It was springtime in Troll Village, and that didn't just mean flowers blooming, bees buzzing and birds singing. It also meant the return of the most popular sport in Troll Village: Squish ball!

It was a tight game, the score was tied. One more hit for either team, and they had to bite the dust.

“Here's what we're going to do," announced Branch, captain of the blue team. “When I give the signal, Willow will be launched into the air by Satin and Chenille, and she'll drop the squish ball on DJ, taking down the aerial attack so Guy and I can go after Cooper and Biggie. Go, Bluebirds!"

“Why are we called Bluebirds?" Guy Diamond asked. “That doesn't sound scary."

“Trust me, real bluebirds are terrifying," Branch assured them. “Now, let's move!"

Once the horn blared, both teams took action. The fashion twins launched Willow, and she prepared to drop the squish ball, but something pink in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She noticed Poppy, the queen of the Trolls, in Town Square sniffing a small, purple flower.

“Poppy..." she sighed, focusing only on her. Forgetting all about her assignment, Willow crashed into a safety net. DJ took notice, and looked down to find Cooper and Guy Diamond down.

“Well, well, well," she muttered, smirking. DJ waited for Branch to take down Biggie, let him have a brief victory party, and threw the ball into his face.

“Red team wins!" Smidge announced.

“But-- that's impossible!" Branch protested. “I had Willow--"

“Get her head in the clouds?" DJ interrupted, pointing up at the teenage girl, who had a smile on her face and a squish ball in her hand. Branch just growled.

“You're a radiant being illuminating our way..." Willow sang as Branch grabbed her with his hair and pulled her down.

“Willow, we went over phase 8π∆ two hundred and eighty-seven times!" he scolded as she remained in la la land. “You repeated it under your breath constantly, and... Are you even listening to me?!"

“I will write her name in the sky... as soon as I learn how to write."

Branch groaned. “Please don't tell me you still think you have a shot with Poppy."

At that moment, Willow snapped out of it.

“What makes you think I don't?" she asked angrily.

“Because!" Branch answered. “Poppy's not into Trolls like you. You're just... Willow."

“I see what's going on here," Willow said, her teeth clenched. “You want Poppy all to yourself."

“What?! Where would you get an idea like that?!" Branch laughed nervously. It was true, however. Branch was in love with Poppy just as much as Willow was. He only didn't admit it because he felt she was better off without him.

“Well, I'm pretty sure I stand a better chance than some paranoid, antisocial survivalist," Willow spat.

“I stand a better chance than a black-haired weirdo who can't even throw!"

“I can, too!" Willow argued.

“I dare you."

“I double dare you to game of one on one," she finished.

“Challenge accepted!" Branch agreed. “Misty Meadows in forty-eight hours. Don't be late."

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The following day, Willow prepared herself for her game against Branch.

“First thing's first, I need my nutrients," she said to herself. “This everything shake should do it. Some chocolate, flower petals, a jar of green stuff, eggshells, milk, ketchup... I think that should do it."

Willow mixed everything in the blender, but before she could drink it, she heard something go “knock, knock-knock!"

“WILLOW, SOMEONE'S AT THE DOOR!"

“Here's an idea, Ma, ANSWER IT!" Willow shouted.

“I CAN'T, I'M BUSY!"

“I'm busy, too!"

“I'M SORRY, ARE YOU THE MOTHER OF FIFTEEN KIDS?!" Willow's mother screamed.

“Are you the one who takes care of fourteen of them?!" Willow barked. Suddenly, her Hug Time watch went off.

“WILLOW, COME HERE! IT'S HUG TIME!" her mother ordered.

“I can't, I'm answering the door!" Willow replied, and answered the door to find Lily standing there with a box of cookies. “Hello, Lily."

“Hello, Willow," Lily replied, slightly bitter. “I brought the cookies for your brother's bake sale. They're wheat and nut free, but if someone's allergic to anything else, it's on them."

“Thanks, although he's probably just gonna eat them himself anyway," Willow pointed out, taking the box from her cousin's hands.

“What's that smell?" Lily asked, cringing. “More of your dad's special cider?"

“No, that's just my everything shake," Willow answered. “I challenged Branch to a game of squish ball, and I'm gonna get him hard!"

“I thought you only played squish ball for fun," Lily said, slightly confused. “Why would you want to beat him?"

“To get back at him for insulting me, and to prove I can throw," Willow answered. “Forty-eight hours from yesterday in Misty Meadows, he will eat his words."

“Willow, forty-eight hours from yesterday means tomorrow, and you have to go to a movie premiere that day," Lily pointed out.

Willow headed back inside, put the box down, grabbed a telephone and dialed it.

“Creek, it's Willow," she began as Lily joined her. “We're gonna have to cancel the premiere. I don't care how many people we have to give cupcakes out for, tell them I have personal business that can't be ignored. It's my business, not yours. No, my chakras aren't unbalanced!"

“I think you were being a little hard on him," Lily said as Willow slammed the phone down.

“I don't care," Willow spat. “All that matters is that Branch gets what I'm gonna give him. As of yesterday, Miss Nice Troll has packed up and left the village."

“Is this the part where I'm supposed to be intimidated?"

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Branch and Willow met up at Misty Meadows and brought their A-game with them. Well, that and Poppy and Lily.

“Okay, let's go over the details," Poppy announced. “Stay on your side of the field, no cheating, spitting, or tap-dancing, first to get hit five times loses."

“Bring it on, Wily Willow!" Branch shouted.

“Branch Bum, it's totally brung!" Willow barked back. “I mean, brang! Brought!"

“Ooh, bad grammar," Lily muttered sarcastically. “That oughta scare him."

“Three... two... one... GO!"

Branch made the first throw. He smashed the ball into Willow's face.

“That didn't count!" she claimed. “There was supposed to be an air gun!"

“Sorry, Willow!" Poppy shouted. “I lent it to Cooper! That's one point for Branch!"

Willow dodged the best she could, but Branch easily managed to hit her three more times.

“Oh, come on!" she groaned. “You're not even letting me throw!"

“Okay, go ahead," Branch replied with a smug grin. “It's your move."

Willow smirked at her opponent and tossed her squish ball... only for it to land right in front of her. Some of the glitter even landed on her toes.

“Does that count as a hit?" Lily asked Poppy.

“I guess so, no one says it doesn't," Poppy decided. “Branch wins, five to nothing!"

“Why I oughta..." Willow growled, and went after Branch, but Lily grabbed the collar of her sweater and held her back.

“Willow, let me talk to Branch," she suggested.

“What's there to talk about?!" Willow snapped. “I already told you, he insulted me."

“Sometimes, it's best to hear both sides of the story," Lily explained, and went to Branch.

“Willow, what's all this about?" Poppy asked. “This doesn't seem like you."

“Branch insulted me," she answered.

“I'm sure he didn't he mean it," Poppy assured her. “And even if he did, just tell him this: ‘I'm rubber, you're glue. Your words bounce off me and stick to you.'"

“What does that mean?"

While Poppy explained metaphors to Willow, Lily calmly reasoned with Branch.

“Branch, Willow told me the reason for your little... competition... was because you insulted her," she explained. “I don't know if that's true, but either way, I think you two should talk it out."

“How did I insult her?" Branch asked. “By telling her she doesn't have a shot with Poppy?"

Lily smacked her face with her palm. “Why would you say that?"

“Because... she doesn't have a shot with Poppy!"

“Yeah, but you don't just tell her," she pointed out. “She's sensitive and you know it."

Once everything was settled, Willow and Branch confronted each other.

“Look, Willow, I'm sorry for being a jerk," Branch started. “I didn't think about your feelings at all, and it resulted in the saddest game of squish ball ever. I hope you can forgive me."

“I'm rubber, you're glue," Willow replied, repeating Poppy's words. “Your words bounce off me and stick to you."

“Huh?"

“It means... What did you say?"

“I'm trying to apologise," Branch answered.

“Oh, well then... I forgive you."

Branch looked over Willow's shoulder and saw Poppy make a hugging gesture. He rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around the teenager.

“I didn't know you were a hugger!" Willow said, hugging him back tightly.

“Not... regularly..." Branch squeaked.

Sorry it took a while. I had a couple other ideas, but I feared they'd be rushing things, and I couldn't think of anything else. This was an idea I got from a friend on Instagram, so shout-out to her.

By the way, for anyone who hasn't read it before, there's a secret beginning to this book in my other book, Poppy's Flower. I might eventually change the name and bring it here.

Feel free to share your ideas if you have any.