On Saturday night, Megan was fixing dinner. Nicki sat in the living room with the medallion, dangling it from her fingers. She shivered with anticipation as she looked on the weathered, tarnished piece of jewellery. She was excited, but wanted Katie to be here for this event.
"I can't believe you're doing this," Megan said aloud from the kitchen, "I really can't. It's just hard."
"What?"
"Transforming back." She walked over. "I mean, think about how much time and effort it took to uproot yourself from your life as Nick, and you've built yourself a nice little life here as Nicki and now you're going to do it all over again? I mean..."
Nicki was aghast at this, and was speechless for a minute. "What are you saying?"
"I just think maybe..." Megan hesitated, "maybe you should reconsider this."
It took a moment for Nicki to shout, "Fuck you! What the fuck?! No! fuck off!"
"Calm down, Nicki," Megan went back to the sauce, which was beginning to boil.
"No! Listen, Megan. I had a life. I lived for nearly 30 years and all of a sudden because of one stupid mistake... a mistake that was YOUR FAULT, by the way, I was stuck like this."
"Yeah, I know! I was there!" Megan snapped.
"You don't get it! I may look like this and sound like this and occasionally talk like 'y'know, whatever,' but it's not me! Megan, it's all an act. I'm still Nicholas Andrew Masters. That's the one thing that's never left my mind for 3 years. I'm a lie, Megan. A fucking lie and I hate it. I hate it!" By this time she had collapsed, sobbing. Megan rushed over to console her by putting her hand on her shoulder. Nicki continued. "I got my report card... I'm getting 68 in 9th Grade Math. C+! Megan, I have a goddamn Bachelor of Arts. I don't need this! I shouldn't..."
"Shh... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... you're right."
They said nothing for a moment, until the doorbell rang. It was Katie. Dinner was almost ready and the evening was just beginning.
