any hotter. The two settled back into their seats, but Landon found space to put his arm around her shoulder.

Hot tingles danced across her skin where his arm and hand touched hers. This was a good feeling. She had never experienced anything like this as a guy. Nikki looked over to Landon, and found him again watching her.

Her heart began to flutter. She didn't know what to do. Should she smile back? Remove his arm? Lean into him? . . . . Kiss him? She stayed froze right where she was, not wanting to him to remove his arm.

The bliss of his embrace was short lived as the Knights scored a goal. The two jumped up as the horn began blaring. Everyone around them cheered and began high fiving one another. Nikki turned to Landon and before she knew it was swept up off of her feet into his arms in a big hug.

Nikki could feel the hardness of the muscles in his arms and chest as he held her close. Loving the feel, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled his scent and almost lost all thought. He smelled so wonderful.

Landon set her back down and looked down at her with a little uncertainty. Nikki stared back up at him with the biggest smile that she could manage.

"Did you see that goal?" he asked searching for something to say.

"It was fantastic." She lied. She had been so busy concentrating on Landon and wondering what she should do that she had missed it.

The two settled back into their seats as the game resumed. Nikki was only too happy to have Landon wrap his arm around her again. A moment later, she nestled deeper into his grasp and laid her head against his chest.

She wouldn't be able to watch as much of the game like this, but she could care less. Landon was all that she could concentrate on right now anyway.

The horn announcing the end of the first period went off.

"I've got to use the lavatory." She sighed.

"I'll get us some drinks." Landon offered. What would you like?"

"Anything."

Nikki climbed the steps towards the concourse. "Bathroom?" She asked the concierge.

"Right here." she pointed to a door behind her.

Slightly confused, Nikki went through the door and into a semi-private bathroom.

"You've got to be kidding me." She said to herself. The bathroom only had three stalls, two of which were being used.

Nikki took care of her business in awe. The better, cushioned seats came with their own private bathroom. She almost shrieked with joy when she found that they had soft toilet paper instead of the scratchy cheap stuff that the rest of the bathrooms had.

One of the down falls to being a girl was having to sit to take care of business. This bathroom made it so much easier.

Nikki primped in the mirror, touched up her gloss and popped a mint into her mouth. Being so close to Landon, she didn't want to offend him with bad breath. She quickly made her way back to her seat and was soon joined by Landon carrying their drinks.

"Thank you." She took her drink from him and nestled it into the drink holder.

"So what's going on?" Landon asked.

"Hmm?"

Landon pointed to the scoreboard screen. The camera was picking out couples in the crowd. It was then that Nikki realized that they were playing "kiss the girl" from Little Mermaid over the sound system.

"Oh, crap." She sighed. She was about to explain when the couple the camera pointed to turned to one another and kissed. Several people in the crowd oohed and ahed.

"That's um....." Landon didn't finish.

"Kiss." a voice above them ordered.

"What?" Nikki asked.

"Go for it, Kiss." they repeated.

Nikki looked up at the screen and saw her and Landon centered there. She turned to look at Landon but was met by his lips pressing against hers. Nikki's eyes closed and her world exploded. She had heard about people seeing fireworks when they kissed. This was all of her New Years and Fourth of July's rolled into twenty seconds.

She and the other girls around school all wondered what his lips would feel like. Now she knew and she didn't want his to leave hers.

"Whoa." She heard from the guy above her as she slowly came back to her senses. She realized that her tongue was exploring Landon's and somehow her arms were wrapped around his neck holding him tight. She knew she should quit, but he tasted and smelled so wonderful that she didn't want to. Slowly the two separated and looked into one another's eyes.

God, his eyes were incredible, but nowhere near as incredible as his kisses. Nikki now knew what her friends meant when they said that their bodies ached for their boyfriends. Nikki's was aching for Landon's just then, and she wanted to full fill its ache more than anything else in the world.