Nikki Meets the Kendalls Part 2 by Purple Dragon Nicky's favourite place in the world was a small islet in the lake, where he could be the girl he really was without anyone around. until the Kendalls came.   As always, feedback is welcomed and encouraged.

"I think it might be too late for that, girlfriend. They were talking about that with my mom before I went to search for you."
 
 
Nikki Meets the Kendalls - Part 2
 
"He is a nice kid, but he's going through some rough times. Teen years can be hard on some", Jane Faulkner was explaining to Amy Kendall about his son, Nicholas. Amy nodded. Jane kept talking.

"He used to hang out with his sister and her friends all the time when they were younger. He was so charming, he used to smile a lot, he was always ready to help in any way he could. He used to adore his sister, they were really close. James, their older brother, always said that they could be twins."

"So, what happened?", asked Amy with curiosity.

"That they became teenagers. That's what happened. It's cute when a little boy hangs out with the girls. It's good too. It will help him understand women much better when he grows up. But you know young girls, they also need their space. He was always with them, that's not normal. The poor girls didn't need to have a boy always with them. I told them to talk to him about it, and he understood it. In any case, they weren't so similarafter all. They are so different now. Sam is very social, and Nicholas has become kind of a loner. I don't even know if he has any close friends now, he doesn't share too much with us, or with any of his siblings anymore. Boys can change a lot when they grow up."

Nicky was nervous about what Ms. Kendall could have told his mom. Everything was falling to pieces. Alice was talking to him, but he could only have half of his mind on her conversation. At least being outside kept him away from the potential parental earthquake.

"You're not even paying attention, girl!", exclaimed Alice, noticing that Nicky seemed to be daydreaming.

"Sorry, I'm worried about what your mom might be telling mine"

"Don't worry, they'll be cool."

"I don't know, Alice. My mom doesn't even know that I'm a girl."

"How can she not know? Gosh, it's pretty obvious!"

Nicky smiled and hugged her. He really liked that girl.

"Lets go and find out. I'll take care of you."

It was funny watching the 13 year old girl encouraging Nicky. He was almost 16 after all. But, despite the age difference, it somehow seemed natural. Alice took his hand and pulled him.

"He wasn't hurting anyone. He wasn't really doing any damage. He didn't even try to enter the house, he kept to the gardens. It'll be okay to give him some space to make up his mind about his life, his future and all that stuff that gets overwhelming for teenagers", was trying to explain Amy.

"Oh, there they are!" she exclaimed with a smile when she saw the kid with her daughter.

"Come here immediately, young man!", ordered Jane to her son with an angry look on her eyes. "Amy has been explaining to me what you have been up to lately, and I'm very disappointed on you. I thought I brought you better than that!"

She continued, "You would deserve a serious punishment. Amy has talked me out of it, so you should really be thankful to her."

Amy grabbed Jane's arm to calm her down. "It's okay, He's invited to come to the island whenever he wants. He seems to get on pretty well with my kids already, and I'm sure he will be careful and helpful too."

"You'd better be, young man! Whatever Amy tells you. you do. I don't want to hear that you weren't on your best behaviour."

"Yes, mom", he nodded, ashamed. Alice tightened her grip on his hand to show him that she was there for him, and pulled him again towards the other kids.

Alice's sister Beth seemed to be getting along quite well with Nicky's brother James and with his friends. Tom, Alice's brother, had baby Kevin on his arms and was making him laugh.

Samantha, Nicky's sister, was slightly older than Alice. She was talking with some of her friends. As soon as Nicky noticed that Alice was targeting them, he pulled back, to show his friend that he didn't want to go there. ALice looked at him. He seemed afraid to go with them.

"Come on, it's just your sister and her friends. I want to meet them."

"Go with them, I'll be with your brothers."

"What's wrong, girlfriend?", asked Alice. Something didn't seem totally right.

"Nothing, I just don't feel like going with them, that's all."

Thoughout the days, Nicky became close friends with the Kendall kids. Amy had made it very clear that he was welcome there whenever he wanted, as well as his brother and sister. She had also told him in a quick conversation that she hadn't said a word to his mom about him wearing girly clothes, but that she felt that he should eventually had to tell her.

Alice had offered to store Nikki's clothes in one of her wardrobes. They had become really close friends in a very short time, and it was obvious that they were almost a sister for each other. Jane had been right, once out of his inner self-imposed emotional imprisonment, he was a very charming and expressive kid. He was very girly too, but it didn't really matter at all, as he was already a girl for all of them.

That didn't happen always. Whenever his siblings were around, specially Samantha and her closest friend, Rose, Nicky closed in on himself and almost didn't speak a word.

"What's the problem with your sisters?" asked Beth to James once. They seem to avoid each other as much as they can.

"My sisters?", he replied surprised, "Oh! Nicky?"

Beth nodded.

"They used to get along famously.Nicky has always been quite girly, you know? They were almost twins! Sometimes Nicky even let Sam dress him up as a girl. You should have seen him, he was very pretty."

"Trust me, I can imagine that", she grinned, knowingly. "What happened?"

"Well, they kind of expelled him from their group. They said that having a boy with them all the time scared the other boys. They were starting to become young ladies, you know? He took it quite badly."

"What did he do, then?"

"He stopped going out with them totally. He started to ride his bike more, going on his own, stay in his room. At the beginning he still talked with me and with our parents, and as he kept growing up, that seemed to stop too. He rarely speaks at all at home. You should have seen him three years ago, he was a totally different kid. I wish he was back."

"I think I might be able to show you a little miracle, then, if you're up to it", she offered, mysteriously.

Beth had been totally right. They had hidden themselves in the island, without any of the kids knowing. Nicky was dressed in a cute lavender dress, smiling, laughing, playing around and essentially being happy. James was amazed.

"That's my Nicky. He was like that all the time. What is he doing with a dress? Does he often dress up like that here?"

"James," started Beth. "Have you considered that your little brother might be really your little sister inside?"

His jaw dropped. "Really?"

She nodded, and proceeded to tell him many things about Nikki that he didn't know at all.

"It kinds of make sense now. He.. She was rejected as a girl by her own sister... she could have said something too, you know? Like telling Samantha how she really felt. That could have changed it all."

"Nikki, come here please", said Ms. Kendall an afternoon. "I need to talk with you about something."

The young girl came.

"I think it might be a good idea to tell your mother about you liking to dress up as a girl. I'm sure she will be understanding. She is worried about you, you know?"

"We can explain it to her, to your dad too. I'll help them understand. It is okay, you're not hurting anyone. There's nothing wrong with pretending to be a girl if it makes you happy."

Pretending?

"Please, tell me that you will consider it. I'm sure it will work. Even if it doesn't, if they need some time to process it, you can stay here with us. My kids adore you, you know?"

"I love them to bits too. I'm so happy to have met all of you!", she said with a big smile and bright eyes. Amy hugged her.

"Then think about it. Your parent's won't love you any less because of your little perversion. They'll understand it."

Perversion? Nikki's face became livid all of a sudden.

She didn't consider him a girl, she thought he was a pervert!

"I... I have to go... Sorry ma'am... I have to go".

She went towards the quay and started running, his anxiety as high as never before. She threw up. She couldn't think. She got the boat and started rowing towards the shore, away from the island."

End of Part 2