I'm incredibly bored and still putting off writing, so I'm sorry to disappoint you. Please send feedback, and I hope you enjoy! Stay safe and wash your hands!

Mr. Gold

It was hard to believe Regina could fall for something as easy as that switcheroo was, but she did. By this time next week, I will be in New York bringing Bae back with me.

I wonder what he looks like now. I wonder if he still has my nose, or my eyes, or his mother's lips. Countless years of looking for him, and it all pays off now, playing by my rules.

Being mayor was easier than I thought it would, but I can thank the curse for that. The exact same paperwork shows up on my desk every week, and I fill it out the same way, and I give it to the same person, who files it in the same filing cabinet, while the makntenance workers fill in the same pothole mentioned in the paperwork. It all ran like clockwork, and that's exactly how I like it.

This morning, it was Roni's Bars' rent that needed filing. This Thursday was my favourite, because it distinguishes the power I have over her, the power she would've had if she wasn't so thick-headed in trusting the most powerful man in both The Enchanted Forest and currently, The Land Without Magic.

"Why the hell are you doing this," Roni shouted. I only smirked at her. She hated how easily I got under her skin.

"Well, Miss Mills, I'm not doing anything. You chose to own this bar, and therefore accepted responsibility for paying for the use of the building.

"Well, you don't have to raise the taxes, you make enough money already, we both know that. You really have to charge more? You know how…"

"…penniless," I offered.

"In debt," she growled back,"I am. You can give me at least another week, and I can have the money on your desk."

"Why is it that you can't pay it off?"

"You know why." I just simply brushed her away.

"I can give you three days, no more, no less. Deal?" She stared at my outstretched hand.

"Fine." She shook my hand and stood up, nearly taking my hand with her. She stomped towards the door.

"I hope you can forgive me for the mix up." She knew exactly what mix up I was talking about when she threw me the middle finger over her head. I loved pushing her buttons, it's probably the most enjoyable activity I have going on at the moment. Except for planning my trip to the Big Apple.

Other than Roni being a pest in every single thing I do, the curse had been working pleasantly. Belle is alive and posing as a therapist. She's much more…open… than I remember her being, but no less pleasant to be around. I asked her out to dinner for tonight, and she told me she would be delighted, so things will hopefully be getting back to as much normal as a fake town full of modern fairytale characters can be.

I arrived at The Looking Glass, and Lacey was already in a booth, sipping a red wine and flipping through the newspaper.

"Hi," I said. I took off my shawl and coat and sat down across from her. She looked up at me with cold blue eyes, highlighted by grey makeup surrounding her eyes.

"Hello, Mr. Gold."

"Call me…Robert. Robert Gold." I was never given a curse-ordered first name, but it would work for now.

Roni

"So?" Riley was perched on a barstool, flicking through the mail.

"We have three days." Riley nodded and ran back to the kitchen. Wing Thursday's was always beneficial, and Riley's wings were to die for; that's the same for all her cooking. She always had to prepare beforehand so that everyone could get a serving.

After my meeting with Gold, I went home to clean my grimey apartment before goin back to the bar.

My memories were still foggy, but I'm glad nothing's gotten worse. I was expecting my memory to fade entirely the morning of my date with Melanie, but it only made my memory improve just a bit. I'm not sure which memories have been compromised by this Hell of a curse, but all the rest of mine that I can remember have gotten foggy, like a worn and faded video tape.

Riley handed me the ragged dish towel to scrub the rest of the tables with, before retreating back into the back room, stumbling slightly against a few tables. I chuckled to myself before I reached behind the counter for the counter cleaner.

Once I was done with that, the shipping truck was just pulling up, so I helped unload the cases of alcohol into the freezer storage. By the time I was done, people were already at tables, digging into wings, singing along to the Pink Floyd music we played just a bit too loud, and arguing amongst each other over the baseball game. It always made me happy when the bar was packed and just a little too loud for my liking, but it gave the town a bit more sense of…community.

Riley didn't like it. She liked hiding in the back making her food, instead of waiting to everyone. I understood her completely. I hated talking to the monarchs attending balls when I was Queen. I liked to be mean and make her bartend for a few days, but she was a great employee.

"Roni, can I get two beers over here." I knew that benevolent voice from anywhere. I turned around to catch a glimpse of her face before ducking below the counter to fish out two bottles from the case of beer.

"Melanie, hi." I jumped up from below the counter. "Who¡s that second beer for?"

"You." I shoved her chest and cracked open both bottles, sliding one across the counter for her, and taking a rather large swig from my glass.

"How's work going tonight."

"Busy, of course."

"Well, that's because it's Wing Thursday. Which I believe calls for celebration."

"Celebration? What are we celebrating?"

"I did my final exam today. I passed!"

"Oh, that's great! We should celebrate. Riley!" Her shy face swooped around the doorframe to face me, curiosity etched on her face. "Can you tend the bar?" I saw her face fall; I didn't need to hear her over the noise to tell she was grumbling. "Just ten minutes." She lightened up a bit and nodded. She rubbed her hands with hand sanitizer before grabbing the black plastic tray and notepad.

"Come on, let's go to our regular booth." Melanie was clearly having trouble containing her excitement. Her grip on my hand was nearly cutting off my circulation, and she was bouncing with every step. She sat down and pulled me in beside her.

It only took a second before her lips were capturing mine in a heated kiss. I nearly died laughing.

"What," she asked when I pulled away. I completely broke down and put my hand over my mouth to muffle my laughing.

"Eager tonight, are we?"

"I've just missed you." I raised my eyebrows.

"I have a very hard time believing that."

"Well, you should, because it's the truth." I rolled my eyes and waved Riley over.

"Can you get us some buffalo wings please?" She glared at me sarcastically, then sauntered away.

"Thanks, dear!" She flashed me another mock angry stare before she turned into the kitchen.

"So how's the Looking Glass? Anything interesting?"

"Nope. Unless getting quesadillas on the menu is interesting."

"I don't believe it is." She twirled her beer bottle around on the coaster and looked off behind me, doing and biting her lip. I'm not sure what this woman was doing to me, but those little things I found endearing, instead of annoying, like I usually thought they were. I think Melanie might wield magic, because that's the only reason I can think of that could possibly soften me like butter.

When Riley dropped off our wings, we both dug right into them. I'm not sure if she had noticed James walking in, adjusting the glasses on his nose and ordering rum from Riley, but I knew he was bad news, especially if this curse was formulated by the sorcerer who has the audacity to call himself the mayor.

He had always wanted them together in The Enchanted Forest for his potion of True Love, so why wouldn't he want them together now? My stomach churned and boiled itself down to ashes.

"I'm afraid I have to get back to work now, so I'll see you around," I said.

"Really? We just got our food."

"I know, but Riley looks really uncomfortable." She was pressed up against a pillar, trying to distance herself from a guy pressing himself against her. "I need to take care of this. I had a great time." She furrowed her eyebrows at me, but shook it off and kissed me, before pushing me away from the booth with a grin painting her face.

I stomped towards the man talking with Riley.

"Do you have a problem with my waitress?" I asked the man. He turned around and flashed me a grin. He was the slimy little bug telling people what to do. He was clearly drunk as a skunk, and took the personality of the doctor he was made to be.

"Nope. I'm just asking her out for a drink. Is she allowed a minute off work?"

"Well, that depends. Riley, do you have a minute off work?"

"Actually, sir, I don't. If you could please get out of my personal space, that would be greatly appreciated."

"Are you sure you don't have a minute?" He made a move to grab her arm, but I've been graced with good reflexes.

"She said no. Do I need to show you what no means, or can you handle it yourself."

"Fine, I'll back off."

"No, you'll get the hell out of my bar." That was the time I had thanked the heavens for bouncers. A man with frazzled hair and a permanent look of sadness had dragged him out of the bar. I think he might've been the crazy guy with the hat. I can't really remember them all that well anymore.

Once he was gone, she held a hand to her stomach and exhaled.

"Thank you."

"Of course. I'm assuming this is why you hate bartending?"

"Yes. And there's a lot of shouting."

"I'm sorry. If you want, I'm sure our stock of wings are running low." She winked at me and ran back out of the bar. I returned to the counter and collected the dollar bills covering the surface, when a high-pitched laugh registered in me.

James was sitting in Melanie's booth, sliding too close to her for comfort, and flashing her his famously charming smile. If my blood was boiling before, I'm pretty sure my arteries have exploded by now. What hurt more was that she wasn't shuffling away from him. Instead, she was hiding her mouth and nose in the top of her shirt, something she only did when she was flirting.

Just when I thought she was softening me, she goes and flirts with him. She betrays my trust for his gleaming eyes. If she were to test someone with this, I'm the last person she should've chosen. I can go from content in starting a relationship with her, to wanting to rip out her trachea and hang it up over my bed as a trophy.

I wasn't angry, I was livid. I was furious, I was irate, I wanted to break every single glass in this bar against both of their heads. Instead of acting on that anger, I did the sensible thing and downed the rest of my beer in seconds. I pulled out a second bottle and didn't give a second thought to the pretty little princess and her knight in shining flannel. That fucking flannel.