Smiling like a dog with rabies, Puddles stepped out into the warm February sunshine. Her favorite day of the year had arrived... Valentines Day! It was the one day a year that she was happier than usual. If you didn't count Toy Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and every Thursday.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Croque. The cranky orange frog was tending his garden as he did every morning.
"Hi Croque!" Puddles called, running towards him.
The frog grunted in reply, "Morning, Puddles."
"Do you remember what day it is, Croque?"
Croque thought for a minute, shaking his head when he couldn't figure it out.
Puddles gasped, taking a step back in an overdramatic gesture.
"What?! It's Valentines Day, Croque!"
Croque stared at her, his expression blank but obviously bored.
Puddles's shoulders sagged, "You don't understand, do you?"
Croque returned to watering his garden, "Never have. I don't get why people would buy flowers for others when the flowers are just going to wilt if they don't take care of them. And they usually don't."
Croque suddenly found himself in a bear hug, with Puddles as the bear, "But Croque! Valentines Day is a wonderful holiday! It's when people can admit how they really feel without being made fun of or stared at!"
"I get that part of it, Puddles, but I don't see the point in celebrating."
"That's it, Croque! That's why you don't see the point in celebrating such a wonderful holiday!"
"Uh... What?"
"You need a girlfriend!"
Croque wriggled his way out of the hug, "Woah there, Puddles! Slow down! I do not need a girl-"
"Hush, Croque! I'll find you a girlfriend! You just wait!"
Before Croque was able to try and protest, Puddles was running away from him and towards the other villagers.
"Okay, Puddles. If I were trying to find Croque a girlfriend, and I am, how would I do it?" Puddles said to herself as she walked along Main Street.
"Hey, Puddles!" a voice called.
Puddles turned to see Ava running past her, her wings filled with bags and neatly wrapped boxes.
"Hey, Ava! Think you could help me out here?" Puddles asked, falling into step beside the kind chicken.
"Can't right now. But if you could help me carry these boxes home, I'd really appreciate it," Ava said, keeping up her brisk pace.
"That's it!" Puddles grinned, hopping up and down, "Ava! Stay right there! I'm going to go get some help!"
"Puddles, I'm fine. I'll just carry them home myself. Don't you worry," Ava said, shaking her head frantically.
"No! Stay where you are!" Puddles said, a bit more forceful this time.
Ava sighed and tried to keep her already aching wings steady.
"Okay, Puddles. I give up. Why are we going to Main Street?" Croque said flatly.
"Brace yourself, Croque! For I believe that I have found your new girlfriend!" Puddles smiled at him.
Croque stopped in his tracks, "Puddles, if I've told you once, I've told you a million times, I don't need a girlfriend!"
"Just stick with me, you big grump!"
Puddles pulled Croque to where Ava was still standing, her wings now shaking from exhaustion. As soon as she saw Puddles, she sighed in relief.
"Puddles! You're finally back! I was starting to get worried. My wings are really sore, so could you possibly help-"
"No words, Ava! I've brought Croque here to help you with your bags, like a gentleman is meant to do," Puddles shook her finger at the chicken, her expression as smug as Henry's.
"Puddles! You left Ava here with her heavy bags and didn't even offer her your own help?" Croque frowned at the pink frog.
"Well, yeah. It was the only way I could think of to get you a girlfriend," Puddles frowned even more.
"That's it!" Croque snapped, "You don't make others wait around just so you can meddle! That's how relationships work! They don't happen when you try to make them happen. They happen when two people who love and care for each other come to the relization that they're more than friends. They happen when two people want to spend time with one another. But they don't happen when people meddle, Puddles."
Puddles's frown had increased in size as Croque talked, she ran out of Main Street, heading towards her own home.
"Um, Croque..." Ava awkwardly dropped her boxes on the ground, "I don't know much about relationships, but I do know about friendships. And what Puddles was trying to do... That's friendship. She wanted you to be happy and be able to celebrate this crazy holiday we call Valentine's Day."
Croque nodded, silently helping Ava put her boxes back in a neat, orderly stack.
"I wish I could help you out here, but..." Croque murmured.
Ava nodded, "I understand. You go, tell her I said hi."
When Puddles was sad, she reverted to her old habit of sitting in her closet and crying quietly. Today was no exception.
"Puddles?" Croque's rough voice interrupted her crying.
"I-in here," she choked.
Croque stepped into the closet with her and sat down beside the frog.
"Listen, Puddles. About what I said, I didn't really mean it. You know that feeling you get when you've been around too many people in a day and you just need some quiet time?"
Puddles shook her head, "N-no. I love being around people."
Croque awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, "Well, it's not a nice feeling. And if you get that feeling, and you just keep seeing friends, then it can lead to you saying some pretty mean stuff. It feels great in the heat of the moment, but it only leaves you with regret later on."
Puddles nodded, waiting for him to go on.
Croque sighed, "Look, Puddles... You're super sweet for wanting to help me out like that, and I appreciate that a lot, but there are times when I need to do stuff on my own. Especially when it comes to stuff like this. Understand?"
Puddles nodded again, only hesitating slightly.
"I... I understand, Croque. I just wanted you to be happy, y'know?" Puddles smiled weakly at him.
Croque gave her an awkward sideways hug and smiled.
Puddles grinned, "So... Do you think she's going to call you back?"
I am so sorry that I haven't posted a story in ages. I'm especially sorry that I haven't updated "Strange Occurrences with the Neighbors" in a long time. School's been particularly demanding lately and I haven't even been able to find the time or energy to write. AppleStrueselWaffle, out!