Once Daniel was fully dressed, they eventually climbed out the backseat of his car, leaving from separate doors.

"Ok... I have to remind myself that not only do you pass out when you become a frog, you... are naked when you turn back into a human." Alan stated, his face still red from embarrassment, and slight arousal (yet he would never openly speak that). "I.... forgot about that." He admitted, recalling the first time he saw Daniel streaking naked across campus.

"Yeah... sorry about that..." Daniel admitted with a bashful smile.

"Actually... when did you first experience this curse, anyway? How did you eventually turn back without a kiss?" Alan asked, curious.

"It was a couple of weeks ago. I was out with my parents at a shopping mall. My mom wanted to get me some clothes for the school year. I was in a fitting room changing into an outfit and then the next thing you know... I'm a frog. Apparently, I was in the fitting room for a good half an hour before my father got concerned and went to check on me. He saw the pile of clothes on the floor and knew which stall I was in. Good thing no one noticed what was going on and my parents just left the mall with me unconscious in a pile of clothing." Daniel explained, adjusting his clothes carefully as he looked in a side mirror.

"How'd you change back?" Alan asked, surprised.

"There is some drink that my dad concocted from one of the archives he found. It takes a good hour for it to take effect, but it works. One of the men in the family created this mixture and it worked. But, a kiss is much more effective and less risky. There could be instances where the mixture may not work long term or could even not work at all. I got lucky that time." Daniel stated with a sigh.

"Do you have it as a backup at all?" Alan asked, concerned. "What happens if I can't get to you or something?"

"That's a good point... I can ask my dad to make some as a backup." Daniel agreed with a nod. "Sorry about this... I honestly wasn't expecting it."

"It's fine! I mean, if you were expecting it, you'd be able to prevent it." Alan joked with a smile.

"Touché." Daniel confirmed with a laugh. "Thanks for coming. I really appreciate it. The last thing I need is someone finding me as a frog in the guy's restroom in a pile of clothes..."

"I can only imagine..." Alan teased with a smirk. "We better head back to class. I'm sure our homeroom teachers are starting to get suspicious..."

"Yeah, let's head back." Daniel agreed, taking his car fob from Alan and locking it as they walked away. "Has your day gotten any better? You seemed really stressed out earlier."

"Somewhat.... save for having to come save you..." Alan teased, only to see Daniel give him a playful look of side-eye. "I'm... getting used to it, I guess. People have been much nicer to me. Typically, they just... leave me be or pretty much don't realize I exist. It's hard to go from little or no attention at all, to so much attention in a matter of 24 hours."

"That's true. You weren't expecting such a reaction, so I can understand that. Do you like it, though? Do you think you can handle doing this for a straight week?" Daniel asked, curious.

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Alan joked once again, only to see Daniel grin mischievously.

"That's what happens when you make a bet, Moogle." Daniel teased, seeing Alan stick his tongue out.

"It's... definitely an experience, to say the least. Ask me at the end of the week." Alan stated with a sigh as they entered the building.

"Maybe I should make you dinner tonight. I feel bad..." Daniel admitted, his hands going into his pockets as they walked.

"I want a Filet Mignon with gourmet mashed potatoes and asparagus." Alan rattled off without hesitation, a pleasant smirk on his face. Daniel laughed immediately at that request, before reaching over and gently grabbing Alan on the shoulder.

"You'll be fine. Seriously. If you still don't think this is the case, you look great and if anyone says otherwise, they're lying and just want to bring you down. You're a great person and thank you so much for coming and helping me. I truly appreciate it." Daniel spoke sincerely, a reassuring smile on his face as he did so.

Alan stared back at him in silence, his face slowly heating up as he listened to Daniel speak. "Ok.... Thanks... and you're welcome..." Alan muttered, a bashful smile on his face as he looked away from Daniel slightly.

When you say shit like that it just makes me want to kiss your unbelievably gorgeous face, you beautiful, caring jerk.

"Besides... you're probably going to get a lot of attention that you never have before. And when I say attention, I mean you're going to get hit on... majorly." Daniel stated, patting Alan on the back.

Alan made a frown of disbelief, before he realized that he already had that experience, an uneasy feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. "Yeah... you could be right about that..."

-

His eyes were strictly posted on the clock that was hanging above the whiteboard in his trigonometry class, completely ignoring Mr. Samson's lecture as the anxiety of what was going to happen once that bell rang was growing worse. He didn't even care that people were still whispering and eyeing him in fascination because his mind was focused on one thing at the moment: Thomas.

How does this... asswipe still find his way into my life? I removed him once already, and yet here he is once again, fucking shit up.

His teeth were gritting together in frustration, his jaw tight as he watched the second hand make its way around the clock in an annoying fashion, counting down to lunch with every painstaking tick.

Once the bell sounded, he immediately closed his textbook, shoved it into his bookbag, zipped it up and made a B-line for the classroom door, hitting the hallway with a quick walk as it began to slowly fill up with other students. It took about 8 minutes to get to the baseball field from where he was and if he had to get there in 10 minutes, he had to be exact about his movements and not get distracted. Once outside on campus grounds, he hooked his bookbag onto both shoulders and made a sprint towards the field, passing confused onlookers along the way.

I can't believe I'm fucking RUNNING to his shitbag. I want to slap him in his fucking pretty face...

He slowed his sprint down once he hit the grass of the baseball diamond, catching his breath slowly, his eyes looking around to see that it was completely empty. He checked his cell phone to catch the time.

I made it in 7 minutes... where the fuck is he?

His phone vibrated in his hand as he held it. Unlocking the screen, he saw a text message.

Alan's eyes narrowed in suspicion and frustration at the message, a low grumble of annoyance sounding from him as he walked in the direction of the dugout on the other side of the field. He carefully made his way down the stairs into the deserted area, looking around in confusion as he entered.

"I honestly didn't think you would show, Allie..."

Alan stopped walking at the sound of Thomas's voice, his entire body tensing as he tried to find the source of where it was coming from. Out of nowhere, he felt a hand grab onto his right forearm. With that, Alan immediately swung his left fist behind him, only for it to be caught and gripped onto tightly.

"FUCK!" Alan shouted, looking over his left shoulder to see Thomas behind him, a pleasant smile on his face as he held onto Alan's arms.

"Always ready to be violent." Thomas said in an endearing manner, his smile growing bigger.

Alan had a range of emotions on his face, ranging from shock, anger and a bit of fear. He tried to yank his left arm from Thomas' grip, only to fail miserably. "Only when someone I hate has the nerve to touch me."

Thomas laughed in a sweet manner, leaning in closer to Alan's face. "You're going to have to grow to love me, Alan. Like you used to, before the... fallout."

"Never, Thomas. I will never love you." Alan spoke harshly, his tone sharp and his green eyes shining with pure hatred.

"Oh, you say that now, but considering the circumstances, you don't have much of a choice." Thomas stated, confidently. He yanked Alan's arms behind his back, hearing Alan cry out softly. He leaned in once more, his mouth close to Alan's left ear. "Besides... it can't be that hard for you to try and remember how you felt before. I'm sure it's still there... I mean, it's obvious that it is, really. Why else would you resist me so much?"

Alan moved his head away in frustration, trying to move away from Thomas's grip, yet he was pretty much trapped.

"Just say it like you did before, Alan. Say it like you did back in 8th grade during lunch in the locker room." Thomas calmly stated, his mouth back to Alan's ear.

"Fuck you, Thomas." Alan said through gritted teeth, trying his hardest to get free at this point as his body moved against Thomas's strong grip.

"Say. It. Say you love me, Alan." Thomas continued, a smile not helping but to come to his lips as he did so.

"STOP IT!" Alan shouted, using his right leg to kick Thomas in the shin, only to hear the taller boy grunt in annoyance as he was knocked off balance. Using that as a means to escape, Alan tried to shuffle his feet forward, only to be caught by Thomas once again as he felt a leg hook around his ankle and caused him to fall forward onto the ground. Before he hit the ground face first, he turned his body to his right side, landing against the ground with a groan. He rolled onto his back, staring upwards to the dugout ceiling before he felt those hands back on his arms, pinning him to the ground. This time, Thomas was facing him, his face clearly visible as he loomed above him.

Alan was filled with fear, his eyes wide in terror as he watched that smile on Thomas's face turn into a pleased smirk.

"I have to admit... I like it when you actually look scared of me. It means your attention is fully on me. And it should be... because you have no idea what I can do to your life if you don't do everything I ask."

-

Yes... I'm back, and with a new chapter.

Let me first just say that I appreciate everyone who sent me messages and checked in on me. You have no idea how much it means to me.

Let me know what you think of the chapter :)

Until next week.