~HighSchool Love~

Chapter 16: Years Gone By

"Now let's see how you can cope with your surprise." Holly shot off like a bullet before Poppy said anything else.

"My sweet cowboy!" She had left Poppy and Synth covered in a pile of dirt.

The unaware cowboy was minding his business as an overly excited Holly ran for him. Before she could pounce on him, a rope caught her dead in her tracks.

Gust turned his head to see what he caught, not expecting to see Holly at all. "Holly?! I thought you were a wild puffalo charging at me."
She then broke free from the rope to give him a bone crushing hug.

She smiled and hugged him tighter. "Holly, my bones—"

"Thank you Poppy! You and Synth head on now." She said to her dirt covered friends as they walked away.

Holly then released him from her hug. "Sorry sugar, are you alright? I had to make it as real as possible."

"You're fine darlin, it's all part of the the act." They galloped to Pop Village.

~

"Hey Poppy, how about we take a little detour? Specifically to the middle of Pop Village." Synth asked, trying to convince her.

"Don't you want to see Techno Lagoon?" Poppy asked the techno troll.

He froze and tried to think of what to say. "Well I do, but I heard there are um, glittered covered cupcakes at the village?"

"Glittered covered cupcakes? That sounds delicious!" Poppy's eyes sparkled at the thought. He couldn't believe the ridiculous lie worked.

"Let's not keep those cupcakes waiting!" She yanked Synth along.

In the middle of Pop Village, a surprise party awaits for the Queen.

Laguna was using binoculars to see when would Poppy show up. "Ok, something definitely went wrong, they should have been here by now."

"Well look who you sent to lead her here, Synth is bad at lying."  A certain Techno King was also using binoculars.

"Good point." Laguna then took out a walkie-talkie.

"Send out, Trollstin Bieber."

~

Wondering why the two haven't arrived at the surprise party yet?

Well, remember that lie Synth told?
It was true.

"These are delicious!" Poppy was eating the glittered cupcakes as Synth stood there facepalming. They weren't quite at the middle of Pop Village.

He had to come up with another lie, in fast. "Hey Poppy look, it's Trollstin Bieber!"

"Who now?" She looked confused as she saw a weird looking troll. Synth then took his chance and tapped her shoulder.

"Tag your it!" He took off, running fast as his two fins could carry him.

"Hey that's not fair!" She stood and ran after him.

Laguna spotted them coming. "Code P everyone! Code P!"
Everyone quickly hid in their spots, including Synth who just jumped in a bush to avoid being caught.

Poppy was shocked when he vanished into thin air. She looked around and saw no one.
"Hello? Is anyone here?"

"Weird, there were a lot of trolls here earlier." Her ears perked up when she heard a noise.
A troll came out of his hiding spot, making her eyes wide in shock.

It was Branch, her lover she had longed to see for years. He smiled lovingly at the shocked troll.
"Happy Birthday Poppy."

Suddenly, everyone jumped out yelling, "Surprise!" The Tribe leaders and the rest of her group friends were there, along with many other trolls.

"Poppy, you ok?" He came over while she was still in a daze.
Poppy let out a small laugh and hugged him tightly, kissing him all over.

After she finished, Branch was left with lipstick marks all over his face. He had a goofy smile on his face as she gave him one final kiss on the lips.
"Thank you Branchie."

All the trolls awed. However, otherwise was said by Barb and Val. "Barf!"

The party then proceeded to start.

"Now that's some true love right there." Trollstin Bieber was standing beside Synth, who collapsed on the floor.

"Alright guys take this abomination away." Laguna and Trollex came to help Synth.

"You actually pulled it off, nice going." Trollex patted his shoulder and earned a hand swatting at him.

Synth never wanted to do that again. "Never again, you hear me?"
He wanted to fall on his face again but was held up by Laguna.

"It wasn't that bad, you did well." She caressed his head, earning a soft sigh from him.

Trollex automatically noticed this. "You two are something else, one of you will have to confess soon."
He snickered at the angry expression Synth was showing.

~

As the party continued, Branch and Poppy decided to break away and get some fresh air.

She held his hand, afraid to let go after being away from him for so long. "I've missed you so much Branch, 5 years without you, it was torture."

"I wish I could've stayed, but we all have to follow our own paths." He embraced her, holding her much smaller body.

Poppy rested in his warm embrace. "I hope you'll be staying here with me, if you left again I don't know what I would do."

"Always Poppy, always." They sat there, enjoying each other's warmth as the party went on.

All's well that ends well...