Will You Love me?

Chapter Four: The Stubborn Sibling

"Branch, what's wrong?" Poppy asked, ambling into his bedroom.

He sighed, and looked wearily at Poppy. "I just don't trust it! There's no way Floyd is safe in Mount Rageous, not after what happened. It would be different if Velvet was in prison, but she's not! She escaped, after attempting to murder her brother, of all people. If she tried to kill Veneer, just try to imagine what she would do if she got her hands on Floyd again!"

Poppy looked into Branch's eyes and took his hand. "I understand you're worried about Floyd, but he's going to be fine."

Branch rolled his eyes. "And how would you know, Poppy?"

"I just have a feeling, ya know?" Poppy placed a hand on her heart.

"Well I don't!" Branch snapped back at her.

"Branch, just think about it! Why would Velvet kidnap Floyd again? She can't very well go out in public and sing! She would immediately get caught and sent back to prison! She most likely escaped because prison life isn't for her. Velvet probably tried to kill Veneer just in case he had an idea of where she would hide. They are siblings after all, and he may know most of her secrets." Poppy's eyes begged him to understand.

Branch rolled his eyes. "Whatever. As long as I come with them, they'll be safe."

Poppy peeked out the window. "About that... um, they already left!"

"WHAT!?" Branch shouted, storming onto the beach. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked turning on Poppy.

"Well, Floyd thought you were mad at him," Poppy said, engulfing her boyfriend in a hug. "and I think you are."

Branch sniffled, and buried his head in Poppy's hair. "I wasn't mad, I was just disappointed. Out of all the trolls he could have dated, he chose a SEVEN FOOT MONSTER!?" 

Poppy lifted Branch's head up, and cupped his chin in her hands. She kissed his forehead, and he blushed, dropping his head back into her hair. "Veneer's not a monster... he's just different from us."

Branch sighed into Poppy's strawberry scented hair, finally calming down," I know.. its just, Floyd's my favorite brother, and I don't want to lose him again."

"I understand Branch, I really do! But sometimes you've got to take a chance. Floyd has the right to do whatever he wants in life, and it's totally okay to be worried about him. If Viva were to do anything like that, I would be terrified. Maybe even more than you, but I would let her do it because it's her life, and I want my sister to be happy." Poppy twirled Branch's hair, resisting the urge to braid it.

Branch stood up, and kissed Poppy on the cheek. "Thanks, Poppy. You're right. While they're gone we can spend some quality ti-"

Branch suddenly got knocked over by a flying beach ball. Poppy gasped and bent down to help him, when a black piece of paper landed on her head. She grabbed it, dropping Branch back down on the ground.

"Argh!" He groaned, but Poppy didn't hear him; She was busy unwrapping the letter.

"Queen Barb invites you to a girls night out!" Poppy read, excitedly. "Hmmm. That's weird. I didn't know barb wrote in cursive..."

Branch abruptly sat up and looked at Poppy. "She doesn't..." He trailed off, remembering how Barb had written Mr. Dinkle's name at their holiday gift exchange. It wasn't cursive, it was scratchy block letters. He quickly ran to his his room, and appeared a few moments later, clutching a torn piece of paper.

"Poppy?!" He shouted looking around the empty beach.

"Up here, Branch," Poppy yelled, waving at him from a hot air balloon. "I'm going to girls night! See you in a few days! LOVE YOU!" She blew him a kiss as she drifted away.

Branch looked down at the letter he was holding, with its loopy gold writing. He shuddered, praying that Barb's handwriting didn't look identical to the letter John Dory had received from "Floyd".