Catch a Rising Star

A/N: I've spent almost two weeks writing this! Finals for this semester have been keeping me on my toes. But on the bright side, I only have one more week before I get a well-deserved vacation. For about seven weeks until fall comes. But still, I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Enough about me, though. Let's just get on with Chapter 10. Roll it!

Chapter 10

Bonding Over Coffee and Karaoke

About thirty minutes later, Poppy had parked Dahlia across from a surprisingly quiet street in front of a quaint-looking coffee shop, having a faded sign at the top of the building that said, "Ocean View Café". Branch looked around and saw that Poppy wasn't kidding. Hardly anyone was on this side of town.

"You weren't sugarcoating it." Branch said as he and Poppy got out of the car. "There really isn't anyone here on this side of the city."

Poppy smiled at him with a sly little glint in her eyes as she locked the car and tucked her pink locks under her sun hat.

"I told you." She said. "Gotta learn to trust me."

Branch just rolled his own eyes as he followed Poppy to cross the street. Then, they entered the café, relishing in the cool air conditioning and with the very few customers that were seated either at the bar seatings or at the booths.

Branch took the opportunity to examine his surroundings. There was a large wooden counter that wrapped around the side of the room to the back of it in a big 'L' shape, where the kitchen was from behind two doors, the countertop was a pretty white quartz that had a little bit of a sparkle reflecting off it in the sun. There were also three large blackboards carefully placed on the wall, showing the menu and the specials written in brightly colored chalk.

There was a bit of a warm, creamy white wainscoting around the entire room, matching perfectly with the toffee-colored paint of the walls. On the opposing side of the room, in a little corner, was a small stage having karaoke equipment hooked up.

"I can see why you like this place." He said with a smirk, and then pointed to the karaoke set on the stage. "Especially that."

Poppy just rolled her eyes, a little smile on her face. "Funny, wise guy." She teased, nudging his side with her shoulder.

Both of them then headed over to the counter to place their orders. There, a man about their age with wavy platinum blond hair and purple-bluish eyes greeted them. He wore a gray T-shirt, brown pants, and a white apron over his attire. There was also a name tag pinned on the front of his shirt, saying, "Guy."

"Welcome to Ocean View Café." He said to them politely, grabbing a pen and notebook from his apron pocket. "What can I get you for today?"

Poppy lowered her sunglasses at him, showing him her eyes. "I'd like my usual, please." She said with a smile and a little wink. Her action caught Branch's attention, and that got him to suspect that she knows this guy personally.

Guy's eyes widened for a second, and then smiled back. "Of course, miss." He said, and then turned over to Branch. "And what about you, sir?"

Branch quickly scanned the menu to see what sounded good. "I'll have a mint chocolate mocha, please." He said.

"What kind of milk?" Guy asked.

"Just regular two percent." Branch said.

"And toppings?"

"Just a chocolate drizzle."

"And any pastries?"

"Do you have brownies?" When he nodded, Branch nodded back in response. "I'll have a couple of those, then." He said.

"Okay." Guy wrote down the order and then placed his notepad in his apron pocket. "Take a seat, and your orders will be out soon."

He then leaned in close towards Poppy to whisper to her. "Nice to see you again, Poppy."

"You too, Guy." She whispered back. That little exchange confirmed Branch's suspicions.

Poppy then led Branch over to a booth near the karaoke equipment. When they sat down, Branch narrowed his eyes at her.

"What?" She asked him.

"That's the main reason why you can come to this place and not worry about getting mobbed." Branch said. "You know the staff personally, and they keep quiet for you."

Poppy shrugged. "Yeah, you got me." She said. "But I've known Guy and Biggie since we were in fourth grade. I trust them."

"Biggie?" Branch repeated, a brow quirked up.

"Just an old nickname." Poppy explained. "His real name is Bingham, but you'll see why we nicknamed him Biggie."

Branch didn't say anything else, and then turned over to the stage from where they were seated.

"What about that?" He asked, gesturing to it. "You sing on that?"

"Only once in a while." Poppy said while shrugging. "Particularly when there's hardly anyone here. If I do it more often, then people might start to recognize me by my voice."

"Fair enough." Branch said.

Poppy's eyes lingered on her companion for a few extra seconds before turning back to the stage. She'll admit, she had been wanting to hear Branch sing again after she had heard him the night before. But she had a feeling that that was something he'd like to keep private, particularly because of his attitude of her own stardom. But then again, there were hardly any people today, and she really needed to keep a low profile for the time being.

"But you can give it a go if you want." She suggested. "There's hardly anyone here if you don't feel comfortable performing in front of a lot of people."

Branch looked over at her with wide eyes. "Me?" He asked. Then he shook his head. "Sorry, Poppy. I don't sing."

That was a lie, Poppy knew that for sure. "Come on, Branch." She said. "Just one song, and then I won't bug you about it again."

He still wasn't convinced, so she tried a different tactic. "Do you.... not like to sing?" She asked carefully.

Branch shook his head with a sigh. "No." He said. "I just don't like doing it in public. Plus, I'm not that good anyway."

Okay, that for sure was a total lie. He had pure golden pipes, but Poppy didn't want to go that far, otherwise he might explode at her for eavesdropping on him the night before.

"Please?" She begged, giving him puppy eyes. "Just one?"

Branch felt his demeanor beginning to crumble at Poppy's expression. Harper had used that same trick on him a couple of times before when they were little, and it infuriated him to no end. But Poppy was looking.... much cuter when she was doing it herself.

Alarms went off in his brain when he realized what he was thinking. He turned away from her, eyes shut, to not only look at her puppy eyes but also to hide the slowly growing redness in his cheeks. He then opened one eye and saw that she was still giving him that look.

Finally, just so that she can get off his back and that he can stop his traitorous heart from pounding super hard as if he was in a marathon, he sighed heavily with defeat.

"Fine." He caved in, making Poppy beam at him brightly. "But one song. That's it."

With a deep breath and a roll of his eyes, Branch headed onto the stage and picked up the microphone. As he was picking a song, he supposed that Poppy did have a point. There was hardly no one here in the coffee house, and it wasn't like he was going to be recorded live for everyone in the entire world to see. So it was maybe worth a shot.

Just then, he found a song that was very familiar to him. He selected it and then adjusted the microphone in his suddenly sweaty hands. He took a deep, slow breath and just focused on the familiar lyrics that were appearing on the screen, instinctively tuning out everything else. In his ears, he could only hear his own heartbeat as he stared at the screen. He began to sing quietly into the microphone.

Branch: Have you ever felt
It could all go away
If you blink?

If you never stop running
You won't fall behind;
So you think.

Beginning to feel a little more confident as he continued to sing the song that always held a special place in his heart, Branch began to sing a little louder, a fond little smile appearing on his face. This song always inspired him to do better and become better. Memories came into his mind, and his smile slowly grew wider.

And you wonder in your heart
If you're still not who you are
Who are you?

Nothing's as it seems
'Til it all falls apart.

Everything in the coffee shop came to a stop when they heard Branch's voice ring out. Even some of the staff came out of the kitchen to watch him. Luckily for Branch, he was on a little trip down memory lane as he sang, so he didn't notice the spectators.

If you have a dream, go chase it.
If you feel hope, don't waste it.
If you find love, embrace it,
And never take a single breath for granted.

Poppy in particular, was awestruck. She had heard him sing before, unbeknownst to him, but him singing a cover of such an inspirational song, this was something new all on its own. The song that he was singing the night before, along with the recording of his father; it had to be an original song since she had never heard it before. He really should sing more often, because his voice was truly a gift.

The story's yours, go write it.
Tomorrow's undecided.
Our days are counted on this planet.
Never take a single breath,
Take a single breath for granted.

Just then, Guy and a much bigger man about a good foot taller than him, having platinum blond hair and blue eyes, came over to Poppy, each of them holding a plate of pastries and a mug of steaming coffee. They stared at Branch for a good two seconds before they placed the food and drinks on the table.

Maybe it's time
You bet on yourself.
Listen to your heart.
Just listen to your heart
And nobody else.

Guy leaned in close to whisper to Poppy. "Where did you find him?" He asked her. Poppy didn't answer him as she continued to stare at Branch.

So go find out who you are.
Only you know who you are.
Who are you?

'Cause all you have to lose
Is your best life yet,
So go ahead.

"Poppy?" The taller man asked her, trying to get her attention. It was then that the pink-haired superstar in disguise snapped out of her gazing.

"Uh, yeah, Biggie?" She addressed him.

If you have a dream, go chase it.
If you feel hope, don't waste it.
If you find love, embrace it,
And never take a single breath for granted.

Both Guy and Biggie looked over at Branch, and then at each other, a sly smirk on their faces. "What?" Poppy demanded.

"You were looking at him." Guy said, gesturing over to Branch on the stage.

"So?" Poppy asked, not getting his implication.

"You like him." Guy said.

Poppy's face exploded in a furious red blush, pink eyes widened in shock. "I do not!" She hissed quietly. "He's infuriating and stubborn and incredibly sarcastic." She quickly turned away from them to hide her blush, her arms crossing tightly against her chest.

Both Guy and Biggie shared a knowing smirk between each other. "She likes him." Guy whispered to the taller man.

"Obviously." Biggie whispered back.

The story's yours, go write it.
Tomorrow's undecided.
Our days are counted on this planet.
Never take a single breath,
Take a single breath for granted.

As Poppy listened to Branch singing, she stole another glance over at him, feeling the angry blush on her face slowly receding into something much softer. Of course those two should know her better. She had been kind of kicking herself for all of the previous night for somewhat checking out another guy when she already has a boyfriend.

Sometimes the greatest moment
We'll ever know
Are when we're letting go,
So let go.

And maybe our brightest days
Still wait for us
In the unknown.

But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered that maybe that's why she found herself drawn to him. He's very different from any other guy she had ever known. He's practical, responsible, and honestly, surprising. There was much more to him than meets the eye.

If you have a dream, go chase it.
If you feel hope, don't waste it.
If you find love, embrace it,
And never take a single breath for granted.

She had already confirmed that she was getting through to him, breaking through his hard shell, but how far can she push without making him feel uncomfortable? The last thing she wanted was for him to push her away when she felt like she was really starting to know him. Well, the most she could do was just keep being a friend to him.

If you have a light, go find it.
The story's yours, go write it.
Our days are counted on this planet,
So never take a single breath
Take a single breath for granted.

Branch finally finished the mesmerizing song and placed the microphone down next to the karaoke machine. Suddenly, there was applause and cheering, and he turned around to see that everyone was looking at him, clapping for him with wide smiles on their faces.

An embarrassed blush appeared on his own face and he quickly took back his spot across from Poppy, not meeting anyone's eyes. At least he didn't see any phones out.

Poppy pretended to be surprised, as if it was the first time she heard him sing. But for Guy and Biggie, they were absolutely stunned. Branch blinked up at them with confusion.

"What?" He asked.

The other person, he supposed, was Biggie. And it was no surprise of the choice of nickname, seeing that he was quite tall.

"Dude, you can really sing!" Guy exclaimed as he gave him his mint mocha and a plate of brownies. "We've heard some pretty talented people sing at that old machine before, but none of them held a candle to what you can do!"

Branch felt his cheeks lightly heat up at the unexpected praise from the strangers that were apparently more friends of Poppy's. "Thanks?" He said unsurely.

Biggie handed Poppy a cinnamon and vanilla cappuccino and a small plate of frosted sugar cookies with rainbow colored sprinkles on them. She briefly smiled up at him before beginning introductions.

"Guy, Biggie, this is Branch." She said, gesturing over to the black-haired man across from her, who just lightly waved his hand at them politely.

"Where did you find him?" Guy asked Poppy again, repeating his previous question that she didn't answer before.

"She hit me in the head with a door." Branch said, crossing his arms and looking smug.

"I'm sorry about that, okay?" Poppy retorted. "At least you didn't get a concussion."

"Well, that's something new, eh Pops?" Guy said, nudging her with his elbow. "That's usually not how someone makes a new friend."

"Knock it off." She muttered.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Branch." Biggie said. "We'll leave you two to enjoy your coffees." With that, he and Guy left the booth to resume their jobs.

Both of them sipped their coffees, and Branch briefly relished in the taste of his mint mocha. Poppy then spoke up after she drank a little bit of her cappuccino.

"They weren't wrong, though." She said softly. "You really do have an incredible voice."

Branch's eyes slightly widened in surprise at that compliment, coming from Poppy, and he lightly turned away from her to hide the annoying, infernal blush that was beginning to show on his cheeks.

"Thanks, I guess." He muttered quietly.

Poppy could tell that he didn't believe it. But then her mind drifted over to his song of choice. "So why that song?" She asked carefully.

Branch sighed as he looked back at her. "It was one of my mom's favorite songs." He explained.

"She would often play it or sing it to me and Harper when we were little, particularly when we were feeling down after a bad day. Hearing it or singing it along with her always made us feel better, and it inspired us to keep going."

He lightly swallowed a lump in his throat before continuing. "After she and my dad died, Harper and I would sometimes hear it and I can easily picture our mom singing it to us, telling us to keep being strong and never give up."

Poppy just stared at him for a few seconds, processing his words. "You know, maybe we're not so different." She said.

Branch blinked. "Oh, yeah?" He asked, almost as if he was challenging her to enlighten him.

She nodded. "You know, I do sometimes wish that I can take a break from being a superstar. One reason why, besides the paparazzi, is because I want to remember.... why I love singing so much and why I started to sing professionally."

"What about your mom?" Branch asked her.

"She was my inspiration, yes." Poppy said, looking down at her cappuccino cup. "But also, there was something about the way that she sang that wanted me to do the same and share it with the world."

She then looked back up at Branch. "Hearing you sing, I think I'm starting to remember."

Branch blinked, and then came to a realization. A small smile appeared on his face. "I think I know what it is." He said.

"When you sing, you should really think about your loved ones; the people closest to you, and then, you sing from here." He pointed towards her heart. "I recognized it when you sang at the house party last night."

"Really?" Poppy asked.

Branch nodded. "My parents always told me that you can have all of the practice and fans and fame you can ever want from singing, but the performances that come from the heart, whether it be a fun song to dance to or one that you can serenade to someone special, those are the ones that people remember and love the most and those stay with you forever."

His words rang in Poppy's mind as she processed them. Maybe that's why she felt constricted recently. It wasn't just because of the paparazzi or the big career steps ahead of her. She also felt somewhat trapped because of her lack of inspiration. She hadn't been writing any original songs recently, though she just brushed it off as writer's block.

But now, she realized that she hadn't been feeling inspired because of all the things that had been holding her back from what she really loved doing, which she started in honor of her mother. She then remembered some of the last words of the recording of Branch's father.

"You don't have to be a famous star to shine. Sometimes, just being yourself is more than enough."

He was right. Even if she didn't become famous, just singing and sharing her talent was more than enough. And from that little smile that she saw on Branch the night before at the house party, he was right, too. Singing from the heart are always the most memorable and can reach out to people the most.

Poppy lightly smiled at Branch, and he returned it. She then took her cappuccino and held it in her hand as if she was going to propose a toast.

"Well, here's to the parents," she said, "who always guide us in what really matters."

Branch's smile slightly grew wider as he held out his mint mocha. "To the parents." He said.

Both of them clinked their cups together before taking a sip of their individual coffee drinks. Their smiles never receded as they continued to eat their little lunch.

A/N: Cute? Not cute enough? Well, this is my first fully original chapter in this story. A few other chapters were semi-original. I'll keep working on it. Plus, I actually had to research what kind of coffee drinks they might like because I personally don't drink coffee.

I really hope you guys liked my song choice for Branch. It's called "Granted" by Josh Groban. I absolutely love his incredible talent. However, I don't own the song in any shape or form. Credit goes to their rightful owners.

Well, hopefully I won't take so long on the next chapter. But until then, soon, I'll be posting a special little short story for you guys.

Some of you have been reading my one-shot Trolls collection, "Feeling the Love Tonight." Some readers on fanfiction.net have requested that I do a one-shot about a Broppy proposal. Well, I won't be posting it with the collection, but they will soon get said one-shot. And I hope they like it. For you guys here, I'll soon have Part Two of that coming soon.

Until next time! See y'all! Please leave a comment about what you think, and remember to stay healthy!

Got to fly! ;)