"So, do you think it would be easier for me to just call you instead of text?" Daniel asked, sitting in his computer chair as he spoke with Alan, who was quietly pacing in his bedroom as they talked about a game plan. They had eventually made their way to Daniel's car in the student parking lot, stopping along the way to grab something to eat from a nearby Chipotle before heading to his place.

"But the issue is if we're both in class. We can't call each other on the phone..." Alan stated as he walked, rubbing the back of his neck as he did so.

"That's true... maybe the location feature on our cell phones? I can share my location with you via my phone and you can come and find me that way?" Daniel suggested.

"That... could actually work... as long as you can do so before passing out and turning into a frog." Alan stated with a thoughtful look.

"Well, from what I can recall, even if I'm moving, it can still track me. But you're right about timing. If I don't react quick enough, I'm pretty screwed." Daniel stated, leaning back into his chair, sighing deeply in frustration.

"There isn't some panic button you can press when you're in trouble that does all these things?" Alan joked, only to hear Daniel laugh.

"I wish. Would totally make my life easier. I guess such is the circumstances of this curse... it's not easy." Daniel admitted with a shrug.

"Maybe... I could develop an app." Alan suggested as he sat on the edge of Daniel's couch, scratching his head. "I mean, it can't be that hard. I can include your phone's location information in it, and all you have to do is press a button in the app that sends me your location information as soon as you feel strange..."

"You know how to develop apps?" Daniel asked, amazed.

"I took a summer course on it last year at the local community college... because I was bored." Alan stated with a grin.

"OK... you have earned that nerd title, Moogle." Daniel teased. "That's pretty awesome! I think if you could do that, it would make things much easier for us both."

"I'll try and look into it! It shouldn't take me too long to do... we can test it out once I finish it." Alan offered. "By the way, do you think there is anyway that we could get that back-up potion as well? In case I cannot get to you fast enough. Also... the hardest part about you turning into a frog is you being awake." Alan teased with a smirk, seeing Daniel bashfully smile. "Granted, I'll just make sure to carry some snacks with me, since you apparently like the smell of food when you're an unconscious frog." Alan joked, seeing Daniel chuckle.

"That's a good point... I can always go and ask my dad about it. He should know how to make it properly." Daniel nodded in agreement, getting to his feet to stretch slightly.

"I think it would be wise to have an alternate solution." Alan proclaimed, looking over to Daniel's desk clock to see that it was now 7:30pm, only giving him about an hour before he had to leave to head to Thomas's home on time, as much as he dreaded the fact that he had to go there to begin with.

"You want to have dinner with us? I believe my mom is downstairs and is probably finishing up." Daniel offered, walking over to Alan calmly.

"Sure, but I sadly have to head out around 8:30 or so. I'm actually... going to stay at Nicolette's place. We're going to hangout for a bit." Alan lied as he got to his feet, hiding the fact that he was being forced to go to the home of the person he loathed the most.

"Oh, I had no idea Nicolette was close by." Daniel said, surprised as he opened his bedroom door to head down the hallway towards the staircase leading to the main level.

"Yeah... we both grew up nearby, actually." Alan stated, trying not to recall the memories he often tried to suppress.

"Wait... you lived around here?" Daniel asked, confused as he walked down the steps, Alan walking near him.

"Yep, I did as well. But, I moved away and transferred to another middle school before winter break of my 8th grade year." Alan stated casually.

"So... you actually grew up near here?" Daniel asked, still rather surprised by this information. "When and where?"

"Um... since I was born. I grew up off of Coleman street, which is where Nicolette lives. We lived in the same cul-de-sac, actually." Alan proclaimed, not expecting Daniel to inquire about this information.

"Doesn't... Thomas Thaxton live over there as well?" Daniel asked, curious.

Alan had to fight the urge to not shudder and gag at the sound of Thomas's name, instead giving a silent nod to confirm Daniel's curiosity.

"I had... no idea... you lived so close to me..." Daniel spoke, a frown coming to his face as he thought it over. "So... that means you were here... about 5 years ago, then?"

"Yeah, I sure was. I think I would've been in the... 5th or 6th grade by then. Why?" Alan asked, curious himself.

"Ah... no reason." Daniel stated quickly, walking into the kitchen area. "Nǐ hǎo Māmā. Xūyào bāngmáng?" (*Translation: Hello Mom. Need help?)

"Ah, your Mandarin is getting so much better." A woman stated with a smile, a white apron covering her black a-line button up dress made of silk, her ebony hair pulled back into a tight bun, held in place with a single red hair clip. Her face was incredibly clear, as if she did not age past a certain point from her youth, his lips covered in a simple red color, her black eyes looking warmly at her son. She had a slender frame and was also somewhat tall, but not as tall as her son. Alan couldn't help but stare in fascination and silence.

Should... I just excuse myself, because this woman is so damn pretty that I feel like I'm not worthy of being in her fucking presence.

She looked over to see Alan looking rather dumbfounded, which caused him to nervously smile back, unsure of what else to do. "Daniel... Zhè shì shéi?" (*Translation: Who is this?)

"Oh, sorry! Mom, this is my friend Alan. We go to the same school, but he's a year below me. Alan, this is my mother, Julia Lang." Daniel answered, waving Alan in with his hands to urge him to come into the kitchen. Alan carefully walked into the kitchen, bashfully waving a hand to say hello, appearing to have lost the ability to speak.

She eyed him carefully as he walked in, her eyes narrowing a bit the more she stared. Her expression was calm, but she had a slight mixture of suspicion on her face. Alan noticed, making him even more nervous as he averted his gaze to the floor, his face heating up.

Why... the hell... is she staring at me like that? The fuck did I do?

"Do you speak, Alan?" Mrs. Lang asked, a smirk coming to her face.

"Y-Yes ma'am, I do." Alan quickly answered, glancing up to look her in the face as he did so.

"Yǒuqù..."(*Translation: Interesting/Amusing...) Mrs. Lang stated, a laugh escaping her softly. "Do you like dumplings?" she asked, pointing towards the food she was preparing. She watched Alan nod quickly, before smiling. "Good... then we'll get along fine then."

-

"That was the most fucking nerve-racking dinner EVER." Alan muttered to himself as he walked down the sidewalk, leaving the Lang's home just a few seconds before. "She was asking me SO many damn questions, like I was his fucking girlfriend or something..."

"What do you like to study?" "What do you do for fun?" "Do you play any sports?" "Oh, you like STEM fields? Which do you plan to take in college? You are going to college, right?" "Do you speak any other languages?" "What do your parents do?" "Oh, you have a sibling! What are they?"

"Where did you grow up?"

The last question was the most puzzling of them all, considering his answer was that he actually grew up around the neighborhood that they currently lived in. When he gave that answer, her pensive look from before came back to her face. This only made Alan tense up more, unsure of what he could've said to make that look return. The only reply she gave was the same. "Oh, I see... yǒuqù."

"The fuck does that even MEAN?" Alan grumbled in annoyance, picking up his pace as he continued down the sidewalk, glancing at his phone to check the time, which showed that he was right on schedule. Daniel didn't help in making him feel relaxed once he was ready to depart.

"Don't feel bad, my mom likes to know people's life stories. Granted, she doesn't ask that many questions normally. Maybe she likes you."

"I can only hope that's the case..." Alan spoke to himself with a sigh, rounding a very familiar corner as he made his way to the back woods located behind the Thaxton residence, an uneasy feeling stirring up in the pit of his stomach. Once he made it through the bush, he stopped in front of the door that he knew all too well. His entire body tensed as he knocked on the door.

"He has about 5 seconds before I bolt the fuck-"

"I'm impressed, you actually got here on time." Thomas spoke with a smile, the door open as he looked out. "Please, come in. It's certainly been a while."