Trolls: Finding You Again

Callbacks

Wednesday afternoon sunlight spilled across the school courtyard, catching the dust motes in the air. Poppy had just rounded the corner by the music wing when she saw it—Branch, sitting on the low stone steps with his guitar in his lap.

He wasn't playing anything loud or showy, just a soft melody she didn't recognize. But the way his eyes softened and the faintest smile tugged at his mouth made her stop in her tracks.

She didn't think he'd noticed her—until his gaze flicked up and the smile vanished, replaced by his usual guarded calm.

"You sounded good," she said, walking over.

Branch shrugged, muttering, "Just passing time."

Before Poppy could reply, someone from the drama club burst out of the side door, practically shouting, "Callback list is up!" A wave of students followed, rushing toward the bulletin board outside the auditorium.

Poppy's heart jumped. "Come on!" she said, grabbing Branch's wrist before realizing what she'd done. He didn't pull away, though he looked mildly startled.

They reached the board together, pressed in by a crowd of buzzing voices. Poppy scanned the sheet, her finger tracing the neat rows of names until—

"There!" she said, pointing. Her name, bold and clear under the musical's lead roles.

She turned to Branch with a huge grin, adrenaline and relief crashing into her all at once. Without thinking, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tight—tighter than she'd meant to.

For a split second, Branch froze. But then... he didn't push her away. He stood there, letting her cling to him, and deep down—where he'd never admit it—something in his chest loosened.

When she pulled back, cheeks flushed, she blurted, "Sorry. I just—got carried away."

Branch's voice was quiet, almost swallowed by the noise around them. "It's fine."

She smiled, still breathless. "Did you check for your name yet?"

Branch hesitated before stepping closer to the board. He scanned the callbacks list from top to bottom, his expression unreadable. Then his eyes shifted down to a second sheet posted just below.

Poppy followed his gaze and read aloud:

Stage Crew / Set Design & Technical Support
Branch — Listed for: Set design, lighting assistance, sound checks, backstage coordination.

Her face brightened. "Hey! You got exactly what you wanted!"

Branch looked at her, surprised. "You're... happy about that?"

"Of course I am," she said, beaming. "You didn't want to sing or be in the spotlight, remember? This is perfect for you. You'll get to make everything look amazing."

The corner of his mouth twitched—almost a smile. "Yeah. Guess so."

"Not guess," she corrected gently. "Definitely so."

___________________________________________

Later that evening, Poppy was sprawled across her bed, callback sheet spread out beside her, phone in hand as she called Viva.

"So...?" Viva's voice was instantly eager.

"I got the callback," Poppy said, grinning.

"Yes! I knew you would. You're basically perfect for the role," Viva said.

Poppy bit her lip. "You think so?"

"Poppy, come on. I've heard you sing since, like, forever. And you've got the energy. The charm. The—"