After our celebration the instructor took Gemma and me apart, offering us a tryout in his group or troupe or whatever he called it. We had to promise to come by on Wednesday during the afternoon break, to see if we liked it, as they always needed more women than men. He let us keep the shoes in case we wanted to practice more.

So, last one picked, most individual points, and Fire ahead of Ice. After one round, lol. It also meant that I had to participate in the second round, in the evening session. The top six of each team would have to solve some puzzle. The other six would do the morning session the next day.

The whole afternoon we were together, practicing for the games later in the week, that come back each year. I was still pretty fast in the steeple chase, but swimming, volleyball and basketball were not for me. Nevertheless, it was fun to cheer the team, and I heard a lot of cheering for me. Lola! Lola! all around campus, from both guys and girls. For one afternoon I was sort of famous, and I enjoyed it while it lasted.

That night, the puzzle turned out to be a rubiks cube, the smaller one, commonly known as a 2x2. I could solve them in a heartbeat, even with my eyes closed, typically warming up for the real thing. There was one catch though. Each square on the surface of the cube was three by three feet, and thus the cube itself was larger than me.

It probably would take six people to solve it, some to lift it up, the others to turn the right side. But what turns to make? I couldn't oversee all the sides. They gave us one minute to look at it before we had to solve it. Faster than the guys. And then it hit me. I need a chair I told Gemma. It took her only 30 seconds and I was standing on it, finally seeing the top side. That's when they whistled to start. I already knew every move to make and I called out to my team.

Lift up the cube and turn the left side clockwise. Now the top twice. Left side back. Nine moves later the cube was solved, leaving the judges stunned, as they had just sat down to watch our struggle. My team couldn't believe it either and suddenly they looked all at me, still standing on the chair. They started to charge at me but I held up my hand.

Right side, twice, I yelled at the guys. They looked at me, just as stunned, but they did it. Five moves later theirs was solved as well, and they didn't even realize it. Then came the roar. From everywhere. The other half of my team lifted me up, high above their heads, then twelve guys came over and took hold of me. They were all laughing. They had lost but laughed like maniacs. When they hoisted me in the air the audience started singing. I heard some music blaring, Looola, Lalalala Lola, and I knew it was a famous hit, just for me.

When I was finally back on my feet, every guy had hugged me before my own team reached me and did it all over. We had won again! And apparently I had done it again. But we were all celebrating, the guys hugging all the girls, and everybody laughing, as some people in the audience tried their luck with the giant cubes.

After five minutes or so I was asked to do another solve, and I directed once more the moves and solved it, finally satisfying the judges it was for real. The music was still blaring my name and I took it all in, not believing it myself.

We went all out together, guys and girls, and although the guys promised they'd buy our drinks, the pub owner wouldn't have it. All our drinks were free, but he made a ton from hundreds of spectators that didn't want it to be over. Someone stuffed a normal cube in my hands and I solved it in under thirty seconds. Not great, but it turned like crap.

I experienced my first butt grabs as well, innocent I thought, until one guy tried to kiss me. Thank goodness for both Gemma and Carla who had seen it coming, and both stepped in to save me. I still had a lot to learn. Eventually our captain called the night. Tomorrow morning the other half of the team had to get in action and the rest of us was needed to cheer.

Carla's hand on my hip felt so much better, as she guided me home. We dropped off Gemma at her own room, then we found ours. I remember brushing my teeth but dropped like dead in her bed. Didn't even consider taking the other bed. Carla dumped herself next to me and we were out before we even could spell the word SEX.

I woke up from Carla humming the Lola song, and I had to laugh. Still couldn't believe that someone would bring that music just for me. We had a very early visit from a lady from the administrative office. With me technically a male I was not supposed to stay in Carla's room. But thanks to my new famous status, it was easily resolved. All I had to do was sign off on my name and gender change, even if it was only for one week. And they had my new student ID already for me, with the picture clearly taken the night before.

We had breakfast with the team again, where we learned that the next challenge was a Go-Karts race. I'm not going to say that men are better drivers, but they beat us badly. Carla was the best in our team behind three guys. They were not going to lose another day apparently. And during the treasure hunt at night they took again three out of the four top spots, my own team with Gemma and Carla taking second. Wednesday morning would be the famous steeplechase with a surprise for the night.

We went to bed early, which meant record breaking sex. I had the feeling in the days to come we'd break a few more. The steeplechase was fairly early before it got too hot. Ice won the race but Fire took spot two, three and me in four. One thing was sure, with my added curves I wasn't as fast as I used to be, but I scored enough points to get me back in first place for individual scores.

That afternoon I went with Gemma to the Irish dance place, as Carla had met up with some of the girls to play tennis. I had chosen a summerdress with some flare in the skirt, and that was the perfect outfit. We first witnessed a good chunk of their show, and we realized it was much more than tap dancing in your own spot. They were telling a story of good and evil and I got soaked in good. I could actually see myself as one of the girls in the line.

They were all so beautiful and the costumes magnificent. But it was also clear they didn't need more men, just more women. Soon Gemma and I were participating and it was so much fun, that when they asked us to come every Wednesday, Gemma exclaimed, of course, right Lola? Not until she saw the look on my face, did she realize she had forgotten I was only a girl for the week.

Not to burst her bubble I replied, sure, but I have to check my schedule. Truth was, I wanted to do it, with my green eyes I could actually be Irish, I thought. And for the first time I wondered, what if I stay a girl a little longer?

Things got even more complicated when Gemma and I were separated during the final session and a boy named Ian asked me to go out one night. I told him I couldn't due to the contest going on, but he said next Tuesday then, and he would take me to a typical Irish place. No way could I decline now, could I? Likewise, Gemma had a date for Sunday.

The night surprise was a rope pulling contest, but with a twist. We were all weighed, and obviously Fire was much lighter than Ice. The guys had to drop four members though, until their total weight was within fifty pounds of ours.

Carla proposed an idea, so on the start whistle we all did three steps forward, and all eight guys fell backwards on the ground.

We started pulling them, giving them no chance to get up, but one enormous giant at the end of the rope managed to get up and stopped us all by himself. That gave the rest a chance to get up and soon they pulled us across the middle. Ice won again.

We were a bit down that night, knowing that a softball game and a triathlon during the next three days were probably in the guy's favor as well. We could only hope that some of the remaining surprise games would be favorable to us.

Carla wasn't upset that I was going out with Ian. As a matter of fact, she was ecstatic that I decided to stay a girl for at least another week. She herself was actually going out with Rebecca, Gemma's roommate, both Sunday and Tuesday. She gave me some good advice on how to deal with the boy. If you decide you want to stay a girl, she said, you should at least try to date both sides. Just know that you always have a spot in my bed.

Thursday morning was all softball practice, which I needed most, as I had no clue how to play the game. They put me out in right field and threw long balls at me, from which I caught none. Returning it went slightly better, as long as I saw someone near the infield waving at me.

The game that afternoon went surprisingly well. Both teams scored evenly and in the last inning we were up by one. Not one ball had come my way and I was perfectly happy with that. Nor had I touched the ball with my bat. But the guys had the last at bat now, and if we kept them from scoring we'd win, or so it was explained to me.

That's when disaster started. The first hitter slammed the ball my way. It rolled perfectly towards me, and I managed to throw it in time to second base, where Carla was waving. The second hitter tried to do the same thing, but the first baseman, basegirl, whatever, she somehow got to the ball and touched her base. Everybody kept yelling, one out, I think just for my understanding.

The next hitter got a pitch on his arm and could take first base. Two on, one out, my teammates yelled. Then the pitcher struck out the next one and we had two out. Another ball rolled my way and the catcher was waving so I threw it at her. Bases loaded, pretty sure that was not good.

Our pitcher did everything to get the last out, but the guy kept batting it out of play. And then, finally, he hit it into the field. High. My way. I froze, we were going to lose, that was clear. In frustration I lifted up both my hands, and suddenly there was a thud, right into my glove. It was the ball, and somehow, because I didn't have it on right, the glove bent down and kept the ball inside. It did not drop. And then all I heard was screaming.

Gemma was the first to reach me and she clung to me, like I was a hero. Then everybody else reached and they were hugging me. Were they so happy for me that I finally touched a ball? I looked at my glove, still holding the ball. I just now realized I had forgotten to throw the ball back to whomever was waving. But they didn't care. Did we not lose? We won, we won, they were all screaming. I started jumping now too, that was good news. Great news! Somehow we had won!

It took much longer to understand that not only did we win, I had won the game for us. My catch was the last out, even though their players reached home. I heard Lola playing again in the stands and everyone was cheering. The guys were in disbelief, but I guess softball is a funny game.

That night was the dance, the ball, prom, party, whatever you want to call it. Some of the girls had seriously sexy dresses, and then a giant surprise for me. Somehow they had found a beautiful gown in my size. It was a corset like bodice leaving my arms and shoulders bare. The material was shimmering black, and it draped beautifully to the ground, with a hidden split so I could move easily. Unfortunately it was too long, dragging along the floor.

That's where the heels came in. Two extra inches lifted the hem just off the ground. The only problem was, I had never walked in heels. The good part was that they were strapped up to just under my knees, with extra tight straps around my ankle, which prevented me essentially from breaking my legs, as I slowly got the hang of walking in them. I really liked the extra inches though, and I realized that as a girl I could wear heels any time I wanted. And just like that, my body and mind agreed, and I walked like I'd done it my whole life.

Every girl in the team had brought some jewelry for me, beautiful dangles in my ears, a stunning necklace that rested between my breasts, and I loved the snake bracelets that wrapped around my upper arms. A few rings and a wonderful anklet, then some combs in my hair, as well as a very expensive watch, completed my look.

The party started with the twenty-four taking the dance floor first. Gemma had advised me to just let the guy lead, and follow in anything he did. And that mindset worked well for me, as I had no idea what else to do. Apparently my dance partner had drawn the lucky straw, as most guys had wanted me. It still felt so foreign to me, to be wanted, desired.

I don't think I ever left the floor, as every guy in team Ice got their hands on me. The most fun perhaps I had when I danced with the gentle giant who had personally defeated us in the rope pulling thing. But my happiest moment was when finally Carla took over, and she knew how to lead as well, as I rested my head against her breasts. It was a perfectly slow song and close to the end our mouths found each other and we finished with a slow kiss, which drew a lot of wolf whistles and many disappointed faces on some of the guys.

Suddenly an Irish folk song played, and like it was rehearsed the fifty or so couples left the floor, leaving me and Gemma standing. As good as we could we did a piece of the tap dance we had just learned, under loud cheers. That's when Ian and Brody, Gemma's date for Sunday, got on the floor. And although we hadn't practiced much, they led us across the floor like we'd been together since birth. Everybody was clapping around the floor until finally the music stopped and we could take a break.

We introduced the Irish dancers to the rest of team Fire, and they loved all of our hair colors. They ended up dancing with each of them, and Carla told me later she approved of Ian. And she said a similar thing to Gemma, as I saw her face lit up.

When the night was finally over I thanked my whole team for the wonderful thing they'd done for me. Never had I been at a prom, and this was definitely one of the most wonderful nights of my life. I was told I could keep the dress and the shoes. Just the jewelry had to be returned to them at some point.

Ian gave me a goodbye kiss, which actually felt nice as well, something I hadn't expected. But it became harder and harder seeing myself as anything but a girl. A woman. A woman who'd finally figured out how to add a few extra vertical inches and who would be shopping this weekend for even more inches.