Branch laid there in bed. He wasn't sleepy, he wasn't stressed. He just couldn't sleep. He had one person in his mind who is always appearing.
Poppy. Of course. Her beautiful bright magenta eyes, her shiny smile and her glittery cheeks. He stared up at the ceiling and sighed. Her voice played in his head. She was singing, of course. That's all Branch could hear most of the time; her beautiful singing.

He had to talk to somebody. At least someone. He grabbed his phone and turned it back on, seeing Poppy and him as his wallpaper. He smiled warmly, but he quickly shook his head and went through his contacts. He dialed DJ Suki's phone since he knew she was more of a night owl.
And so, she answered his call. "Wassup, dude?"

"Hey Suki."
"Hey Branch, what's wrong?"
"I couldn't sleep again," he sighed. "I just don't know why."

"You know, you should be talking to Poppy, not me," Suki said. Branch fumbled with his fingers as he glanced out the window to see the bright lights from Poppy's Late Night Party. "I mean, she's your close friend. And she has much better advice."
"But—," he sighed again. "She'd the exact reason why I couldn't sleep."
There was silence for a moment. Then Suki smiled widely and tried not to squeal. "I knew it! I just knew it!"

"Shh, not too loud. You might wake your neighbors." He blushed intensely. He wondered if Suki knew, knew that he had feelings for the present queen of the trolls. But he thought that it was too obvious. Almost all of their friends assume he does have a crush on Poppy, and they're not wrong.

"Don't worry, Branch. It's totally normal." DJ Suki said with a soft chuckle. Branch could hear Poppy singing from a mile away. It didn't bother him at all. In fact, he's already used to it. Branch could also hear the DJ whispering to someone. He couldn't figure out the words she was saying.

"Hi Branchie!" Cooper's voice came in as he laughed. Branch sighed and rubbed the temples of his head. "Cooper,"
"DJ Suki told me about your feelings for Poppy!"
"Shhh! Not so loud. Where are you right now?" Branch said with a nervous tone. Cooper laughed, "I'm over here at Poppy's!"

Branch sighed and ignored the butterflies in his stomach that ached a little. He rubbed his hand over his face and shook his head. "Why even."
"Biggie wants to join in on this!" DJ Suki added.
"Ooh! Hello! And Mr Dinkles says hello!" Biggie said through his phone as he held his little pet worm carefully. "Mew!"

Branch kept quiet as more of the Snack Pack started joining in on the Party Call. He just listened to them talking.
"Guys, guys, stop. I just wanted to talk to DJ Suki." He said.

"Hey everybody! What's going on?" Poppy's voice arrived and Branch quickly struggled to hang up on the party call. He didn't want Poppy to know his secret or that he was there talking to them.
He sighed and laid back on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling again and put his arm over his eyes as if he didn't want to see his own shame. He thought that maybe he shouldn't have hung up. But at the same time, he was relieved.

His phone rang again.

Branch had no choice but to grab it answer anyways without reading who was calling him. "Hello?"

"Hey Branch," Poppy said in a calm voice. The blue troll shot up from his bed and sat up. "Oh, hey Poppy."
"Everything okay? DJ told me how you can't sleep at night." She said worryingly and pursed her lips. She was thinking at the same time.

"Yeah, everything's okay," he lied and hoped she didn't hear his sarcastic tone. He also wished that she didn't worry at all. Not because he wanted her to figure out his deepest secret, but to also not to let her become stressed over it.
She wouldn't be Poppy at all.

"Hey, what if I stay up with you all night until you fall asleep? How's that?" She asked and smiled to herself.
"Poppy, you should be sleeping right now," He said from his phone and thought about it a little. A smile appeared on his face. "I don't want you to lose your beauty sleep, you know?"

He chuckled. Suddenly, he felt a little sleepy. He shook his head again. He didn't want to fall asleep. Not now. Not when he's having a conversation with Poppy.
"Beauty sleep, eh?" She said with a soft chuckle.
"I mean, everyone needs their beauty sleep." He said and felt his eyes feel heavy and slowly closing.

"Right. You do too, you know?" She smiled wider.
Branch just nodded even though the pink troll wouldn't see it. "Are you implying that I have beauty?"
"Who doesn't?" She said nervously and casually in a way. He rolled his eyes and chuckled.
"Me," Branch mumbled under his breath. Poppy heard him and smiled warmly. "Hey, you're beautiful. Who are you kidding?"

"You?"
"No. You're not kidding me, Branchie. You're beautiful, you know? You have beautiful eyes and I'm pretty sure you're beautiful inside as well." She said. They knew it was kinda corny but they appreciated it.

"Really? My eyes is the first thing you think of?" He asked and smiled. His cheeks were slightly burning.
"Yep! They're like a pool I can drown in which will make me lose my breath." She said without even realizing what she said.

Now Branch was completely turning into a tomato. He knew those words were familiar somewhere.
He kept thinking about it, leaving Poppy on silent. Poppy waited for an answer, assuming that he fell asleep. So she chuckled. "That's why I love you. Goodnight, Branchie."

And so she hung up.

Branch freaked out internally. Her last words to him kept playing in his head like an endless song playing on the radio. He sighed happily. "Goodnight Pops."

He put his phone away and in less than a minute, he fell asleep.