Chapter 3
It was a balmy evening in the bug world, and the newly opened Nectar’s Nook was the hottest restaurant in town. The buzz (pun intended) around the place was that the food was exquisite, the ambiance was dreamy, and the flower tables were perfectly arranged to cater to bugs of all shapes and sizes. Naturally, this made it the perfect location for a group date.
Dandybug and Astropillar were seated at a table adorned with vibrant sunflowers, leaning into each other and sharing whispers and laughter. Veebee and Shelltus occupied a lavender-scented corner, Veebee casually tossing compliments at Shelltus while pretending she wasn’t blushing furiously. Meanwhile, Sprocust and Cospo had been seated at a dainty daisy table, with a plush, fluffy flower pillow carefully arranged under Cospo to boost his height.
Sprocust, however, was a mess.
He sat stiff as a stick, his antennae twitching nervously, his wings slightly quivering. His friends’ smooth flirting was like background music to him—a cruel reminder of his own incompetence. Across from him, Cospo was busy staring at the restaurant décor, wide-eyed and curious, his small head swiveling in every direction.
“This place smells so good!” Cospo chirped, poking at the petal edge of their table. “Do you think the petals are edible? Or just for show?”
“Uh… uh-huh,” Sprocust stammered, not actually answering the question. He adjusted his bowtie for the 15th time that night, his fingers fumbling over the knot as though it was a Rubik’s cube.
Meanwhile, hidden behind a large potted fern, the rest of the crew had gathered to cheer him on in secret. Dandybug peeked through the leaves, his rainbow wings catching the light as he grinned mischievously.
“Alright, gang, he’s sweating like a stink bug at a flower festival,” Dandybug said, elbowing Veebee. “Time for some backup.”
Veebee snorted. “Backup? He’s practically falling apart. Look at him.”
Shelltus nudged her gently. “Come on, let’s give him some encouragement. He’s got this!”
Dandybug grabbed a tiny napkin and held it up, waving it like a flag. “Go, Sprocust! You’re doing great, buddy!” he whispered loudly.
Astropillar, ever the calm one, added, “Maybe we should give him a signal. Something subtle.”
The group nodded, and Veebee took the lead. She whispered, “Hey, Sprocust! Touch his hand, you coward!”
Back at the table, Sprocust’s eyes darted around nervously, trying to decipher the exaggerated gestures from his friends. Dandybug was making a heart shape with his hands. Shelltus was miming holding hands with Veebee, who looked like she was about to explode into laughter.
“Are you okay?” Cospo asked, tilting his head at Sprocust. “You’re acting kinda… weird.”
“Weird? Me? No, I’m… I’m fine!” Sprocust replied, voice cracking like a cricket who’d stepped on a thorn. He tried to play it cool by leaning his elbow on the table, but he misjudged the angle and nearly knocked over their tiny vase of nectar.
Cospo blinked. “Okay. Just checking.”
From the fern, Veebee facepalmed. “This is painful. He’s going to scare the poor pill bug away.”
Shelltus waved a small flower in the air. “Sprocust! Compliment him!”
Sprocust caught the frantic signal and decided to try. “So, uh, Cospo…” he began, voice wavering. “Your… uh… your shell looks really shiny tonight. Like… uh… like a polished walnut.”
Cospo blinked at him, expression neutral. “Thanks! I rolled through some dew this morning. It was refreshing.”
Behind the fern, Dandybug smacked his forehead. “A polished walnut, HE USE THAT WORDS BEFORE! That’s the best he’s got?”
Astropillar shrugged. “It’s a start.”
As Sprocust sat there, paralyzed by his own awkwardness, Cospo took another bite of his leaf appetizer, completely unfazed. He looked around the restaurant, seemingly oblivious to the tension radiating from his date.
“I don’t come to places like this often,” Cospo said thoughtfully. “It’s kinda fancy, huh?”
Sprocust nodded robotically. “Fancy. Yeah. Super fancy.”
From the fern, Dandybug mimed putting an arm around someone’s shoulder. Veebee whispered, “Touch his hand! Just do it!”
Sprocust took a deep breath, his heart racing like a beetle on caffeine. Slowly, awkwardly, he reached out toward Cospo’s tiny hand. Just as he was about to make contact, Cospo turned his head suddenly, causing Sprocust to yank his hand back like he’d touched a hot stove.
“Is there a bug orchestra playing?” Cospo asked innocently, his ears twitching at the faint sound of music in the background.
“Oh, uh… yeah. Probably,” Sprocust mumbled, his courage deflating like a punctured balloon.
From the fern, Veebee threw her hands up in frustration. “He’s hopeless.”
But then, something miraculous happened. Cospo, noticing how nervous Sprocust seemed, tilted his head curiously. “Hey, are you okay?”
“I… uh…” Sprocust stammered.
Cospo smiled softly. “You don’t have to be so nervous, you know.” Then, without warning, he reached across the table and gently placed his tiny hand on top of Sprocust’s.
The world seemed to stop. Sprocust’s eyes widened, his antennae stiffening like frozen noodles. His heart pounded so loudly, he was sure the entire restaurant could hear it.
And then… he fainted.
Right there at the table.
Cospo blinked, tilting his head. “Huh. Guess he needed a nap.”
Behind the fern, Dandybug, Veebee, and the rest of the crew collapsed into silent laughter, trying desperately not to blow their cover.
“Well,” Shelltus whispered between giggles, “at least he got farther than we thought he would.”
As the restaurant staff rushed to revive Sprocust with a drop of nectar, Cospo nibbled on another petal, completely unbothered. “This place really does have good food,” he said to no one in particular, content as ever.