Sweetening

Clive is having a horrible day. Caught "purple-handed" with two little purple tablets in his sweaty palm just before he manages to slip them to his evil classmate and archenemy Susie Jibbly, Clive is shoved off to the principal's office from where, rumor has it, no student ever returns. Clive is prepared for her decision on his ruthless punishment; but when the principal is called out of her office for just a moment, Clive is left alone and realizes his one opportunity to save himself.

Clive is smack in the middle of a schoolyard conundrum. His reputation precedes him, even if it is completely inaccurate. He can't possibly share the truth of what happened that one fateful day in the principal's office, even if he'd be regaled by his classmates as a hero for the sudden replacement of mean, old Principal Parker with a younger, sweeter, sexier version who actually is Principal Parker herself. But when the two prettiest girls in the whole school accuse Clive of being a girl-hitter, Clive just has to do something about it.

Clive will never do it again. He knows he won’t. He just absolutely can’t. When Clive decides to cement his promise to himself with a visible reminder of all those dirty deeds and accidental adventures in his past, maybe sneaking one more little purple pill from his father’s lab isn’t the best idea. Maybe keeping it near him is the worst idea of all. Clive never guesses that maybe his new babysitter will swallow down that mysterious little tablet all on her own.

There's no denying it. Innocent, quiet Clive isn't just fully aware of the powerful capabilities and transformative properties of the little purple pills stolen from his father's lab, his body aches for them. Despite those recurring, very adult dreams and fantasies he's still too inexperienced to understand and the way his own body betrays him and the most unexpected moments and situations, Clive is determined to never use one of the powdery tablets again.