Monday.

"Me?"

"Uhhhh-Yeah! Will you be able to come?" Poppy pleaded with her eyes to receive a "yes" from the brunette. She nodded her head in a fast motion. "Oh yes! Yes, yes, yes-I can come!"

"Great! Saturday, see ya there! Thanks Bridget!" Poppy expressed with a beaming smile and then skipped away to finish her job. She was passing out invitations to her eighteenth birthday party. Eighteen meant she was almost an adult but Branch could beg to differ.

"No."

"But Branchhhhhhh-" "Can it. It's a party and this boy is a party-skipper. I'm not going but I'll still scrap you together a present," He snapped. Poppy rolled her eyes and moped around the room. "But you have to come! I only turn eighteen once, Branch! ONCE!" "Oh yeah? And on Sunday, how old will you be?"

She sighed. "Eighteen." Branch grinned and raised his shoulders. "Righttttttt. And I only have one day to wri...round up my little cousin," Branch hesitated. Little did Poppy know, he had come in contact with a guy who was interested in his music. This guy had asked him to write a song, video himself singing it, and if he liked it, he would look into giving him a record deal. However, Branch didn't want Poppy to get too into it early. He was preparing to tell her later if he got the deal.

"Wait...little cousin? You're babysitting?!" "Y-Yeah...why?" Now Branch had to actually watch his cousin and boy, was that going to be no fun at all. His younger cousin, Amber, was almost two years old and her parents were going out of town. His aunt had gotten a message yesterday asking if she could watch her for the weekend and she had let him know that she was going to look into it.

"Wow...I didn't know you liked kids." Branch nervously laughed and stuffed his fists in hi pockets. "You can bring the kid to the party!" Poppy offered for him. His eyes grew ten times larger. "I don't think that's such a great idea, Poppy." "I'll go ask Aunt Marie if that's okay," the girl jumped up and rushed downstairs before the boy could grab her arm. Great. He was always nervous and uncomfortable at parties and now he was being forced to go to one. Fantastic.

No more than a minute later, Poppy's quick footsteps were heard coming up to his room. She held a smile on her cheeks and a skip in her step. "She said that'd be great!" Branch gave a sigh of relief and aggravation. Saturday was going to suck.

Wednesday.

"Did you ask her yet?" Branch's aunt asked as he ate pizza rolls and watched the television. He gave her question no thought. "About what?" "The wedding!"

Branch almost choked on his snack. The wedding. His cousin was getting married and they were asked to babysit her sister's son while they set it up. Now he realized that he needed a date and his aunt offered Poppy to take the job. "No. No I have not," he answered having insight of where this conversation was taking him. "You should go ask her now! I have to go over there and talk to Peppy. I'll walk with you!" she exclaimed walking toward the front door. Branch licked his lips.

"Aunt Marie...I don't need a date. I'll go by myself."

The woman completely stopped where she stood and exhaled loudly. "Branch...you don't get it do you?" she asked without even turning around. He rose a brow. The words he had asked in his mind floated right from his lips, "What do you mean?"

Marie sighed. "You're young. You love Poppy. Don't second guess me when it comes to girls. I was once like that...and I missed the one chance I had. You have a chance with her. One day she'll understand how much you care...so take this chance and ask her to be your date. I doubt she'll say no. Andddddd," she continued grabbing hold of his arm, "maybe you should tell her."

Not ten seconds after Marie knocked, Peppy was at the door. "Marie! Branch! So good to see you both! What can I do for you two?" Marie gave a warm smile and tugged on Branch's arm. "We just felt like stopping by for an afternoon chat! Branch had asked if it was alright to come see Poppy so I thought it'd be okay if I could come talk to you about a few things?" The man couldn't say no. He had nothing better to do. "Come in."

The floor squeaked as Branch's sneakers went across the hard wood floors of their upstairs. "Poppy?" he spoke into the hallway. "Branch?"

He opened her bedroom door to reveal a lonely Poppy sitting at her desk with a pencil and notebook. She turned to meet his eyes immediately and smiled. He felt butterflies when he looked at that smile. "I-um...came here to ask you something?" His stomach turned upside down while his palms grew sweaty. Pushing aside the nervousness, he went for it. "Will you be my date for the wedding Sunday afternoon?"

Poppy's heart leaped. Yes, there was a spark there deep inside her heart of something else rather than the label given by friendship, but from the moment he met her eyes when she stepped through his window, she felt like he was all she had ever needed. How could she say no? "Yes. Absolutely."

Then came Branch's rare smile. At that moment, the atmosphere felt a little lighter. Marie was right. But they didn't have the faintest idea of what was ahead.

"What'd you and Peppy talk about?" Branch attempted to stimulate conversation. It was a subject rather unspoken of to Marie. "That's none of your concern...just about how his family is doing." It was too obvious that she was hiding what they had discussed. Branch had a faint, small idea. "Was it about mom and dad?" The room went silent.

Saturday.

The three year old's footsteps felt like another figment of Branch's imagination. It was the fifth time he had heard them in the past four hours and it ate away with his calm demeanor. Fatigue had also disrupted his attitude to such an extent, that he felt annoyed about everyone and everything. He could blame the child if he wanted to but his aunt would only give him h- "Would you please get the freaking baby to shut up?!" he shouted without even bothering to open his eyes.

It wasn't even a minute before his door shot open and he jumped upward. "What are you doing?! Get up! Poppy's party starts in thirty minutes!" his aunt emphasized using her hands before running back down the hallway to take the child in her arms.

Thirty minutes...? The bed squeaked with every movement. Wait...the party?! "I'm not going!" he shouted so his statement could be heard. He could hear her scoff in the kitchen. "You're going to that girl's party or she'll be heart broken and you'll have a lot of explaining to do to her dad, you hear me?!" Her voice echoed throughout the house and her tone made him shiver. He typically wouldn't talk to her but ever since they've moved, it had been like they grew closer. "I'm not going until you tell me what you and Peppy discussed! So call it what you want but I won't be attending this one, Rowe!!!" Rowe. It was Marie's real name but she had always preferred to go by her middle name. It got to her soul and she froze. The only person who had called her by Rowe was her brother, Grove and especially when he had threatened to not go until her spilled the beans on their discussion. He wasn't stupid in the slightest way...just like his mother.

Marie took a steady pace to his room and stopped at the doorway while keeping her eyes to the floor. Rowe...Rowe, we'll be okay but if you don't take this baby and leave then there may be no tomorrow so just trust me, will you?!

"You deserve to know, Brandon," Marie confessed folding her arms and frowning. "Their fortune is left with you. Therefore you're not safe at this age of eighteen. Also, we had talked about the necklace your mother had given me. It had a pearl in the middle and I adored that necklace with my life. But when we moved...I couldn't find it. Now I have no idea where it is and I feel—" "You lost my mom's necklace...?" Branch broke in breathily. His words shook her core. "I regret it more than anything and I thought he could help calm me down."

Branch couldn't describe how he felt. She kept things from him and now she was keeping something that his mom had given to her but lost. Sadness and anger battled for his expression but it continued to be blank. "Okay."

"Branch!!!!" Poppy sprinted through the crowd and wrapped her arms around his neck, "You came." How she convinced herself that he wouldn't come, he didn't know. He would end up coming if the entire school came yet that was the case. Music roared throughout the house and people were every place he looked.

You take the simplest thing and always complicate it
Too many circles got me dizzy like a merry go round

He became uneasy as she pulled away. "I'm glad you're here," Poppy proclaimed smiling so much it made Branch's face hurt. He could barely hear her voice through the bass from the speakers.

It shouldn't be so hard to have a conversation
I'm sick of fighting with your ego I wish you would admit

"Thanks!" he shouted so loud that she stepped back a little and laughed. She grabbed his hand and led him across the room to a table where a group of cards lay. "Here. Your card can go here."

But I don't understand, it's always over my head
Yeah over my head, yeah it's so over my head, over my head, over my head

Dipping his head, he placed it beside the others when the doorbell rang attracting her attention along with it. "Someone else is here!!!" she declared and sprinted to the door. When she pulled it open, a brown-haired girl appeared with a shy smile and a bag in her right hand.

Is it too late, too far gone to fix this?
Over my head, over my head, over my head

"Bridget! Glad you could make it! I was worried you wouldn't come."

"No no–I wouldn't miss it, Poppy. Thank you for the invite," she corrected offering the bag to the birthday girl. She grinned and took her hand before leading her to Branch. Branch gave a slight smile and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Branch, this is Bridget. Bridget, this is Branch."

Bridget smiled and held out her hand, "pleasure in meeting you, Branch." By her movements, he could tell she was shy, reserved, and nervous. He could compare. "Please, the pleasure is all mine," he implied taking her hand and shaking it. Poppy, bubbling with joy, squealed and clapped her hands. "I'm so glad you two could meet and spark a friendship! Now if you'll excuse me, imma go check in on the food so brb!" she voiced walking away and toward the kitchen. Bridget gave a nervous laugh. Then she looked at Branch who's expression was nothing more than blank.

"So...are you her boyfriend?" He almost choked on air and coughed loudly. "Pfffffttt what?! No. Just a friend...that's all. She's wayyyyy too–" "Loud? Crazy? Musical?" Bridget butted in creating laughs from Branch. "Yeah...yeah I guess so." Bridget wasn't convinced one bit but that wasn't why she brought up the subject. "I like someone but I know they don't like me back...could you help me?" Bridget muttered at a volume only he could hear. Swallowing his pride of knowledge with a guy's innermost thoughts of a girl, he cleared his throat. "Sure sure. What's the trouble here again?"

She rushed forward and grabbed his hands. "I like this boy but this boy has been around me my entire life. He's even spoken to me but I don't think he knows that I think he's this perfect, amazing guy. I want to go on a date with him but...he barely ever says anything to me. Please help." Turning his head to the left and then the right, he tugged on her arm. "Let's...talk somewhere where no other ears can hear, okay?" Branch reasoned receiving a nod from the girl. As they walked up the stairs and into an open room, Poppy watched from another room beside Cooper with a curious expression.

"Where do you think they're going?" she asked absolutely no one but hoped to get the answer she was looking for. However, Cooper was oblivious to the current situation. "Probably somewhere fun, am I right?" "No!" Poppy shouted a little louder than she thought and the music stopped. Everyone's head turned to meet her eyes and she froze. "I....I need to use the bathroom!" she finished and ran up the stairs to her own bathroom. She wanted to cry and scream and throw something out her window...but why?

Someone knocked on the bathroom door before a familiar voice came to her hearing. "Poppy? You alright?" Biggie questioned. He was the best at comforting but if she told him her situation it would make her seem...jealous. Of Branch. And Bridget. It was such an odd feeling yet the word fell in so perfectly. "Poppy?" Snapping her into reality, she wiped the now apparent tears from her cheeks. "Y-yeah! I'm fine. My stomach just hurt...I'll be out shortly!" she replied and then took a deep breath. "Okay, I just wanted to make sure you were alright." She smiled to herself and looked at her reflection. What had she become now?

"What's his name? I'll try to convince him for you–" "No! No...I don't want you to ask him because that sounds weird." Bridget cried twisting her hair between her fingers. "Maybeeeee you could some how set up a double date with you and Poppy!" "I just said t–wait Poppy and I aren't—" A knock came to the door and Branch rose to open it. Once it was open, Poppy stood with a blank expression and looked Branch straight in the eye. "Time to sing and eat cake but if you're busy I'll leave you to it," Poppy hissed before turning 90 degrees to her left and heading to the kitchen. Branch wasn't stupid enough to not know that something was going on. Yet he turned and gave Bridget the news, "time to sing 'happy birthday'."

All of her friends gathered around the table to sing her a traditional song that annoyed every last nerve in Branch's body. He wondered why he helped Bridget, he never did those kinds of things for others but now it felt different. Poppy held a fake smile on her birthday. It hurt seeing Branch be with someone else but she was confused with her own feelings. Maybe it was the fact that her fake boyfriend didn't act like he was hers...or maybe she really liked him? Nah, she wanted nothing more than the love of her friends and family. No boyfriend. But Branch's smirk convinced her otherwise.

"Happy birthday to—" "Am I late?!" a woman's voice was heard from the front door. Every head turned and the song came to an abrupt end. Heels clicked on the hardwood floor and curiously grew every second. Soon, a tall, blonde haired woman wearing a tight, black and white dress appeared. Poppy's naw dropped and she slowly rose from her chair. "Mom...?" "Amora Paige...my flower, I missed you."

Poppy ran into the woman's arms and let her tears take control in her eyes. She smelled like the sweetest of roses and her eyes gave off the color of emeralds. "I'm sorry for being gone for so long–" "You're here now...that's all that I care about," Poppy confessed and hugged her tighter. Every pair of eyes were confused except for Peppy's. "Moon." The woman's head turned and she smirked. "Peppy. So great to see you." She pulled away and reached into the bag in her arm. Her hand pulled out a small black box. "Open it, it's your present." Poppy complied and opened it before pulling out a pearl necklace. A beautiful, larger pearl laid on the front in which the mother pointed to. "This, this pearl represents strength in a friendship. Never lose it, my flower." Placing both hands on the pearl, she held it close to her. "I won't. I love it."

Branch stood in shock. And confusion. 'It has a pearl in the middle and I adored that necklace with my life. But when we moved...I couldn't find it.' "My mother's necklace." he whispered to himself. "Poppy, would you come blow out your candles now?" Smidge giggled while asking. Poppy smiled. "Yes yes of course!"

She candles were blown out and the crowd clapped and cheered. Branch sat silent. Something was fishy. Something was wrong.

"Hi! You must be–" "Moon. Poppy's mother," the woman confirmed shaking the young man's hand. Poppy stared at her necklace and held a fake smile. "So where's the necklace from?" he questioned snapping Poppy's chin up. "Uh um–I had it since I was a young girl. My childhood friend gave it to me. She was something remarkable." Branch just nodded and then looked toward Poppy. He could see right through her. "I'm Branch, nice to meet you–" "he's our neighbor," Poppy interrupted before taking another string look at Branch. He stirred. "Would you excuse us for a minute?" he asked grabbing Poppy's arm. "Sure."

Branch pulled her up to her room and closed the door behind them. Poppy folded her arms and looked out her large window. "How's the new girlfriend, Branch? I just met her too but she seems to enjoy your presence more than mine." Poppy taunted. "Stop it. Don't do that–" "Do what?! Call you out for taking off on your promise? Yeah. Real cool Branch. And then hooking up with my new friend at my birthday?!" Branch rolled his eyes. "We were not hooking up. You know I don't like people especially strangers–" "Strangers?! Hah! That's the friendliest stranger I've ever seen you with! Is that why you were alone with her in a room?!" Poppy screamed holding her hands in fists. "Well since you just don't want me to explain, I'll just leave! Isn't that what you want?!" Branch boomed and yanked open the door. He stomped his way down the stairs and kept his eyes toward the floor as he ran out of the house. Once the music no longer could reach his mind, he ran and ran and ran. Ran to a place where himself and only himself stood and could ponder. He wanted loneliness even though that's what he most hated. But he needed it. He longed for it.

He finally stopped to catch his breath before he realized he was at the city park. The sun was starting to set and his breath only became shorter. The bench adjacent to him became taken as he sat down and closed his eyes. Love. It was so stupid yet so controlling and captivating. It was– "Whatcha doin here, ol' Branch?" a squeaky voice greeted sparking his awareness of the gang before him. "Gristle," he scolded through his teeth. Their last meeting wasn't his favorite but now he was most likely ready for his blood. "Oh Branch, Branch, Branchhhhh. No no no!" he began constructing confusion in the teen. "I'm not here to hurt the lil boy! I'm here for a deal." "What's in it for me, Mr. Potato Head?" he gloated making Gristle feel uneasy. "No one you love will get hurt." The threat seemed to get to his soul deeply. If Poppy got hurt, he'd never forgive himself. "I'm listening."

"Get yourself a girl but it cannot be Poppy...and you and I will take our dates on a double date to confirm it. In this case, you'll have to make Poppy miserable and stay away from her with the new chic. So...it's a deal?" Branch laughed out his nose. "I don't think you're the one calling the shots...never knew you were into girls, eh?" That's when Gristle smirked and backed up. "Oh, because I'm actually not." He stepped off to the side and out walked this British sounding nightmare. "Hello there, mate! Happiness looks good on you...so sad it'll have to go so soon." Creek teased and the squad laughed. Branch swallowed hard.

"So...whatcha say, Branch? Do we have a deal?" Branch rose a brow and looked deep in his eyes full of evil and envy. He had no options. He reached out and shook his hand. "It's a deal."

A/N:
Whew!! That was a lot of words😂 Sorry for the wait you guys but I'm thinking this book will have a sequel even though we're pretty far from finishing. Also, I'm so thankful for all the love coming from you guys!! It's so great! I might be creating a side book with character info and stuff late but comment if I should or not because idk🤷‍♀️ Watch my edits on @sincerely.elise on instagram!! Thank you for reading and until next time, lots of love 💓