Shadows of deceit

6.

"Creek, come sit with us," Poppy said, her voice inviting but tinged with a hint of tension.

Branch glanced at Creek, noticing a guarded look in his eyes. Creek didn't look happy. at all. But he still listened to his wife and came to sit at the table they were already harbored at, sitting right next to Poppy, placing his arm around her, only to quickly pull her in for a kiss. 

Branch, out of respect turned away as they had their moment. As Branch turned away to give Poppy and Creek their moment of privacy, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort. The way Creek's demeanor shifted from unhappiness to a sudden display of affection seemed almost forced as if trying to mask deeper feelings.

Branch tried to focus on the surroundings, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling cafeteria. However, his thoughts kept circling back to the tension he had sensed between Poppy and Creek earlier. 

Branch's discomfort grew as he observed the strained dynamics between Poppy and Creek. The bustling sounds of the cafeteria seemed to fade into the background, replaced by an uncomfortable silence that hung heavy in the air.

As Branch tried to distract himself by sipping his drink, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled within him. It was as if he had stumbled upon a scene from a play where the actors were desperately trying to stick to their lines, but the underlying tension betrayed the facade of normalcy.

Branch's mind drifted back to the events of Saturday night, the harsh message delivered to him through a punch in the face. The memory of waking up with a bruise on his cheek lingered, although the blue hue of his skin managed to conceal it to some extent.

He couldn't simply forget the altercation with Creek. The tension between them had been simmering for a while, bubbling to the surface in moments of anger and frustration.

"So Branch," Creek started the conversation, his arm wrapped around Poppy's shoulder, holding her close, which to Poppy's facial expression, she seemed content. "the first day at Sparklecorp. strange I didn't know you got hired," 

"I was transferred from my previous job as a personal bank teller. Peppy asked for me," Branch simply said, looking to Creek, his eyes deadlocked in with his. 

"Ah, that's right, Sparklecrpe has control of many companies around the city, banks included," Creek said, nodding his head softly. 

"Indeed," Branch replied with a nod, acknowledging Creek's observation about SparkleCorp's reach. "It's been an interesting transition so far. Lots to learn, but I'm looking forward to the challenge."

Creek nodded in agreement, his arm still draped around Poppy's shoulders. "I'm sure you'll do great. Peppy has a knack for recognizing talent," he remarked with a hint of admiration in his tone.

Poppy smiled at Branch, a genuine expression of encouragement. "You'll fit right in, Branch," she added, her eyes meeting his with warmth. but, creeks's face was the complete opposite, showing disappointment in his wife's choice of words, which was very evident to Branch. 

Branch noticed the subtle shift in Creek's expression, the disappointment evident in his eyes despite Poppy's encouraging words. It was a stark contrast to the warmth and support she had just expressed.

Feeling the tension rise again, Branch tried to lighten the mood. "Thanks, Poppy. I'll do my best to make a positive impact," he said, trying to maintain a neutral tone.

Creek's demeanor remained guarded, his arm still around Poppy's shoulders but with a noticeable change in closeness. "Yeah, we'll see how it goes," he replied, his voice lacking the earlier enthusiasm.