Day 3

Panda's Love Confusion (and Asking a Kid for Dating Advice)

Panda couldn't stop pacing around the cave. Lyla was cool and mysterious. Mina was cute and bubbly. How was he supposed to choose?! His brain felt like it was melting.

Grizz was on the couch, lazily flipping through channels. "Dude, you're wearing a groove in the floor."

Ice Bear was chopping vegetables. "Panda needs help. Professional help."

Panda threw himself onto the couch, nearly crushing Grizz. "I don't know what to do! I like them both!"

Grizz grinned. "You know what this reminds me of? That one episode of The Amazing World of Gumball where Darwin couldn't decide who to ask out and ended up confessing to a mailbox."

Panda gasped. "Oh no! What if I mess up and do that?! What if I end up confessing to, like… a vending machine?!"

Ice Bear put a plate of sliced cucumbers in front of them. "Ice Bear would pay to see that."

Panda groaned. "I need advice. But not from you two. I need someone who actually understands girls."

Grizz's eyes lit up. "I got it! We can ask Chloe! She's a girl! She's smart! She watches anime, just like you! She's, like, the perfect love expert!"

Panda sat up. "You think she'd help me?"

Grizz shrugged. "Only one way to find out!"

Later… at Chloe's House

Chloe opened the door and blinked up at the three bears on her porch. "Oh! Hey, guys! What's up?"

Panda immediately dropped to his knees. "CHLOE! I NEED YOUR HELP!"

Chloe's eyes widened. "Wh-what happened? Is there another rogue kangaroo? Did you guys burn down something again?"

Panda shook his head. "No! It's worse! I—" He hesitated, face turning red. "I think… I think I have a crush. On two girls. At the same time."

Chloe blinked. "Oh." She blinked again. "OH."

Grizz grinned. "Our boy's growing up!"

Ice Bear handed Chloe a box of cookies. "Bribery for advice."

Chloe took the cookies and invited them in. "Alright, so… who are they?"

Panda took a deep breath. "Their names are Lyla and Mina. I met them both at the supermarket, like, five minutes apart. Lyla's really cool and mysterious. She drinks strawberry soda and has this whole… aloof vibe. Mina's cute and bubbly and loves matcha just like me. But I don't know which one I like more!"

Chloe sat cross-legged on the couch, thinking. "Well, what do you like about them? Besides looks?"

Panda blinked. "Uh… um…" He stared at the ceiling, his brain short-circuiting.

Grizz whispered to Chloe, "He's never been this deep before."

Chloe giggled. "Well, what did you talk about with Lyla?"

Panda scratched his head. "Um… soda. And how crowded the store was. Oh! And she laughed at my joke! I don't remember what the joke was, but she laughed!"

Chloe nodded. "Okay. And with Mina?"

Panda's face softened. "We talked about matcha… and anime… and she actually knew the show I was talking about! I didn't even have to explain it!"

Chloe smiled. "Well, it sounds like you have more in common with Mina."

Panda's eyes widened. "Wait… you think so?"

Grizz gasped. "So Mina's the winner?!"

Ice Bear nodded. "Plot twist."

Chloe shrugged. "I mean, you don't have to decide right away. Why don't you just… get to know them both a little better? Maybe one of them will stand out."

Panda blinked. "You mean… like how Steven did with Connie and not realizing he liked her until season four?"

Chloe grinned. "Exactly! Just be friends first. See who you click with more."

Panda's face lit up. "Chloe, you're a genius! I'll… I'll do that! I'll get to know them both and see who I like more!"

Grizz wiped away a fake tear. "Our boy's learning!"

Ice Bear nodded approvingly. "Panda is wise."

Panda's heart felt a little lighter. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all. He'd just have to take it one step at a time.

But before they could leave, Chloe sniffed the air. "Hey… do you guys smell smoke?"

The bears froze.

Grizz slapped his forehead. "Oh no… we totally forgot about the fire!"

Panda's eyes widened. "Wait… you mean that wasn't just my anxiety burning me alive?!"

Ice Bear's face turned serious. "Ice Bear smells trouble. Again."

Panda groaned. "Why is my life like this?"

Grizz grinned. "Guess we got another adventure, bros!"

Panda sighed. At least this would keep his mind off his double crush crisis.

The bears and Chloe ran through the neighborhood, their paws (and feet) pounding against the pavement.

Grizz was in the lead, pumping his fists. "Oh man, this is just like that one scene in Avatar: The Last Airbender when they saw smoke from the Fire Nation!"

Panda gasped for breath. "Th-this… better not end… like the Beach episode…"

Ice Bear was sprinting effortlessly. "Ice Bear is ready for battle."

Chloe struggled to keep up. "Wait… what happened last time you guys saw smoke?"

Grizz laughed. "Oh, nothing much! Just some weirdos setting fire to the forest for no reason!"

Chloe stopped running. "I'm sorry… what?"

Panda grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "No time to explain! We have to stop them!"

As they ran deeper into the woods, the smoke grew thicker. Panda coughed, waving his paw in front of his face. "Ugh, this is so not good for my allergies!"

They reached the top of a hill and looked down. Sure enough, the same three hooded figures were in the clearing again, standing around an even bigger fire than last time. One of them was pouring gasoline on the flames, cackling like a cartoon villain.

Chloe's jaw dropped. "Who… who even does that?!"

Panda threw his paws in the air. "RIGHT?! That's what I said!"

One of the hooded figures pulled out a megaphone and yelled at the fire, "HAHAHA! TAKE THAT, NATURE!"

Grizz blinked. "Are… are they just doing this for fun?"

Ice Bear shook his head. "Ice Bear hates bad writing."

Chloe's eyes narrowed. "We have to stop them. But how?"

Panda panicked. "Uh… we could… um… politely ask them to stop?"

Grizz grinned. "Nah, I have a better idea." He picked up a rock and chucked it down the hill, hitting one of the arsonists in the head.

The guy yelped and looked up. "OW! Who did that?!"

Grizz cupped his paws around his mouth. "ME! Now get outta our forest, fire freaks!"

The three hooded figures looked at each other, then started laughing. The one with the megaphone sneered, "Oh yeah? And who's gonna make us?"

Panda's knees wobbled. "Um… Grizz? Are you sure about this?"

Grizz grinned. "Totally! Besides, we have the element of surprise!"

The arsonists started climbing up the hill. One of them cracked their knuckles. "You guys are gonna pay for messing with us!"

Grizz's grin faded. "…Okay, maybe we lost the element of surprise."

Chloe stepped in front of them, holding up her phone. "I'm livestreaming this to the police!"

The hooded figures stopped. "Wait… you are?"

Chloe shrugged. "I could be. Who knows?" She aimed her phone at them. "Better run before you get internet-famous for all the wrong reasons."

The arsonists looked at each other, then at Chloe's phone. One of them panicked. "I-I don't wanna be famous! My mom's gonna kill me!"

They dropped their gasoline can and bolted into the forest, screaming, "SOCIAL MEDIA IS EVIL!"

Grizz burst out laughing. "Oh man, they were terrified of the internet!"

Panda wiped his forehead. "Phew… that was close."

Chloe grinned. "Works every time."

Ice Bear was already kicking dirt onto the fire. "Ice Bear is the real hero."

Panda sighed in relief. "We did it. Again. Man, why do people keep trying to burn down our forest?"

Grizz shrugged. "No clue. But hey, at least it makes life interesting!"

Panda shuddered. "I could do with a little less interesting."

Chloe looked at the smoke rising into the sky. "Do you think… anyone else saw this?"

Panda's heart skipped a beat. "Wh-what do you mean?"

Chloe pointed to the trail leading back to town. "Someone's coming."

Panda's stomach dropped. What if it was Lyla? What if it was Mina? Or worse… what if it was both of them?!

Two figures appeared at the edge of the clearing. As they got closer, Panda's heart started racing. It was… Lyla and Mina! Together! Chatting and laughing like they were best friends!

Panda's eyes widened. "No. No no no no no. This is my worst nightmare!"

Grizz grinned. "Dude, this is like one of those sitcoms where the main character's secret crushes find out about each other!"

Ice Bear nodded. "Ice Bear brought popcorn."

Panda ducked behind a tree, peeking out at the girls. He wasn't ready. He couldn't face them both at the same time! What was he supposed to do?!

His heart pounded so loud he was sure they'd hear it. This was a disaster. An absolute, grade-A disaster.

And yet… he couldn't look away.

To be continued…