Nikki, Part 27 free porn video

I take several deep breaths to clear my head as the smartly-dressed man looks at me with serious eyes. In all my life, I don't think I've ever been as terrified as I am now... "It'll be okay," dad whispers, squeezing my hand for support. I wish I shared your optimism, dad... "Nicola Christine Thomas," the man says, making me shiver with nerves. "You officially charged with one account of assault and battery. All relevant information is provided on the charge sheet I've given you, and the bail costs have been paid in full. Do you have any comments you wish to add at this time?" "I- I'm meant to be getting married tomorrow..." I feebly moan. ---------- THREE DAYS EARLIER ---------- "This is so exciting!" Katie squeaks as she does a twirl in her strapless bridesmaid dress, the many layers and ruffles rustling noisily with every movement. "Even if I AM wearing pink..." "Was there ever any question over which colour we'd be wearing?" Jacinta asks as she plays with the skirts of her dress. "It's a girl-girl wedding, if you don't like the colour pink, you're going to be in for a LONG day!" "Even our fathers are wearing pink shirts!" I giggle as I watch my four bridesmaids compare their elaborate gowns. Looking at the four beautiful women, it's almost impossible to believe that three of them used to be men... But it's even harder to believe that less than a week from now, I will be a bride. Six years ago, I was just an average teenaged boy- or at least, that's what I pretended to be. I said the right things in front of what few friends I had, I behaved the way that was expected of me... But inside, the 'real me' felt trapped, imprisoned, desperate to be released and show the world the girl I always wanted to be. And then I met the girl who would change my life forever- and to whom I owe everything. My life, my body, my heart and my soul... Especially my heart and my soul. Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I hadn't met Sarah. I definitely wouldn't have nearly as many amazing friends as I do now. I'd barely have any friends at all, certainly no female friends. Would I have found a girlfriend? Maybe. But I'd be forever fighting the urge to dress up in her clothes, as I obviously wouldn't have any of my own- as I would almost certainly still be known as 'Nick' and not 'Nikki'. I would never have had the courage to come out to my parents without Sarah's love and support. I'd never have started hormone therapy, I'd never have grown my hair, or started ballet, and I certainly wouldn't be sat where I am right now with a pair of smooth, firm breasts growing out of my chest and a vagina between my legs. Some days I even struggle to remember what it's like to NOT have a vagina. My whole life is a dream come true... And four days from now, my dreams will literally come true. Last night, as I have done thousands of times before, I dreamed of myself and my soul mate stood in a vast, elaborately decorated church, each wearing a pristine white wedding dress and professing our love for each other in front of our family and friends. The reality will be slightly different, of course- instead of a church, we'll be getting married in the vast back garden of our friend Charlotte, and instead of a priest, it's our friend Krystie who'll be performing the ceremony (possibly from a seated position, owing to the fact that she's 32 weeks pregnant). Our wedding will be no less special, though, because it doesn't matter who is the one to declare us wife and wife, or what building it'll be in- or whether it'll be in a building at all. What matters is who'll be at the wedding. Our family, our friends... And most importantly of all, the brown-haired girl in the adjacent suite to ours, who greets me with a long, loving kiss as we get ready to leave the bridal boutique. "Everything's fine, right?" Sarah asks. "Everything's PERFECT," I say, giving my grinning fianc?e another long kiss. "Almost can't believe we're really doing this..." "Tell me about it," Sarah says in a nervous, almost breathless voice. "Four days from now, we'll be Mrs and Mrs Phillips-Thomas..." "You- you're not, you know, getting cold feet, are you?" I hesitantly ask. "Never," Sarah replies, surprising me with another kiss as the two of us, along with our bridesmaids (those not too busy with school or work), are led out to our waiting taxis. "Do you- do you ever, you know..." I mumble. "Ever... Wonder what you'd be doing now, right now I mean, if we hadn't met?" "...I'd be lying if I said I hadn't," Sarah sighs. "Reckon I'd probably, I dunno, be at Oxford or Cambridge, studying medicine or law..." "Thanks, way to make your fianc?e feel better," I tease, earning a gentle elbow in my ribs. "You know as well as I do that I would also be MISERABLE," Sarah says. "Whereas right now, I literally love every single aspect of my life. Literally every bit of it. Hell, I'm even on relatively good terms with the dragon, THAT was unthinkable a few years ago!" "I can't claim all the credit for that," I snort. "No, but you can definitely claim some of it," Sarah says. "And you can claim a LOT of the credit for my happiness." "You can claim pretty much ALL the credit for mine," I giggle as we exchange our fourth kiss in as many minutes. Naturally, once we arrive back at our flat, our relatively innocent series of kisses quickly becomes a hot, passionate lovemaking session. As we lay on the sofa together, our naked bodies tingling and covered with a fine sheen of sweat, I muse on how there is nowhere in the world I would rather be, or anyone I would rather be with. It's taken a while- almost six years- but I have finally earned the life I deserve to live. Despite the summer heat, we stay cuddled together on the sofa for a full hour following the conclusion of our lovemaking session. Even though neither of us want to move even an inch, we're both reluctantly forced to accept that sooner or later, we are going to have to move, so with loud sighs, we return to our bedroom to get dressed. I opt for a knee- length dress with black and white stripes that's just tight enough at the hem to make my stride extra-feminine, while Sarah plumps for a short-sleeved grey bodysuit and a flared miniskirt with a floral pattern that she herself made a few weeks ago. Naturally, the bodysuit is clingy enough (especially in our non-air-conditioned flat) that I can't resist wrapping my arms around my fianc?e's waist once she's stretched it over her torso. "Stop that!" Sarah giggles. "There'll be enough time for that when we're married. We can't live on sex alone, you know?" "Mmm... Pretty sure I can," I sigh as I tighten my grip, forcing Sarah to try to wriggle out of my embrace. "Yeah, well, our flat DOES need cleaning," Sarah sighs. "Don't want to put anything up on Instagram or YouTube with takeaway containers all over the place..." "Ugh, guess you're right," I sigh, releasing my fianc?e from my hug (but not before giving her a kiss on the cheek). "You hit 50 000 on Instagram yet?" "Reckon I will be this time next week," Sarah replies. "No prizes for guessing why, hehe!" "Yeah," I giggle as I grab a black bin bag from the kitchen and begin throwing away the various food containers that are littering our living room. One thing I certainly never imagined when I was fourteen was that I wouldn't be just a woman, but a famous woman as well- relatively speaking, of course. I've spent the last three years working around celebrities, and while they are still, technically speaking, my bosses, I've grown close enough to them to view them all as my friends- especially the 25 year old woman who's been my mentor and will be my maid of honour in four days' time. It was her wedding just a few weeks ago, and even though I'm not a 'proper' Angel, I was chosen as one of her bridesmaids, and as far as Jamie was concerned, I had as much right to be there as any of the other girls. I don't know if it's because we obviously have a lot in common- Jamie was the first transgendered friend I ever made, and with the obvious exception of her husband, the reverse applies too- but she has become the big sister I never had, but always wished I did. Even if she did mercilessly tease me for getting a little bit tipsy at her hen night... The most noticeable effect of Jamie's friendship, though- to anyone looking in from the outside, anyway- is definitely her willingness to 'share her fame'. She- and the rest of the Angels, and Out of Heaven too- have enthusiastically promoted our wedding on their social media pages, to the extent that my YouTube, Twitter and Instagram accounts have all seen a surge of followers, with the latter two also becoming verified accounts. Sure, I barely do any modelling myself anymore (I still do more than I ever did as part of the 'Teen Angels', though), and my actual job can be really, really hard work at times, but it's nice to know that there are thousands of people across the country who've got my back. I even have fans and friends from further afield, like Europe, or even America. What's most heartwarming, of course, is when I get correspondence from transgendered girls younger than me. Just as Jamie is my 'mentor', I've helped to 'mentor' many young T-girls who are at the start of their transitions. Seeing them begin their journeys toward the people they truly are inside always puts a smile on my face- but every time I speak to them, I'm reminded that the journey is not a smooth one- nor has it been for me. There will always be people who see me as an object of ridicule, who see me as some kind of freak, or abomination, or affront to god. I don't pay any attention to any of these people, of course- I make a point of thinking far less of them than they think of me. Hell, I think far less of them than I think of the empty food containers I'm shoving into the bin. But they'll never go away, no matter how hard I try, and what hurts the most is that it's not just me who has to take the abuse. Over the course of her second year, Sarah has become more and more involved in the university's LGBT society, has made many friends (including more than a few transgendered friends), one of whom- the society's president, a girl named Becky- has become such a good friend Sarah's even asked her to be one of her bridesmaids. Sarah's both attended and organised society events, and even gone on pride marches with them. Naturally, I've always accompanied her, and I've always been made to feel welcome by the other members of the society... But we haven't always been made to feel welcome by members of the public. London might be one of the most diverse cities in the world, but that just means that there are plenty of people who would react negatively to the sight of two women walking down the street hand-in-hand- and who occasionally do react that way. Dyke, scum, disgusting, sickening... I've heard all those words directed at me over the past few years, even from people who didn't realise that I was transgendered. What hurts more, though, is that I've heard all those words directed at Sarah as well. She puts on a brave face, but I know the deep down inside, it hurts her, and sometimes, I actually wonder whether or not she sees being with me as being worth all the hassle. Every night I go to bed wrapped in her arms, I feel like pinching myself to make sure that it isn't all a dream. "Do you, Nicola Christine Thomas," the minister asks as I stand before him in my pristine white wedding dress, "take this woman, Sarah Jennifer Phillips, to be your lawfully wedded wife?" "I do," I whisper. "And do you, Sarah Jennifer Phillips," the minister asks, "take this woman, who has always been and will always be a woman, Nicola Christine Thomas, to be your lawfully wedded wife?" "I do," Sarah whispers, leaning in toward me to give me a long, loving kiss as I close my eyes and feel my body start to melt away... My eyes dart open and I find myself staring deep into the blue-grey orbs of my fianc?e, whose lips are pressed firmly against my own. Naturally, I do my best to return the kiss, despite my tired state, before Sarah brushes a stray lock of hair away from her break and pulls her mouth back from mine. "Morning babe," Sarah whispers, giving me another gentle kiss on the end of my nose before getting out of bed and stretching her slender body. "What time is it?" I moan. "Just gone 7," Sarah says. "We oughta get up and get ready..." "Yeah," I sigh, climbing out of bed and following Sarah to the bathroom, where we both climb underneath the hot cascading water. After drying ourselves off, we perform our usual morning 'ritual' of brushing each other's hair, before returning to our bedroom to get ready for the morning ahead. I have to let out a little giggle as Sarah and I simultaneously tie our extra-long hair back into tight ponytails with the exact same actions- Sarah is obviously the one who taught me to tie a ponytail in the first place. Of course, on a free day, I'd normally keep my hair loose, as the feel of my own soft hair falling in front of my face is one of those unquestionably feminine sensations that I just can't get enough of- unlike my fianc?e, who hates having hair in her face! Today, however, having hair in my face is not an option, as after we pull on our tight, scanty thongs, we both stretch skin-tight black tank leotards over our bodies. With Sarah and her friends finished from university for the year, Krystie (well, her business partner Zoe, anyway) has moved the regular 'Angel Family' dance lesson back to Wednesday mornings, hence the leotards, and after covering up- Sarah in another homemade floaty skirt and me in a light sleeves summer dress- we grab our dance bags and head out to Sarah's car, pulling up a few minutes later in the car park of the Krystie Fullerton School of Dance. "I still sometimes pinch myself when I look in there and realise that all these women are my friends," Sarah giggles. "Yeah, I know a thing or two about dreams coming true," I reply, earning a hug from my fianc?e as we head into the already-packed dressing room. The second we step through the door, however, all the women present- regardless of their state of dress (or undress)- drop what they're doing and start singing Wagner's Bridal Chorus, causing our cheeks to immediately turn red with embarrassment. "Aww, girlies!" I squeak, nervously giggling as Sarah and I are wrapped in a tight group hug. Another thing that always warms my heart is how willing all the girls are to just accept that I have always been one of them, thinking nothing of walking around topless (and sometimes even bottomless) in front of me. "Just three days until the big one!" Jamie teases, giving me a tighter hug than anyone else. "Can't believe my 'baby sister' is really getting married..." "What 'baby sister'?" I retort. "I was sixteen when we first met. AND taller than you!" "Still, though," Jamie says as we each pull on a pair of pink tights over our leotards, "You've come SO far in the time I've known you, you've got a job, found your own place, become a true, independent woman- and an 'anatomically correct' one too! Can't help but be a little proud... Even though I know I can only take a teeny, tiny bit of the credit, hehe!" "You can take a BIT more than that," I say. "You know, it was here- well, Krystie's old place, anyway- where we met for the first time?" "I remember," Jamie says with a smug grin. "Think it was Krystie's 21st, wasn't it? The Nutcracker... God, I hadn't even had SRS back then!" "I'd only been out and on HRT for two months!" I giggled. "But you were still as gorgeous and as girly as any of the women in this room," Jamie laughs. "Do- do you ever, you know, regret it? HRT, I mean?" "...No," I reply. "Had to think a bit- I mean, the recovery period sucked. A lot. But in the end... I've not 'lost' anything. I feel so, so much more free with- heh. This might sound silly, but I don't see SRS as having something removed, but something added. Like, before, it was like I was living without a vagina, and now..." "I totally get where you're coming from," Jamie said softly. "And the sex life?" I tease with a wink. "Let's just say that's every bit a 'gain' as well, hehe!" "Atta girl," Jamie giggles as we grab our dance bags and follow everyone through to the studio, where- after Krystie has performed her traditional ritual of tying my hair, Jamie's hair, Stephanie's hair and Jacinta's hair into tight buns- the lesson begins. About forty minutes into the lesson, though- just after we've all changed into our pointe shoes- Krystie calls the lesson to a halt, surprising me and Sarah- but oddly enough, the rest of the class don't seem that shocked... "Ladies," Krystie announces as she slowly waddles toward the centre of the class. "As today- well, this whole week- is a very, VERY special occasion, I have invited a few guests to watch the end of today's lesson." My jaw drops, and so does Sarah's, as the door to the reception area opens and my parents walk in, followed by my two year old sister in her tiny dancewear (her lesson is immediately after ours). Beverly walks in next, followed by her parents- Sarah's grandparents- and my three living grandparents. Lastly, Sarah's paternal grandmother slowly walks into the dance class, followed by her son- Sarah's father- and his wife, all of whom have wide grins on their faces. Yes, even Diane, 'the dragon', seems genuinely pleased to be here today. "What- what's going on?" Sarah asks. "Umm, you're getting married on Saturday, that's what's going on!" Beverly laughs, making her daughter roll her eyes. "What's going on TODAY?" I clarify. "Today," Krystie says, "our two lovebirds are going to entertain us, and their families, for the remainder of the lesson!" I start to blush again, before letting out a playful moan as Zoe pulls a clothing rack from the storage room, on which are a pair of bright white tutus with long, flowing skirts that look eerily like wedding dresses. "Go on," Jamie says, giving me a gentle pull toward the changing room. "And don't forget your stage make-up too!" Krystie commands, making me and my fianc?e roll our already pretty made-up eyes. "Wait," Charlotte says, leading Sarah away from me. "It's bad luck for the bride to see the other bride in her wedding dress before the wedding!" "Umm, I'm pretty sure whoever invented that superstition didn't think about same-sex weddings," I say. "And our dresses are identical," Sarah says. "So are those tutus." "No excuses," Charlotte says, leading Sarah toward the empty storage room while Jamie grabs a tutu and all but drags me back toward the changing room, where I'm forced to exchange my pink tights for an opaque white pair, before retying my pointe shoes and stepping into the elaborate tutu, which my mentor excitedly laces shut. "Krystie commissioned these tutus AGES ago, after you two first got engaged," Jamie explains as she wraps a bib around my neck and begins enhancing my make-up. "Cost quite a bit too, at least ?300 each." "Three hundred quid?" I ask. "Jeez... She really shouldn't have gone to this much trouble, especially with her own wedding coming up, and her baby..." "She wasn't engaged OR pregnant when she commissioned them," Jamie says. "And it's not like we won't get to use them again, like, for Zoe and her fianc?e, or Jessica and Paige... And ?600 isn't THAT much, really, not with how much we're earning nowadays. Our Amazon deal is a LOT more generous than the one we had with ITV, especially given how much they're merchandising us!" "Still though," I say. "It's- it's like you're treating us like we're 'real' Angels." "That's because you ARE 'real' Angels," Jamie says softly. "Both of you. And I don't mean because you used to be 'Teen Angels'. I mean because when you strip away everything, all the celebrity, all the money, all the non-important crap... I am proud to call Nikki Thomas my friend." "When you say 'strip away everything'," I retort, "does that include our femininity?" "Absolutely not," Jamie says. "Because everything I mentioned- the fame, the fortune- is part of the disguise. Our femininity is what's left when all of the disguise is gone." "Damn right," I whisper with a wide grin on my face. Fifteen minutes later, I elegantly glide back into the dance studio and am greeted by a rapturous round of applause, applause that only intensifies once Sarah emerges from her side of the studio dressed in her own elaborate tutu. For the next ten minutes, Sarah and I dance around the room, flawlessly performing the routine that Krystie had choreographed for us so many years ago. When we first performed the routine, Sarah and I had only been dancing en pointe for a few months, and our routine was riddled with errors here and there- a step in the wrong direction, an arm out of place, etc- but today, we are proper ballerinas, delighting the audience with our craft. Needless to say, when I was fourteen, I'd never have imagined that I would've made such a graceful and elegant dancer- especially as I was so clumsy I often tripped over my own feet- but now, I am as feminine and graceful on the tips of my toes as any of the other women in the studio, many of whom have been dancing their whole lives. Ballet's helped me on a day to day basis, too- gone is the slouchy, lazy teenaged boy, and in his place is a graceful, elegant teenaged girl. All of my body language from my head to my toes is entirely feminine- something I'd never have dreamed was possible six years ago. Every ballet lesson I attend will always be a reminder of how undeniably feminine I have become over that period of time, but it will also hold an extra special place in my heart- as it was the first activity Sarah and I did together as girl and girl. We conclude our routine by dipping into perfect, mirrored ballerina's curtseys, which earns us standing ovations from everyone present- even jenny, who immediately runs over to give me a cuddle! "Aww," I coo as I pick the two year old girl up and carry her back to our parents- who of course insist on taking loads of photos of me with the toddler in my arms! "You liked your big sister's dance, then?" "Yeah!" Jenny enthusiastically replies. "Well, give it about ten years, then you'll be doing a dance of your own!" I say, giving Jenny a gentle kiss on her temple before handing her back to my proud father. "Absolutely beautiful," dad says with real emotion in his voice. "Both of you. All three of you, heh! I'm a lucky guy, having three beautiful daughters." "Two of which you'll have to share," Robert- Sarah's father- says, making my father chuckle. "But you're not wrong. If Kerrie grows up to be half as smart as Sarah or half as mature as Nikki, or even a tenth as beautiful as either of them, she'll be a lucky girl indeed!" "Thanks, dad," Sarah whispers, blinking a tear from her eye. "Dads plural, heh!" "Thanks, dads!" I giggle. "It's a pity Kerrie couldn't make it, actually," Robert continues. "But we didn't want to take her out of school, even if she is almost at the end of primary school now." "Is she eleven, then?" Dad asks. "Ten," Robert replies with a proud grin. "Just got next year to go then off to secondary school. Though she is acing ALL of the tests she takes. She's in the school netball team, plays clarinet in the orchestra..." "Ah, she's her sister's sister," my father chuckles. "Nikki, of course, was never all that academic-" "Okay, we're sharing embarrassing childhood stories now," I sigh loudly, making the two older men chuckle. "We'll leave you two to it." "Kids, eh?" Dad shrugs. "We'll see you at the dinner tonight if not before." "See you," I say, leading Sarah back to the changing room to change back into our street clothes. Before we get ten feet, though, we're intercepted by Katie and Lauren, both of whom are, of course, still wearing their leotards, and both of whom greet us with long, tight hugs. "Girlie girlie girlie girlie!" Katie squeaks as she gives me body a tight squeeze. "Careful of the costume!" I say, making Katie giggle even more. "God- sorry, sorry!" Katie giggles. "This is just so exciting, though! Just 72 hours to go..." "Are you going to do a countdown of every single hour leading up to our wedding?" I ask. "Better yet, are you going to a count-UP of every hour AFTER our wedding?" Sarah asks, making the tall freckled girl blush. "Shut up," Katie mumbles with a giggle. "Not every day two of your best friends get married..." "Not every day that it's a double hen night, either! Lauren squeaks as she excitedly bounces up and down. "Even if it IS going to be on a day when the sun doesn't set until after 9pm..." "Here we were, thinking that you were hard-drinking, ultra-nocturnal students?" Katie asks with a playful pout. "Oh, trust us, we have the 'hard drinking' thing DOWN!" Sarah giggles. "As for the 'student' bit..." I grimace, eliciting a sympathetic smile from Katie. One of my biggest regrets from my life as Nikki was pushing her away when I needed help, rather than drawing her closer. Even though we're still close friends- she's one of my bridesmaids, after all- there's a part of me that feels that she could (and probably should) been my absolute best friend. Well, apart from Sarah, of course! "...You're still cool," Katie says with a giggle. "Even though the wedding will be 'students vs Angels'?" I ask. "Students AND Angels," Lauren corrects me. "We've had enough 'versus' for one lifetime! Time for, you know, peace and happiness. Time for you two to live happily ever after." "Hear hear!" Sarah cheers. "On the topic of the guest list, though..." Lauren asks with a grimace. "And- and I'm only asking out of curiosity, but- but have you invited... You know who?" "...Desperate Dannii?" I ask, making the two girls giggle awkwardly. "No. Don't know whether or not she'd attend, and frankly, we don't care." "Understandable, I guess," Lauren sighs. "I mean- I guess there are times I miss her, she WAS my best friend for, like, six years..." "Aww, but you've got a new, BETTER BFF now!" Katie giggles, giving the shorter, curvy girl a tight hug. "Totally," Lauren laughs. "FIVE BFFs, actually!" The four of us giggle as we're joined by the other two members of our 'gang'. "Hey girlies!" The leotard-clad Jacinta squeaks as she gives gentle hugs to myself and Sarah, while Ophelia, still wearing her custom-made black leotard, stands behind her with an uncharacteristic smile on her face. "You two are just SO gorgeous..." "Are you talking to us, or to the tutus?" I ask, making the tall T-girl blush. "...Okay, BOTH!" Jacinta giggles. "Though they aren't a patch on your ACTUAL wedding dresses, hehe!" "Too right!" I laugh, before turning my attention to Lauren and Ophelia. "Thank you SO much for working on them for us, especially given how busy you've been at uni." "It was my pleasure," Ophelia replies. "Thank you both so much for including both of us in your wedding parties. And for including both of us in your group from the start of our university careers." "A very wise person once told us that you can never have too many friends," I say with a knowing smile. "Our biggest thanks, though," Sarah teases, "are for not including spine-crushing corsets in our wedding dresses!" I let out an involuntary giggle as Sarah's teasing causes the purple-haired girl to blush. "I suppose that different people have different tastes," Ophelia says with a playful sigh that makes the six of us- Ophelia herself included- giggle. "Speaking of which, I must return to the changing room now. I feel somehow incomplete without my corset." "Me too," Lauren says, earning quizzical stares from myself and Sarah. "...Seriously?" I ask. "Oh yeah," Katie confirms. "She's been making me lace her in every morning since about March." "Why would you need to wear a corset?" I ask the black-haired girl. "Nikki, I'm short and fat," Lauren sighs. "You are not fat!" I protest. "You've got, what, a 26 inch waist? That's narrower than mine!" "And 38 inch hips," Lauren retorts. "Which are much wider than yours." "Exactly," I say. "I'm jealous of those too. Seriously, you have, like, the best body type of anyone in this room!" "...Told you," Katie shrugs. "...I'm still wearing the corset," Lauren says, earning another group giggle as the four women head off to get changed. "We should probably get changed too," Sarah says. "It is getting a little hot..." "Only 'cause you're standing next to me," I giggle, surprising Sarah with a quick kiss. Our intimate moment comes to an abrupt end, however, when we turn around and come face-to-face with six elderly men and women. After an awkward silence, Sarah and I breathe a sigh of relief when the senior citizens all break out into wide grins, greeting us with gentle hugs (from the women) and gentle handshakes (from the men). "You were both very, very good," Grandma Irene says with a proud smile. "Very elegant, both of you," Sarah's grandfather says. "Of course, they'll be even more beautiful on Saturday, in their proper wedding dresses!" Sarah's grandmother teases, making the two of us blush. "Of course, in our day, the thought of two women even being able to get married was unheard of," Grandpa Bill says, making our other grandparents fidget uncomfortably. "...Well, that just goes to show how much things have improved since our day, doesn't it?" Grandma Irene asks, beaming a warm smile at myself and my fianc?e. "Nobody should be made to feel that they are less than human simply for falling in love with someone other people don't approve of." "Nor should they be ridiculed for living their life in a way that other people don't approve of," Nana Jean says. "And who knows? A few years from now, we may be celebrating the arrival of our first great- grandchild..." "Getting a bit ahead of ourselves!" I protest, making the grandparents all chuckle. "We're still only twenty, we're barely adults ourselves... Another reason people might think we shouldn't get married." "Well know this," Grandma Irene says, wiping a tear from her eye. "Those people are WRONG. The two of you deserve nothing but all the happiness in the world." "...Thanks," I sniff, wiping away a tear of my own as Sarah and I exchange another round of hugs with the grandparents. "...We REALLY should get changed," I laugh, gesturing to the reception area where several young mothers are sat with their dancewear-clad toddlers on their laps. "Jenny will get angry if she doesn't get to do her dancing, heh." "Like sister, like sister," Grandpa Bill laughs as Sarah and I try to make our way to the changing room, though before we get all the way through reception, we're stopped one more time by probably the two most important women in our lives. "Beautiful, both of you," my mother says as she gives a tight hug to me and my fianc?e. "Is your dad already in there with your sister?" "Yeah, think Krystie would've started yelling at us if we hadn't cleared out of there when we did, heh!" I laugh. "Well, just as long as she doesn't try that on Saturday," mum says with a devilish grin. "Never mess with the mother of the bride." "Mothers, plural, of the brides, plural," Beverly says, exchanging a soft chuckle with my mother before giving long hugs to me and Sarah. "I am so, so proud of how far you've come. How far BOTH of you have come." "Thanks, mum," Sarah sniffles. "Thanks, Beverly," I whisper. "I really couldn't have done any of- well, this, without you." "I'm sure the girl you are- the real you- would have come out eventually," Beverly says. "Maybe," I shrug. "But she wouldn't be anywhere near as happy as I am now, if you hadn't been so accepting as you were when you found out about 'the real me'. So thank you, thank you for everything." "Absolutely," mum agrees. "I know it sounds weird- a lot of mothers would probably be angry if they found out that another parent had been enabling their son to dress up as a girl. But frankly, I couldn't be happier that that's what happened." "I just did what I felt was best," Beverly says, clearly embarrassed by the praise being heaped on her. "Because of, umm, my training..." "Well thank you," mum says. "Thank YOU, Beverly, not your training. But most of all... Thank you, Sarah. For always being there for my Nikki." "And thank you Nikki," Beverly says. "For being the best daughter-in-law I could hope for." "Oh my god," I sigh as I feels tears form in my eyes. "...We really should get out of these tutus, hehe!" "And I need to get to work," Beverly says with a chuckle as she and my mother bid us both farewell. With a long, heavy sigh, Sarah and I head into the changing room, where we finally peel off our costumes- which have become more than a little sticky in the summer heat! "Ugh," Sarah spits as she slides her tights off of her legs. "These things should be banned in summer!" "You can be the one to tell Krystie and Zoe that!" I giggle. "Not that I disagree with you, of course... God, fancy that, me being glad to NOT be wearing tights!" "That's because it's not what's on the outside that makes you a girl," Sarah giggles as she wraps her arms around my naked torso and gives me a long, tender kiss, before placing her palm on my chest. "It's what's in here." "Oh- in public, girls?" Krystie asks, causing Sarah and I to yelp and hastily cover ourselves up. "Quick reminder that there are, like, 3 year old kids in the next room? Your sister being one of them." "...Sorry," I mumble. "And stop being so coy," Krystie snorts. "If you're going to be naked anywhere, a changing room would surely be top of that list. It's nothing I haven't seen before. Even 'on' you, MISS Thomas!" "You should've seen how coy she was immediately following her operation," Sarah says with a smug grin. "Oh- shut up," I moan as I pull my leotard and my dress back on. "Sometimes I wonder," Krystie muses, "when you are Jamie are chatting privately, do you ever discuss your vaginas?" "No more than the rest of you- sorry, the rest of US girls!" I defiantly retort, earning giggles from my fianc?e and my friend. "God, I can't even imagine what that must be like, having THAT kind of surgery done..." Krystie sighs. "Stung a bit at first," I say. "I don't doubt it," Krystie laughs. "I'm dreading when this one pops out... tempted to go for a C-section but I can't really afford the scar, not when I want to get back into modelling after I've lost all the baby weight." "I dunno," I muse as I lazily trace the faint outline of the V-shaped scar above my vagina through my dress. "Some scars just make you more beautiful..." Naturally, after Sarah and I arrive home, we waste no time in freeing each other from our clothes and spending the rest of the morning wrapped in each other's arms... "...Ever think that we need a hobby BESIDES sex?" Sarah asks after we get our breath back, making me giggle. "We go out partying with our friends," I shrug. "We've just come from a dance class... We HAVE lives." "Yeah, I suppose," Sarah says with a smirk. "And besides," I say with a grin. "I like sex better than any of those things!" Sarah giggles as we spend the rest of the morning and most of the early afternoon cuddled together on the sofa watching TV, not speaking, simply enjoying each other's company. Eventually, however, we're forced to rise from out snuggle to get ready for tonight- our not-quite-rehearsal-dinner-but-close-enough meal with our families. After taking another shower (as it's June, Sarah and I have got VERY sweaty- especially considering the things we were doing this morning!), we head into our bedroom to change into very posh, knee- length pencil dresses. My dress is very slender, cinching in my waist and showing off what few curves I've developed over the last few years (and making me envy Lauren all the more), and has cap sleeves and a square neckline. The whole dress is a deep mauve colour, as are the 4 inch heeled stiletto pumps I slip my feet into. Sarah's dress, of course, is more elaborate than mine. It's strapless, the bodice (and attached peplum) made of a shimmering silver material while the skirt is made of a dark, almost jet black fabric, matching her heels. Naturally, both of our dresses are Sarah's own creation, and both fit us like a glove. After fixing our hair (I straighten my hair as far as it will go and let it hang loose, whilst Sarah of course opts for an elaborate updo) and our make-up, both of us douse ourselves in liberal amounts of perfume, put on our most expensive jewellery, grab our handbags and head downstairs to where my father is waiting to pick us up in his taxi. As we slide onto the back seat, I actually breathe a sigh of relief when I see that dad has made an effort and put on a suit- even if there is one part of his look that I DON'T approve of... "Are you seriously keeping that beard?" I ask before I've even finished fastening my seatbelt. "I think it makes me look distinguished," dad retorts. "It's going grey, while the rest of your hair isn't," I say. "Any greyer and you'll start to look like Santa." "Oh leave him alone," Sarah protests. "Your dad isn't THAT overweight." "Thank you, daughter-in-law!" Dad chuckles. "And I figured as you're making me wear a pink shirt at the wedding..." "Don't speak too soon, we very nearly actually asked our mothers to give us away," I retort. "As Sarah's Beverly's only child, but you and Sarah's dad have other daughters..." "...It's not actually THAT bad an idea," dad concedes. "But there'll be time enough to talk about it later. Tonight, we celebrate the two of you." "Thanks," I whisper as we head toward the restaurant, where many of our family and friends have already assembled. Naturally, hugs are exchanged with everyone upon arrival, even if the hug with Sarah's half-brother Karl is extremely awkward, considering what happened at Christmas! It's certainly an improvement from when I first met the teenaged boy, though- back then, Sarah's stepmother wouldn't let me touch either of her children at all. Now, she's actually smiling as I give a gentle hug to her ten year old daughter. "Hi Kez!" I squeak, remembering Sarah's instruction to use the young girl's preferred nickname. "Hi Nikki!" Kerrie squeaks. "Mum showed me the video of the dance that you and Sarah did today, it looked SO beautiful!" "Thanks!" I giggle. "And here I was, thinking that you were too grown-up for ballet?" Sarah teases her sister, who rolls her eyes in response. "Well, if you do it, but you're an adult," Kerrie replies. "And if Jamie-Lee Burke does it too!" I gaze over at my maid of honour, who has a shy smile on her face- clearly, Kerrie's more than a little obsessed with The Angels! "...I'll see about getting you an goody bag to take home," I whisper to the ten year old girl, who squeaks excitedly as her parents lead her back to their seats. "You've been in demand, then?" Sarah asks Jamie, who giggles and rolls her eyes. "Just part of the job!" Jamie shrugs. "Your sister's been pestering Stuart a lot more than me though, ever since I told her that he's Out of Heaven's producer." "Thanks for that, by the way," Jamie's husband says, making Sarah and I giggle as we take our seats at the head of the table. "Everyone got their speeches all ready, then?" I ask as the restaurant's waiters bring us our starters. "Don't worry, Kez, we're not going to expect you to speak in front of a whole room. Jamie will do a double- length speech for you!" "Of course I will," Jamie laughs, rolling her eyes at me. "Seriously, though, I've had a hard time cutting down what I plan on saying." "Hardly a new problem," Stuart says, making everyone giggle as his wife gives him a playful elbow in the ribs. "How many people are you expecting on Saturday?" Robert asks. "About sixty in total," Sarah replies. "Families, uni friends, colleagues, pretty much the entire extended Angel family..." "Will anyone be attending from the company you'll be working with over the summer?" Diane asks. "Umm... No," Sarah replies, clearly uncomfortable with the question. "I haven't started there yet, would've seemed a little, umm, awkward..." "It might have been a good way to network, make contacts at the company," Diane suggests. "Get yourself set up with a job for after you graduate, maybe." "I'm 99% sure I'm going to be doing a Masters after I graduate," Sarah replies. "And how about you, Nikki?" Diane asks making me internally curse. "Are you still a secretary for that little band?" "Mum!" Kerrie protests. "Out of Heaven are more than just 'that little band', they're the best band in the country!" I can't help but grin smugly as Kerrie tells off her mother- you're not winning this one, 'dragon'... "And I'm more of a 'personal assistant' than a 'secretary'," I say proudly. "I liaise with studios and other production companies, I accompany the girls on publicity tours..." "My sister's always talking about how Nikki practically runs the band, day-to-day, anyway," Stuart says. "God knows the Angels haven't been the same without her!" Jamie says, giggling as I mouth a silent 'thank you' at her and her husband. "And we'll be REALLY busy with these tours the band's doing in August and October," I say. "Hard enough to be separated from Sarah for just one day, let alone five..." "Aww," mum sighs as Sarah and I link hands on the table. "Though I'll be jetting off across Europe next year too," Sarah says. "Visiting fashion shows across the continent... Should be able to bring my best girl- sorry, my new WIFE with me on some of them, though!" "Have you decided where you'll be going on honeymoon yet?" Robert asks. "We're pretty sure it'll be Spain," Sarah says. "We're not going until after the tour, so that Nikki can have a free week where she knows she won't be needed at work." "Do people usually not go on honeymoon immediately after their weddings nowadays, then?" Diane asks. "We jetted off straight after the reception, if I recall." "We got married last month and we haven't gone on our honeymoon yet," Jamie shrugs. "We were tempted to wait even longer, until winter, as we've always wanted to visit South Africa." "But today isn't about OUR honeymoon," Stuart says, flashing a grin in our direction. "So I feel a toast is maybe in order?" "Absolutely," dad says, rising from his chair and causing myself and Sarah to blush. "To my beautiful daughter, and my equally beautiful future daughter-in-law. May your future together be filled with happiness and love. From ALL your friends and family." "Hear hear," Robert concurs, trying not to grimace at Diane's disapproving glare. "Sarah... I always knew that one day, you would find the one person who would make you as happy as... You can be." Smooth, Robert, I think to myself as both Diane and Beverly regard the middle- aged man with an angry glare. "The love that you and Nikki have for each other is a pure and beautiful thing, and I hope that it lasts forever." "Hear hear!" Everyone concurs, causing Sarah and I to breathe a sigh of relief as the tension in the room starts to reduce- well, apart from Sarah's half-brother's occasional glances in Jamie's direction. Better than him glancing in my direction, I guess... "So," Robert asks. "Are you and Nikki having separate hen nights, or one big one?" "What's a 'hen night'?" Kerrie- who, despite being Sarah's maid of honour, obviously hasn't been invited on the hen night- asks, making the two of us awkwardly bite our lips. "Seriously?" I whisper to my fianc?e. "She's ten, not four..." "Remember who her mother is," Sarah whispers back to me, making me sigh. "It's a- umm..." I mumble. "It's a special kind of party," Jamie explains, flashing a sympathetic smile at myself and Sarah. "For, umm, for grown-up friends of the brides." "Aww," Kerrie sighs. "So I can't go to the party, then?" "You... Probably wouldn't have that much fun," Sarah says, glancing nervously toward her stepmother, who still has a look of fury on her face despite our best efforts to diffuse the tension at the table. "And we're having just the one," I say hastily, hoping that answering the question will cause the topic of conversation to move on. "Tomorrow night, rather than Friday, that way we can keep, you know, the 'don't see the bride before the wedding' superstition alive, umm..." "Makes sense," Robert shrugs, before grimacing himself as an awkward silence falls over the table. "Umm... Anyone else want to make any speeches?" "Sure," mum says, rising from her chair and smoothing her dress- a gift from Sarah for her last birthday. "Just over twenty years ago, I gave birth to a happy and healthy baby. As I looked into their eyes for the first time, I thought I saw their entire future, what they would do, who they would be... Needless to say, some of my predictions were a little bit 'out', heh." "Thanks, mum," I mumble, my cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "But the way they chose to live their life," mum continues, "is far less important than them living a happy, healthy and prosperous life. Over the last few years, Sarah has brought my Nikki more happiness than I could ever have hoped for, and it is with love and pride that I officially welcome her into the Thomas family." "Thanks, Sandra," Sarah whispers, sniffing back a tear as the table once again toasts us. "That raises an important question, actually," Robert says. "What'll happen to the old 'Phillips' name... I'm assuming the two of you are, you know, going double-barrelled?" "We ARE both the exact same gender," Sarah says, making me grin. "This is an equal marriage-" "Not that heterosexual marriages are any less equal, of course!" Jamie interjects, making my fianc?e giggle and blush. "...Never said they were," Sarah mumbles. "But yes, we're going 'Phillips-Thomas' as our surname, one because it's alphabetical, two because 'Thomas-Phillips' kinda sounds like a name in itself, heh." "Makes sense," dad shrugs. "Good to know the 'Thomas' name will live on!" "Assuming, of course, that Nikki and Sarah adopt a child," Diane interjects, raising the tension once again. "And that that child is a boy. And of course, remains a boy throughout his whole life..." "Think it's my turn to make a speech," Beverly says, earning a truly foul stare from Diane as she stands up, wine glass in hand. "Nikki, I've known you for almost six years, and I consider that to have been a true privilege. I can't think of anybody who would make a more suitable partner for my daughter, or anyone I would rather welcome into my family." "Aww, Beverly..." I sniffle, tears starting to trickle down my cheeks. "Decision made. We are TOTALLY having mother of the bride speeches at the reception!" "Totally!" Sarah giggles. "Thanks for the advance warning, girls," mum sighs as Sarah and I share a happy giggle. "I am, of course, going to think up EVERY embarrassing story from your life to include in my speech, like the time you drew all over the bathroom wall, or the time you were two and I caught you wearing- umm, my shoes..." I grimace as I stare down at the expensive high-heeled shoes currently attached to my feet- shoes that are unquestionably my property, but that some people still undoubtedly think I don't have business wearing. A glance across the table shows that despite her best efforts (and to her credit, she IS trying), my future stepmother-in-law is one of those people... "...Think we've run out of parents to make speeches," Robert chuckles, breaking the awkward silence that's fallen over the table. "I could always say something if-" Diane offers, causing mine and Sarah's bodies to immediately freeze solid with tension. "You're okay, Diane!" I laugh. "No thanks!" Sarah says at the same time as me, causing laughter from our parents- especially Sarah's mother- while Diane somehow looks even more annoyed than before. "...Think we need more wine," Stuart laughs nervously as the meal continues late into the evening... Thankfully, the meal doesn't drag on for much longer, thanks to Robert and Diane needing to take the children back home to Milton Keynes for school tomorrow. It should go without saying that with 'the dragon' gone, the tension that had ruined the meal instantly vanishes! Still, though, the rest of us only stick around for another half hour before leaving ourselves, my parents giving Beverly a lift home whilst we get a lift home in the Angelmobile with Jamie and Stuart. "That was... Horrific," I sigh as I slump onto the back seat of the bright pink taxi. "I've seen worse," Stuart mumbles. "My own I-can't-believe-it's-not-a- rehearsal-dinner, for starters." "Excuse me?" Jamie protests. "OUR own horrific pre-wedding meal, thank you very much." "I stand corrected," Stuart concedes. "And in fairness, neither of us have a wicked stepmother," Jamie says, making my fianc?e snort with laughter. "God... You know, I've known your mum for almost six years. We both have, actually. Hard to believe your dad divorced her and went for THAT instead." "Thanks," Sarah whispers, clearly still upset by the events of the meal. Not needing a second hint, I reach down beside me and give my fianc?e's hand a gentle squeeze, which immediately brings a smile back to her face. "Aww," Jamie sighs happily at our public display of affection. "I know I've said it a million times, but the two of you are just SO cute together... Almost hard to believe that, you know, this is it, that you're finally getting married..." "Don't- don't use the word 'finally'," I giggle. "Makes it sound like everything's coming to an end... I don't see this as an ending." "Me either," Sarah says with a grin. "Our lives are only just beginning!" "Don't speak too soon," Jamie says with a sly grin. "I guarantee that on Friday morning, after your hen night, you'll swear your lives were ENDING, hehe!" the four of us laughed loudly as the taxi made its way through the tight streets of London to our respective homes. Naturally, once Sarah and I arrive home, we while away the rest of the evening in each other's arms, stripping each other of our dresses and exploring our most intimate areas... With no work, university or other commitments- well, until later in the evening, anyway- Sarah and I sleep in on Thursday morning, relaxing in each other's arms in bed despite the summer heat. Eventually, though, we decide to move and head toward the shower, continuing our tradition of 'saving water' before drying each other off and brushing each other's hair. "...Hard to believe this is one of the last ever times we'll have showered as a non-married couple," I muse, making Sarah groan as she runs her hairbrush through my long brown hair. "DON'T start," my fianc?e snorts, before giggling as I playfully stock my tongue out at her. "And don't poke that thing out at me unless you intend to use it!" "Don't tempt me," I retort, giggling as Sarah pokes her tongue out at me. "You of all people should appreciate the fact that change is usually for the better," Sarah reminds me, making me smile as I stare down at my naked, glistening body- especially my soft, smooth breasts. "And it is," I sigh happily. For as much as my body's changed over the last few years, the part of it that I'm most focussed on is my left hand, and the diamond ring on my third finger... Which will get a 'partner' in just under 48 hours' time. I often describe Sarah as my lover, my fianc?e, my future wife and even my soul mate, but in truth, she is far, far more than even that. Her mere presence makes me feel completely at ease. Even when we're physically apart and we talk on the telephone, or even over Facebook, it's like she's right next to me. Sarah is never not in my thoughts, even when I'm asleep and dreaming. It's a feeling that's almost impossible to put into words, the feeling of utter joy and contentment that can be generated by just thinking about someone and knowing that they're thinking about you... Or at the very least, hoping that they're thinking about you. I think of myself and Sarah as two halves of the same soul, but however hard Sarah tries to prove to me that she feels the same way, there's always a part of me that's filled with doubt, a part of me that sometimes panics that she doesn't feel as strongly about me as I feel about her... Such 'panic' quickly vanishes, though, when we snuggle up together on the sofa to while away the morning and the afternoon watching TV and catching up on our social media accounts. With all ten Angels and all four members of Out of Heaven doing their best to promote the wedding, Sarah and I are receiving a LOT of media attention. Jonathan- the agency's manager- has even asked if we'd be happy to give interviews before and after the wedding! However, as tempting as the offer is, we both agreed that we don't want our wedding to be a media frenzy- we just want it to be a celebration of the love we have for each other. Before that 'celebration', though, there's one other 'celebration' the two of us must endure first, and just after 6pm, a knock comes from the door that makes each of us take a long, deep breath. "Hey gir-" I say as I open the door, only to be interrupted by the loud, excited yells of the six trench coat-clad women on our doorstep. "Hen night! Hen night! Hen night!" Jamie, Katie, Jacinta, Stephanie, Lauren and Ophelia all yell, deafening me and my fianc?e before forcing carrier bags into our hands and marching us through to our living room. "Aw- seriously?" Sarah asks. "This early?" "We all know how much you two drink!" Jamie giggles. "Want to get started early, hehe! But first things first... Costume time!" "I dread to ask," I say as I look at the pink-coloured garment inside the carrier bag. "...What, here? In the living room?" "It's your hen night," Katie says smugly. "Got to humiliate you somehow, right?" "What even ARE the costumes?" Sarah asks, before our jaws simultaneously drop as our friends remove their coats to reveal their costumes. I don't know what I'd been expecting, in truth. Lauren and Ophelia had designed the costumes, so we knew that there'd probably be a lot of cleavage and as little waist as possible. Sarah and I thought that we'd probably get some kind of tutu, or Angel-themed costume with a short petticoat skirt. What we've got instead is a skin-tight baby pink leotard with a thong back that will expose basically all of our buttocks, on top of which is a ridiculously tight pink corset that doesn't look like it's going to leave any room for any internal organs. Underneath the leotard and the corset are neon pink fishnet stockings and clear platform stilettos that will boost my height to well over six feet tall and I'll have difficulty walking in even when sober, let alone how drunk I'm inevitably going to get tonight. "...Seriously?" Sarah asks as she examines her leotard with a look of horror on her face. "You two designed these?" "You're only going to have one hen night," Lauren shrugs. "Want to make it as memorable as possible!" "...Ophelia?" I ask the pale-skinned girl, whose hair has been dyed a bright fuchsia colour for the evening. "Yes?" Ophelia replies with a look of innocence on her face. "You did want unique costumes for your hen night, did you not?" "Now come on," Jacinta urges as she removes the leotard, the corset and the stockings from my bag and shoves them in my hands. "The sooner you get it on, the sooner you can get comfortable." "And it IS surprisingly comfortable," Stephanie giggles as she does a quick twirl in her costume. "Even for us pre-op girls." "So you, MISS Thomas, have no excuse!" Katie laughs. "Now come on! The sooner you can get it on, the sooner we can get WASTED!" Reluctantly, Sarah and I sigh, before squeezing our bodies into the leotards, cringing when we find out they're even tighter than we anticipated. With our leotards in place (and not going anywhere thanks to Ophelia's excruciatingly tight corsets), Sarah and I are led to our kitchen, where our shoes are fastened to our feet with long, ballerina-like ribbon, ensuring that we won't be able to easily slip them off. Next is our make-up- thick fuchsia-coloured eyeshadow, ridiculously heavy fake eyelashes and several layers of neon pink lipstick- before two-inch long fuchsia-coloured nails are glued to our fingertips. Last, but not least, are the 'unique' aspects of mine and Sarah's costumes- bright neon pink veils that are weaved into our hair, and bright pink sashes, each of which has 'bride to be' printed on the front. "...God job my maid of honour isn't going to be here tonight!" Sarah giggles as our friends each don sashes reading 'bridesmaid' or, in Jamie's case, 'maid of honour'. "Becky not with you guys?" "She'll be there a bit later on, got caught up with work," Jacinta explains. "Trust me when I say that she's NOT going to miss a proper Angel hen night, hehe!" "Trust me when I say that no one in their right mind is going to miss a proper Angel hen night!" Katie squeaks excitedly as the eight of us head downstairs to our two waiting taxis. "And you have our guarantee that tonight, the only names on the guest list are 100% girly!" "That includes the strippers!" Lauren giggles. "Str- strippers?" Sarah asks nervously. "Oh, stop panicking!" Jamie urges as she opens the bottle of champagne that she'd stashed in our taxi. "And they're less 'stripper' and more 'exotic dancer'. You have my guarantee that the only tits that will be seen in public are yours, just now!" "And that's the only 'humiliation' you'll have to endure as well," Katie says. "No being tied to a lamp post, or anything like that. Not tonight, anyway!" "THAT makes me feel so much better," I snort, quickly downing my champagne. "And it's a good job I know how to pee in this thing..." "We've made plenty of spares just in case," Lauren teases as she refills my champagne glass. "All you need to worry about," Jamie giggles, "is drinking, drinking and having fun!" "And if we know anything about you two," Katie laughs, "it's that you've got THAT down to a fine art!" Sarah and I force smiles onto our faces as our taxi carries us toward our destination for the night, but with every yard, our tension level increases. However, it's hard to say whether this is due to anxiety or the tightness of our corsets... When we arrive at our club for the night, however, our jaws drop as we realise that just like our costumes, no expense has been spared. We've had an entire area of the club roped off for our use which has been decorated in pink and fuchsia streamers, balloons, banners with two intertwined wedding rings on them, pink-coloured 'L' plates- you name it, it's in this club and in either a pink or a fuchsia colour. A large dancefloor area has been cleared for our use, at the end of which is a large podium with two floor-to-ceiling poles attached either side- one of which Katie immediately grabs the second she sees it and starts playfully gyrating around. The most important 'addition' to the room, though, are the numerous girls- all of whom are dressed in identical costumes to myself and Sarah- making use of the dancefloor and the bar. All of them immediately stop what they're doing the second we arrive, though, to serenade us with a very loud, very off-key version of Here Comes the Bride, which makes me and Sarah blush furiously as we're ushered toward the bar for yet more champagne! "Oh my god, this is SO amazing!" Sarah squeaks as we down our drinks. "You're welcome!" Charlotte giggles, running up to the two of us and giving us a tight hug each. "I'm sorry I couldn't get the WHOLE club for the night..." "Trust me, this is PERFECT!" I laugh as I look around at all of my friends, celebrity, stewardess and student alike, mingling and having fun. Before I can say another word, however, the familiar strains of Shania Twain's 'Man I Feel Like a Woman' starts and I find a microphone shoved into my hand. I let out a long sigh, before a wide grin creeps cross my face. "Let's go girls," I coo into the microphone in a low, sultry voice. "Come on! I'm going out tonight, I'm feeling alright, gonna have a good time..." I just about manage to finish the entire song before my cheeks turn bright red and I'm drowned out by the cheering crowd. "You really think we'd let you off, after that video you posted while you were in America?" Stephanie asks as she takes the microphone from me, before handing it to my terrified-looking fianc?e. "There was more than one girl in that video..." "Oh, no," Sarah gasps, staring at the microphone like it was a venomous snake. "Come on," Kayla says, assisting Stephanie in dragging my fianc?e onto the podium. "We've already heard 'Man I Feel Like a Woman' once!" Sarah protests. "That's okay, we've got another song for you," Stephanie laughs as the opening bars of I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry play. Despite her embarrassment, Sarah sings the entire song, before I'm handed another microphone and ushered onto the podium for a duet performance of 'You're Just Too Good to be True', by the end of which our cheeks are burning so much we grab the nearest drink and down it in one! "You said no humiliation!" I hiss at Katie, who almost bends double with laughter. "You're not THAT bad a singer," Katie retorts, before handing me another drink. "Now come on, drink up! We want to see you on the pole before the end of the night..." "Oh- what?" I protest. "You're not that bad a dancer, either!" Katie giggles, before jumping up on the podium and resuming her gyrations around the shiny metal pole. Naturally, as the evening wore on, I got more and more drunk, meaning that there was no avoiding the pole. Sarah and I ended up delighting our friends with a simultaneous performance, after which we needed yet more alcohol, which left us feeling very unsteady on our suicidally high heels! "Careful!" Lauren laughs as she props myself and Sarah up, leading us to a nearby seat to take some of the weight off of our aching feet. "Beginning to regret the shoes now..." "Nah, it's just a bit of fun, isn't it?" I laugh as I slump into the seat and immediately snuggle up next to Sarah's equally inebriated form. "God knows if I'd have known about this costume when I was fourteen, and that I'd get to wear it on my very own hen night..." "OUR very own hen night!" Sarah giggles as she gives my body a tight squeeze. "Thanks for all this, Lauren." "Heh, don't thank me, it was a team effort!" Our black-haired friend laughs. "Ophelia did just as much work, Jamie and Charlotte paid for so much of it... Oh god." "...Forgot something?" Sarah asks with a drunken giggle. "Like maybe some skirts for these costumes?" "No, not that," Lauren says, her face turning white. "How- how did she know? Did someone post on Facebook or something?" "How did who know?" I ask, looking over my shoulder to where Lauren is looking. What I see, however, causes my stomach to sink and my blood to boil. There, stood at the entrance to the club, is the unmistakable six foot tall frame of Danielle Samson. "What. The. Fuck is she doing here?" Sarah hisses. "Just ignore her," Lauren says, forcing Sarah and I back into our seats. "I'll get rid of her." Defeated- and too drunk to stand up unassisted- I sink back into my chair and try to forget about our uninvited guest, but my anger levels rise again when Katie walks up to us with a look of utter shock on her face. "Did- did you just see who just came through the door?" Our freckled friend asks. "The fucking nerve of some people..." "Maybe- maybe it's just a coincidence," Sarah mumbles. "All the nightclubs in London and she picks this one?" Katie snorts. "No, this is NO coincidence. Ugh, she's coming over..." I feel my blood pressure increase as two pairs of high-heeled shoes click toward us and the familiar sounds of Lauren's and Dannii's voices get clearer and clearer. "...NOT a good idea," Laur