Chapter Seven: Black Rock Band
Mud. Mud everywhere. Branch parked as far away as he could and helped Poppy with her backpack. She had brought enough food for ten meals considering the weight of the bag. Poppy's excitement was overflowing her, making her jump around to blow off some steam. She was going to meet Branch's parent's tonight! She was so happy that she could give him something so meaningful! That was probably going to the best present... after Crocco.
Branch, on the other hand, didn't look as happy. He continuously looked around and kept track of the suspicious trolls and other creatures that looked like trouble. Many Hard Rock trolls were there, but also some hippies and some others that looked like part of the Party-Crasher clan. Poppy tried to brush off the creepy feeling that Branch's paranoia was giving her. He looked like they had just walked inside a pressure cooker.
Before leaving the car, Poppy had used her hair to cover herself and change in the backseat. Branch grabbed the wheel, trying to pretend nothing was happening a few inches behind him. She came out looking like Rocker: jeans skirt, fishnets, dark shirt, spikes, piercings and a messy pink and black ponytail. Branch felt an urge to grab her and kiss her.
"Hey, you look good like that!"
"That's the outfit I came out when Barb got me." She said, excitedly, checking if everything was in place through the rear mirror.
"Oh... I didn't know she had gotten you, too." He felt hurt. He had thrown himself in front of her so she could run… and he didn't remember anything that had happened after he got hit.
"Well..." She looked at him as if it wasn't a big deal, putting on some lipstick. "You sort of helped her get me... being a rock zombie and all."
"I can't recall..." He said quietly. She handed him a pair of black jeans and spike cuffs.
"Never mind, you gave me time to get ready for her, that's how I destroyed the strings in the first place. Anyway, get changed rock-boy."
"Where's the shirt?"
"No shirts... just tattoos..." She winked at him, letting a grin tug the corner of her lips. She showed him her scrapbook pen.
"I feel exposed." Branch whined, getting out of the car sometime later and trying to cover himself up.
"You look sexy."
She found the perfect place to watch the show. It was right in the middle of the stage, the front line and a few feet back so they had a clear view of everyone standing there. On her left were the bathrooms and the backstage entrance, probably where she'd have to sneak into in order to give her future father-in-law a big hug. Before she could stop herself she let out a "I've never felt this way" in the tune of her favorite song.
Branch quickly caught her slip. He gave her a big grin and put his hands on his hip bone. He obviously hadn't figured out just by that, but he was close. His winning smile made her mad on the spot.
"I'm this close at winning the bet." He pointed out, smugly.
"We'll see about that!" She folded her arms and pretended to pout, which he thought was incredibly cute and out of place.
"Poppy!" Someone called from a group of Rock Trolls who were sitting around on the grass. They looked up and the pink queen spotted a familiar blue hair.
"Carol!" She laughed, approaching her friend. "I didn't know you were coming."
"I never miss a concert." She said, sitting lazily on the floor.
"You have a lot of friends!" Poppy pointed out, waiting to be introduced, excitedly.
"Oh right..." Carol sat up, looking around, in her airy kind of way. She pointed at the first troll next to her. "Guys this is Poppy and Branch... Poppy, Branch this is... my ex..." and she pointed towards another troll "... my ex..." and another "hm... ex." She looked behind her and found four more trolls. "ex... ex... ex... and... what are we now, bro? Oh yeah, ex, too."
Poppy stood there a few seconds, trying to process everything. She waved at them with a clenched-teeth smile, looking nervously at Branch, who seemed to be as confused as she was.
"Hello, every...one."
"Hey, Poppy, what about we grab something to eat?" Branch said, pushing her away from Carol. "See you later, rock exes!"
"Stick with her, Branch." He heard Carol saying with a lazy chuckle before laying down on the grass again, "That pink color of hers is like honey to bees in here."
"That was a surprise!" Poppy said, going through her lunch bag and picking a sandwich for him. "Now it explains the song she's going to sing at our concert."
"She's singing a solo?" He picked the sandwich and the soutberry juice's can that she offered him.
"We all are, we've picked a song to introduce each one of us." She took a bite of her own sandwich.
"Anyway, back to the main subject here..." Branch said, sitting as close to her as he could. "She has a point, you are dragging some attention. Just don't leave my side, okay?" He could see some rock groups giving her a hungry look, one even dared wolf-whistle before seeing Branch with her. Indeed, he didn't trust rock trolls at all...
In broad daylight, Carol was a little more... greenish than Branch. Poppy thought, completely ignoring her boyfriend's concerns. Maybe they weren't related after all... thank Hair. Biting her own sandwich she smiled at him. He wasn't having the best experience so far, but she was going to make sure he had the time of his life by the end of the concert.
Guitar warming up announced that the concert was about to start. The lights moved around and pyrotechnics exploded everywhere. Everybody stood and crowded around the stage. Poppy jumped up, bringing Branch with her. They ran towards the stage as well, getting too close to people for the teal troll's comfort zone, but he would swallow it up, for her, once again.
Poppy's heart leaped happily when the band rose from the ground to the stage with the sound of Rock and Roll All Nite, looking fresh even after forty years on the road. The vocalist was like seeing Branch in several years, he had some strands of white hair which made him look even cooler. Both his arms were covered in tattoos and he had a spiky hair-band that shone with the lights.
Her eyes turned to the purple drummer. She had also aged, but she looked more energetic than many trolls she knew back in Pop Village. She beat her drums vigorously, but still kept her eyes on the vocalist. Poppy was sure she was Branch's mom. She had piercings on her ears and nose, she also had a short skirt that showed a black skull tattoo on her thigh. What a cool mother-in-law she was going to have!
"You were right, Poppy!" Branch had to say it loudly next to her ear so she could hear him out. "They are great!" He was enjoying it so much he completely forgot about the statistics that pointed out a crowd like that could turn into a devastating accident. Who cared about safety when they had good music like that?
Poppy turned around and gave him a big kiss. Her eyes shone with love for him. There was no other word for what Branch saw in those big magenta irises. She turned back to watch her future parents-in-law on the stage. They performed a series of masterpieces like Paradise City, Jump, Smells Like Teen Spirit and everyone jumped up and down together, it was so crazy that they could almost feel the ground moving underneath them. There was a moment of silence and they all watched as the vocalist decided to do some talking.
"So, this song is a really old one, but I love to play it all the time." He said, playing a few cords in his electric guitar. "because it was inspired by a special girl." Poppy left out a smirk. So rockers were capable of being romantic. Good. She leaned against Branch, who immediately snaked his arms around her waist, bracing themselves for a slower song.
The drums started.
"This Romeo is bleeding
But you can't see his blood
It's nothing but some feelings
That this old dog kicked up"
She put her arms on top of his, caressing them gently. He put his lips on her neck to breathe in her cherry perfume.
"It's been raining since you left me
Now I'm drowning in the flood
You see I've always been a fighter
But without you, I give up
I can't sing a love song
Like the way it's meant to be
Well, I guess I'm not that good anymore
But, babe, that's just me"
Poppy looked up at Branch in surprise when she heard him singing as well, as if he knew the lyrics by heart. He raised his shoulders at her, as if apologizing for never telling her he was acquainted with the band in the first place.
"Yeah I will love you, baby
Always
And I'll be there, forever and a day
Always
I'll be there till the stars don't shine
Till the heavens burst and the words don't rhyme
I know when I die, you'll be on my mind
And I'll love you, always"
"Maybe we should take the opportunity that the slow song made people calm down and make a fast trip to the bathroom" Branch said, realizing the way to the left was free, besides he had had a lot of stoutberry juice. She nodded at him, letting him guide her through the crowd where she intended to go in the first place. She just couldn't take her eyes off the stage,
"Now your pictures that you left behind
Are just memories of a different life
Some that made us laugh
Some that made us cry
One that made you have to say good bye
What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair
To touch your lips, to hold you near
When you say your prayers, try to understand
I've made mistakes, I'm just a man"
The line for the bathroom was gigantic. Poppy realized they would wait two or more songs to get in there. Branch was willing to wait, even because he didn't look that desperate. She looked around and saw a small dark corner where lightning and wiring were placed. It just gave her the most devilicious idea. She tugged his hand and pulled him there, hidden from everybody's eyes.
"What are you doing?" He asked, but his answer came in the form of a hungry kiss from the smaller troll.
"When he holds you close
When he pulls you near
When he says the words
You've been needing to hear
I wish I was him, 'cause those words are mine
To say to you till the end of time and
I will love you, baby
Always
And I'll be there, forever and a day
Always"
"If we get caught..." He broke free from her demanding kiss, only to have his hair grabbed and his mouth colliding with hers once again. Every thought just vanished when he felt her right leg hooking over his hip bone. Something familiar was tightening in his stomach and he used his hands to hold her up as she instinctively wrapped her legs and arms around him. Hair, they were burning.
"If you told me to cry for you, I coul
If you told me to die for you, I would
Take a look at my face
There's no price I won't pay
To say these words to you
Well, there ain't no luck in this loaded dice
But, babe, if you give me just one more try
We can pack up our old dreams and our old lives
We'll find a place where the Sun still shines and"
She didn't care about what was happening, or how or where it was happening. His hands tightened on her legs and hers got lost in his hair, both digging their fingers to a bruising point. They acted as if they were under a spell. Branch's analytical side came up just to remind him that it was going too far. He felt her hand going down to tug the front of his jeans and he nearly dropped her.
"We've got to stop." He said breathlessly. "This isn't the right place." She gave him that flirtatious smile that made him lose himself.
"It's okay, Branch." pausing to push her tongue inside his mouth, "Don't hold back."
"I will love you, baby
Always
And I'll be there, forever and a day
Always
I'll be there till the stars don't shine
Till the heavens burst and the words don't rhyme
I know when I die, you'll be on my mind
And I'll love you, always
Always"
He knew she didn't know what she was saying, but something primal inside him decided to obey her. He grinded his hips against hers through their clothing only to get a blissful gasp from her pink lips. She was surprised by the sudden pleasure that his touch caused and opened her eyes to check if he was feeling the same. The first thing she saw was his chest and the tattoos she had drawn on him earlier. They were smudging all over, but another thin trace was appearing just where the other had been. She was confused for a moment and looked up questionably to his face only to meet soulless blood-red eyes.