branch angst

concert

i sat upright in my bed. my chest was heaving fast and i felt out of breath.

"shhh."

i turned my head to find floyd sitting across from me on my bed.

suddenly, the thoughts from earlier today flooded back into my head. i felt like a total douche bag! i know how floyd feels about me drinking, let alone how he feels about me drinking an entire bottle of vodka! jesus whats wrong with me!? i would never do something to upset floyd. but yet here i am. how many times has floyd haven to forgive me now? more than once, that's for sure.

i totally forgot floyd was even there until he spoke up again. "you were passed out all night."

i tried reading the expression on his face but i just couldn't.

"what about j.d and clay?"

floyd laughed a bit. "none of them drank as much as you did, branch. let alone enough to pass out."

i held onto my head dizzily as i adapted to my surroundings. "sorry floyd that was really stupid.."

"you've said sorry too many times branch."

now i could make out the expression on his face. he was disappointed. and hurt. and.. it's my fault.

"and i've meant it each time. it's just.."

"i forgive you.." it looked like he wanted to say more. i'm glad he didn't.

before i had the chance to, floyd reached out and hugged me. i hugged him back. but, unlike the other times i've hugged him, floyd didn't ask me to make a promise. i guess he was done with being lied to.

30 minutes later

i couldn't erase the thought of floyd's disappointed face. what happened to baby branch? what happened to the old me, who would never break a promise. or hurt another troll's feelings. i..

before letting myself think any more i swung the bottom drawer of my night stand open and pulled the bag of ring pops out. without hesitating i grabbed one of the ring pops and stuck it in my mouth.

woah.

suddenly i was in this whole new world. i saw clay. and floyd. and poppy..

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there were so many different colors..

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3 hours later

i couldn't sleep. my eyes were wide open, staring up at the ceiling. the effects of the ring pop have seriously declined so i've been thinking of trying another one. but i should save them.

6 hours later

it's midnight. i haven't done anything productive and my phone has been going off like crazy. i have this serious headache and every time i even think of looking at my phone screen i want to throw up. but, i do sneak a peak at one of the notifications.

it's from poppy.

"branch!! we were supposed to go to the beach today! where are you??"

no emojis.

i sat straight up in bed forgetting about the headache as i opened my phone immediately to text back.

"omg. poppy i'm so sorry! i must have slept in.."

there was an instant reply.

"that's okay branch!! 😋 let's go another time. 💖🤞love you!! 🌈🎉🫶🏻"

i hearted the message.

i let out a loud relieved sigh as i set my phone down. she didn't suspect a thing. but.. i did feel bad about lying. well, can you really count that as lying? i just left some stuff out. like why i slept in.

there i go again. making excuses for myself. i know what i did, and i have to own up to it! m-

i lost my train of thoughts when my eyes peeked at the calendar beside my bed. i forgot about the concert tomorrow! it was marked in big red words 'DON'T FORGET'. i chuckled a bit. how funny.

i hadn't practiced at all. my brothers were counting on me to partake in this concert with them! i couldn't let them down like i've been doing recently.

so that's what i did all night.

i practiced.

and practiced.

and practiced.

until..

7 hours later

it was 4 hours until the concert. me and all my brothers were up and ready. john dory was flipping pancakes for breakfast meanwhile everyone else was packing outfits and supplies in this giant suitcase. bruce was going to meet us there.

"breakfast is ready!" j.d's booming voice shouted as everyone gathered around the dining room table. (i hid my pancakes in my pocket. i wasn't hungry)

we sat making small talk for a good 7 and a half minutes before cleaning up and heading out the door. believe it or not, we were late!

30 minutes later

rhonda screeched to halt as all four of us ran up the stairs leading to the back stage. bruce was already there waiting for us.

"what took you guys so long? we'll barely have time to practice!.." bruce said hurriedly.

"never mind that. let's start practicing!" John dory said excitedly as he rubbed his hands together.

everyone took that as their queue to unload the suitcase and get in their spots for the first song.

"five, six, seven, eight.." john dory said before we all began practicing for the first song in sync.

i put half my heart into the whole thing. i really wasn't in the mood to sing, or dance, or.. anything, really. but was i ready to let my brothers down? definitely not. they may have abandoned me when i needed them, but that doesn't mean i'll do the same.

i guess floyd could tell i was in a bad mood because during one of our breaks he came over to talk to me. why did it always have to be floyd?

"you alright branch?" he asked while taking a seat next to me.

i nodded my head. "yeah just nervous i guess."

lying has really become a habit.

floyd patted me on the back. "i'm sure you'll do great."

i couldn't help but smile as i wrapped him in a hug.

"i promise." he added, winking, as he got up to continue practicing.

this time it was floyd's turn to break a promise.

thats the end of this chapter! make sure to vote and comment to lmk what you think!! 😋