Catch a Rising Star

More Than Meets the Eye

"Noted." Branch said, his eyes narrowing. "Are we done now?"

Poppy blinked in surprise. What is it with this guy?! "Yeah." She said, letting go. "I guess."

"Good." Branch said as he finally got out of the car and closed the door behind him, walking towards the front door, which he hoped was unlocked. It was, and he quietly slipped inside. He needed a cup of cocoa after such a crazy night.

Poppy slapped a palm against her forehead. She wanted to bang her head against the wheel, but decided against it, knowing that she might accidentally wake up the entire street if she pressed too hard against the car horn. Branch was seriously getting on her nerves with his pessimistic attitude. Well, at least she won't have to deal with him anymore.

She was about to turn the car's headlights back on when she saw something coming in her direction. She looked through the rearview mirror and her eyes widened when she saw a familiar black van coming onto the street. She quickly slid further down her seat to avoid being seen by the spotlight that was coming from the van's passenger seat window.

"Oh, great!" She muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance.

Well, there was no way that she was going to get off the street and back home without being seen or tailed by the paparazzi. She needed a plan, and fast.

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Inside the kitchen, Branch had just finished warming up a cup of mint cocoa when he heard a knock on the glass backyard door. He put his mug down on the breakfast bar and saw Poppy over in the backyard, waving frantically at him.

His eyes widened when he saw her, then he quietly went over to the backyard door and then slightly opened it.

"What are you still doing here?" He asked her.

"Look." Poppy said, bringing her hands together as if she was begging him. "I'll give you five thousand dollars if you do me this favor."

Branch narrowed his eyes at her. "It's not exactly a favor if you're paying for it." He said.

Poppy immediately brightened up. "So is that a yes?" She asked. The answer she got from him was a heavy sigh of defeat.

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Minutes later, both of them were pushing Poppy's car into the detached garage in the backyard. They had to be quiet so that they didn't wake anyone up.

"You know, you could.... help a little." Poppy said as she pushed her car forward with all her might.

"Oh, this car wouldn't be.... moving.... if I wasn't pushing it." Branch grunted as they finally managed to get the car in the garage.

Poppy closed the door while Branch grabbed a nearby ladder and started to get a clean blanket and pillow from one of the top shelves in the built-in closet at the front of the garage.

"You'll be out of here before morning, right?" Branch asked her as he struggled to get a good grip on the items for her.

"Yeah." Poppy said as she came over to him, her eyes looking around the garage. "Hopefully, no one will ever know I was here."

"Pfft. I'll know." Branch said as he got the pillow, but the folded up comforter blanket fell off the shelf and landed on Poppy's head. Branch snickered at her.

"Yeah, thanks a lot." She muttered sarcastically as she pulled the comforter off of her and Branch handed her the pillow.

He climbed off the ladder and put it away in the corner. "Hey, is there something in here that I can wear?" Poppy asked him. "So that no one recognizes me?"