I don't have a cover yet, but I decided not to hide this anymore.

So, here I stand in the light of... Oh, forget it.

Poppy uneasily pulled the test out of her hair. It read negative, thank God. Why would she want to have a baby now? She had only been with Cedar for five months, they never talked about having children. Then again, Poppy rarely spoke about anything. She said one word too many, next thing she knew...

“Babe, what are you doing?" a familiar voice asked. Poppy tucked the test underneath her hairband and turned to find Cedar at the pod entrance.

“Just, uh... doing a quick warmup for my performance at the Fancy Pants Gala tonight," she lied, and sang a few notes. “Think I'll do good?"

“Well, you're the princess, no one really cares about your singing," he answered. Poppy lowered her head in sadness. “Don't give me that look! At least you don't have to wear suspenders."

“Believe me, I would've gotten you a belt, but I didn't think it would–" Poppy was cut off by a slap in the face. It stung, yes, but there were worse things. The test fell out of her hair to her feet.

“What the hair is that?"

Poppy got down on her knees to pick it up. “It's negative," she assured him. “There's no need to freak out."

“Don't be cute with me," Cedar said threateningly. “I don't want another word coming out of you, alright?"

Poppy nodded. Cedar pulled the test from her hands and threw it out the window. Someone shouted in pain as it hit them in the head.

“Sorry!" Poppy shouted. Cedar grabbed her by the hair and slammed her into the pod walls.

“I said not another word!"

“Why do you treat me like this?" Poppy muttered. She dared not to say it aloud, however. That would only make it worse.

“I'll be back," he said, exiting the pod. “Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone!"

Poppy wouldn't cry. She refused to. Whatever tears fell from her eyes, she immediately wiped them off.

It was winter when they first met. Poppy and her father, King Peppy, met Cedar and his parents during a ski trip. Cedar didn't bother learning how to ski, and spent most of his time in the lodge by himself. Poppy only wanted to be his friend, so he wouldn't be alone, but found herself being charmed by him. As they grew closer, however, he became more possessive of her. She rarely saw her friends anymore, and when his parents cut him off, Poppy let him move in with her. Originally, it was only until he got back on his feet, but Cedar only took what he wanted when he wanted it.

And Poppy would pay when he didn't get it.

“Poppy, why did this land on my head?"

The young princess turned around to find a grumpy, but friendlier face at her doorstep. At least one friend managed to stay in touch with her.

“Sorry, Branch," she apologized, taking the test away from him. “I was aiming for the trash can and I missed."

“Okay," Branch said uneasily. After three years of friendship, he could tell she was lying. “Shame, though. I kinda always wanted to be an uncle."

Poppy laughed until her cheek stung again. Branch immediately took notice.

“What happened?"

“It was nothing," she insisted. Branch just pushed her bangs back and saw a large red mark on her jawline. “We just had a little argument, I swear."

“Little? Poppy, he hit you!" Branch pointed out. “That's not nothing. Does he always hit you when you fight?"

“Not always," she answered, looking away from her best friend. A wave of horrible memories flooded her brain. Cedar did way more than just hit her. He beat her, threw stuff at her, and often...

“You should tell him to stop," Branch said.

“I tried, but he got angry," Poppy explained.

“Then dump him! He has no right to treat you like this!"

“I can't just tell him to leave!" Poppy argued. “He loves me! I know he does!"

“How?" Branch asked. “Have you ever heard him say ‘I love you?'"

“Well, I uh..." Poppy stuttered. Cedar called her babe, hun, and sweet cheeks, but never used the word love around her. “Maybe if I say it to him first..."

“Do you love him?"

“Of course I love him!" Poppy insisted. “How can you say all this, Branch?! I thought we were friends!"

“We are friends!" Branch insisted. “And sometimes, that means speaking up if I think you're making a mistake!"

“Am I interrupting something?" said Cedar as he stood by the doorway. Branch held out his arms to shield Poppy.

“Actually, Branch was just leaving," Poppy assured him, glaring at her friend.

“But Poppy–"

“Didn't you hear her?!" Cedar shouted. “She said get out!"

Branch took one last look at Poppy before leaving. Hopefully, she would listen to him.

Cedar turned to Poppy, his face filled with rage. “Who was that?! One of your little boy toys?!"

“He's just my friend!" Poppy tried to reassure him, but that just made him angrier.

“So, I'm not good enough for you?!" he yelled. “I told you! You don't have time for friends!"

“I'm gonna be queen one day," Poppy pointed out. “I have to have time for something."

“Let's forget the whole thing," said Cedar. “But I swear, if you ever lay eyes on him again, you will never lay eyes on anything again. Understand?"

“Crystal clear," she answered. “I-I love you."

Cedar just shook his head. “I'm putting on those stupid suspenders."

💔💔💔💔💔💔

Branch sat alone in his underground home, sipping on a cup of tea and staring at a photo he took with Poppy before she met Cedar. He couldn't get his mind off her. Then again, over the past year, there hadn't been a moment when he didn't think about her.

When they were young, Poppy and Branch didn't think much of each other. Poppy thought he was a bummer, and Branch thought she was too carefree and energetic.

But one night, she found him alone, near death.

Branch had suffered from depression since he was just a boy. After ten years, he decided enough was enough, went into the forest, and ate poisonous berries until he felt his blood run cold.

Poppy had been camping with Cooper, Smidge, and Biggie that same night, and while looking for more firewood, she found Branch's lifeless body and had her friends rush him back to the village. He woke up two days later in a hospital bed, and found Poppy sleeping in a chair next to him. Branch was angry with her at first, but after a hug and a few soothing words into his ear, he found a new respect for the princess and the two of them had been best friends ever since.

Unfortunately, Branch soon found himself developing feelings for Poppy. He tried telling her, but the words could never come out of his mouth. He still had a few insecurities deep down. What if she rejected him, or laughed at him, or felt disgusted? The pressure was too much. Then, Poppy started seeing Cedar, which hurt even more, but Branch supported his friend nonetheless.

It seemed as though Poppy was happy, at first. Cedar would fulfill her every wish, and shower her with affection. But eventually, he pulled her away from all the Trolls. Her friends, her father, and especially Branch. Although he kept his distance for the most part, Branch grew concerned. Whenever he did see Poppy, her normally cheerful gaze seemed despondent. He began to miss the happy-go-lucky princess he fell in love with.

Even if he could never be with Poppy, he still worried for her.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Branch gasped at the sound of someone banging on his door. He hid the photo in a drawer and went up the elevator shaft. Was it Poppy?

“Hey, Braaaa-aaaa-aaaanch!"

Of course. Branch opened the door to find a certain glittery Troll. “What do you want?"

“To personally invite you to the Fancy Pants Gala!" Guy Diamond answered, giving Branch a card that squirted glitter into his face.

“I'm not much of a fancy pants person, Guy," Branch pointed out, putting the invitation aside.

“But don't you want to look good in front of everyone?" he asked. “Win the hearts of many? Dance with a beautiful girl? I hear Poppy's going to sing a song tonight, and not even you have heard from her in a while."

“I just talked to her," Branch informed him. “For, like, two minutes."

Guy Diamond noticed the sudden change in his friend's tone and knew exactly what was going on. “Hmm. And you wanted it to be more than two minutes. A whole night, perhaps?"

Branch almost had a heart attack. “Hold up!" he exclaimed. “What makes you think I wanna hook up with Poppy?!"

“I don't know," Guy said casually. “Maybe it's her warming gaze, her friendly smile, her gorgeous face sculpted by angels out of the richest clay."

Guy Diamond's words flooded Branch's mind for a second before he said, “I am not in love with Poppy!"

“You said it, I didn't!"

Branch just groaned. “What does it matter? She already has a boyfriend. I can't go out with someone who has a boyfriend."

“Ah, but what if the boyfriend was out of the picture?" Guy Diamond suggested.

“We're not killing Cedar!" Branch protested.

“What?" Guy Diamond asked. “I was saying we should hook him up with someone else. Guy Diamond does not commit murder! Or maybe a hint of bad boy is just what I've been missing..."

Branch rolled his eyes. “Do whatever you want."

“Well, if you need to look fancy, you know where to find meeee-eeee-eeee!" Guy Diamond sang before running off. Branch didn't go inside right away. He just sat there and thought.

If Poppy hadn't broken up with Cedar yet, how long would it be before she ended up getting hurt? Or worse, what if he hit her harder? Branch couldn't stand by and let the most important Troll in his life suffer, or even get killed.

Branch knew what he had to do.

If you guys wanna try to make a cover, you can. Chapter two will be here soon enough.

Until next time. 🌈