It was more of a small gathering than a party. Eight friends hanging out in one house for the night, to enjoy a a late night hockey game. In the mean time, the living room stereo system played the local electronica radio station, while the small group enjoyed various activities.

One, however, was not having a good time at all. Skye sat in the upstairs bedroom, her back to the door, her face buried in her hands, getting soaked by the tears that feel from her cheeks. She could hear the argument that temporarily interrupted the good times downstairs, but did not pay it much attention. Finally, she heard the front door slam, and all went quiet.

A few moments later, the door to the bedroom slowly opened. "Hey," said the gentle, soothing voice of Skye's best friend, Maya. "How ya holdin' up?" Maya slowly closed the door behind her, then sat on the bed beside her friend.

"How do you think?" Skye retorted, a bit more harshly than she would have liked. "Only about as good as a 'dude in a dress' can hold up."

The truth of the matter was, Skye had been born "Shawn", and was still anatomically so. Never mind that she had been Skye 24/7 for the last three years; strip her down, and she was still a full male with pink-dyed hair. It was comments as what she had received that gave her that painful reminder.

"Look at me," said Maya, cupping Skye's cheeks in her palms. "You are not some guy in a dress. You're a woman."

"Not a real one," Skye muttered under her breath, turning away.

Maya turned her back again. "You are as much a real woman as I am. Understand? There is no Shawn, only Skye." At long last, Skye smiled, even if only faintly. "There's that beautiful face," Maya said with a smile of her own. That, Skye always thought, easily brightened the room.

Skye sighed, leaning her head on Maya's shoulder. Maya replied with an arm around her. "You know you're beautiful, right?" said Maya. Skye chuckled dryly.

"You're just saying that to cheer me up."

"No, I'm serious," Maya insisted. "Look at you: hot pink hair that shines while dangling in your shoulders, those pretty green eyes, and that dress looks great on you."

The last compliment especially made her feel good inside, as she was wearing her favorite dress. It was simple, a short, black swing dress with very short sleeves; but Skye still loved it. She matched it with high heel knee boots, with an inside zipper.

Skye looked Maya in the eyes and smiled. There was something she had been wanting to say for some time now, and finally felt the rush of confidence required. "Maya?" she began. "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure, what's up?"

Skye turned more toward her, lifting one knee onto the bed. "Maya... I'd like to be more than friends. I've had feelings for you for about a year now, just never the courage to say anything." Maya sat in silence for a few moments, a look of what Skye almost thought was relief. "Well say something, Maya!"

Finally, Maya answered. "I've been in love with you since the day you stopped being Shawn."

"Are you serious?"

"Totally serious!"

"Oh my god!" Skye exclaimed, the two embracing one another in a tight hug. "I can't believe it!"

Skye and Maya held one another for what felt like an eternity. When they finally pulled back, their eyes meet in a way they never had before. The next thing either of them knew, their lips were pressed together, as they each continued to hold the other. Their lips soon parted and their tongues met. Skye moaned softly, as Maya took her fully in her arms, holding her close.

A few minutes into this embrace, Maya finally broke the kiss.

Keeping her eyes locked with Skye's, she scooted back to the pillows at the head end of her bed. Skye followed without prompting, resuming their passionate kiss. She slowly reached a hand underneath Maya's tight t-shirt, until she cupped her palm over her right breast, and began to caress.

"Be gentle," Maya said between kisses. "Use your fingers. Like this." Maya demonstrated, brushing her fingers over Skye's undeveloped chest, circling the outside before briefly taking the entirety of one side into her palm. She followed with a circular motion of her thumb over Skye's nipple, as well as gently pinching it between her fingers.

"Oh, god, Maya!" Skye breathed, hardly able to remember to return the favor. When she did, she did it right, eliciting a soft moan from Maya through their kiss. Their legs became tangled with one another as they continued this foreplay. Skye suddenly remembered the need to untuck herself, quickly reaching underneath her dress to do so.

"Let me help you with that," Maya whispered with a devilish smile. She reached a hand under Skye's dress, and began to caress her erection over her smooth panties. "Ooh," Maya moaned. "Is that silk?"

"Satin."

"My favorite."

Maya lifted Skye's dress to just above her flat stomach, then began sliding herself down. She placed a few soft kisses on the head of Skye's erection, before gently hooking her fingers under the lacy waistband of her panties and freeing it. Maya was about to take it in her mouth, when Skye stopped her.

"Maya, wait," she said quickly. "I'm not so sure about this."

"Look," said Maya, having an idea where Skye was going with that objection. "I can't say that I understand how you feel when it comes to your gender; but just because it's not the body you want, doesn't mean you can't have fun with it, right?"

Skye sighed. "Just not like that."

"Okay." Maya slowly crawled up over Skye, resuming the tongue-wrestling match. She lifted her denim mini skirt until she could spread her legs, and pulled her white, cotton panties to one side.

"Wouldn't it be easier if we just took our panties off?" Skye asked, as Maya guided her tool to its toolbox.

"No time," said Maya, sliding down onto Skye. She squealed softly in the middle of her next sentence. "The others... *uh!*... think we're just talking. Ooh, Skye!"

"Maya!" Skye moaned back, pushing upward, thrusting deep. Maya leaned back, bracing with her hands on the bed behind her, while letting Skye push her up again and again. Every time her body fell back down to Skye, she began to moan louder. Her voice treasured raised consistently with each thrust.

Skye quickly rolled their bodies to get on top, and muffled Maya's moans with a passionate kiss. "You have to stay quiet, babe."

"Then you'll have to kiss me again, soon."

"Have to? Why?"

"Because I'm about to--" Maya's words were cut short by her sudden orgasm. She nearly cried out in ecstasy, but Skye's kiss quieted her in time. A moment later, Maya needed to quiet Skye, as she began to shoot her hot cream, pushing in deep and holding.

When it was finally over, Skye rolled aside, the two now catching their breath. They quickly realized how messy they now were, but no longer cared. Their relationship had officially gone to the next level, and neither woman was at all worried about who knew.