Living in a Frog World (Male OC x Anne Boonchuy)

Part 1: Chapter 13: Toad Tax

"Hardships prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary life."

– C.S. Lewis

One month before she caused herself, Marcy, Sasha, and Frank to be trapped in the world of Amphibia, Anne was walking down the road, letting out a sigh as she walked behind two other girls from her class. It was a long day of school with so many tests and teachers that got on her back for not paying attention during their lessons. It's not her fault that their lessons were boring! They should update the class so that people like her can understand it better.

Anne was just minding her own business, texting on her phone to her friends when the girls in front of her stopped all of a sudden.

One of the girls gasped with her hand over her mouth. "Oh my gosh, is that Frank Ramirez?"

Anne gasped and looked up when she heard that name. Frank? The same Frank she still remembered? Looking in the direction of the girls, Anne saw them staring at something across the street. She turned her head and her eyes widened.

There he was, walking down the other sidewalk across the road, was Frank Ramirez. The Hispanic boy that she and her friends abandoned long ago. His blue hat and brown hair covered his eyes as he walked alone down the sidewalk. Not looking up for anything.

"Oh my gosh, that's really him! I thought he was thrown in juvy," the other girl said. "Didn't he attack that owner of that new shoe brand?"

"I heard about that! It's awful what he did...."

Anne drowned them out as she watched her former walking away. Unable to believe what she was hearing. Frank, one of the nicest boys she's met, got sent to juvenile detention? It's been so many years since she last talked to him, yet would catch sight of him on occasions after she ended things with him. On very few occasions, they would share a glance, before Frank would bitterly look away. But just from looking at him now, even from far away, Anne couldn't help but think how miserable and lonely he appeared to be.

Anne was about to walk across the street and talk to him when her phone pinged. She looked at it, seeing that it was Sasha. She wanted Anne to meet her at the arcade, now.

Having no other option, Anne turned her back on Frank once again and walked away.

And now, Anne's back together with Frank. The same friend she, Marcy, and Sasha turned their backs on. Now trapped in another world, they're forced to work together to survive and try and rebuild their old friendship.

On this day, both she and Frank were accompanying Hop Pop to the Grub & Go. As Frank walked behind Hop Pop, Anne walked behind him. Staring at the back of his head with a conflicted expression. Anne never personally asked Frank about the rumors. Because that's all they were to her. Rumors. There was no way that the sweet little boy that was all timid and shy, while also brave and courageous, would have been sent to juvenile detention.

Then again, she was the one that ended their friendship.

It made Anne hate herself when realizing that she could have been there for him. She loved Marcy and Sasha, for they were like the sisters she never had. But being with Frank and rediscovering how much she enjoyed his company made Anne realize just how much of a mistake they made to just abandon him.

She'll have to talk to both girls when or if she reunites with them. But for now, Anne was happy to see Frank smiling and having a good time.

"Oh!" Anne stopped out of her thoughts when she saw Hop Pop stop. "Pill bugs are on sale."