“So, at seven. Once we’re done. If you’re OK with it. We might need to meet somebody.”
“Somebody?” Grace’s eyebrows shot up so fast her hat bobble wobbled. “Some. Body?”
OK. I had to get this right. Make sure she knew the Jingle Ladies were all good.
“Just someone I met at the premiere. When I wasn’t being fake-sick. Or attacking you-know-who.”
“Someone you’ve waited” – she counted back – “two weeks to mention to me?” I had nothing to say to that. “Mols, you rang me when you saw that guy you liked in Tesco and you swore he’d ‘given you a look in the bread aisle’.” She had a point.
“Erm. But this isn’t like that. I’m a fully signed-up Jingle Lady. He’s just a guy. Not a guy guy.”
Grace folded her arms and leant against a fake lamp post. It wobbled, but she knew it looked dramatic and film-y so didn’t move.
“Right, Mollington. I’ve known you long enough to know that that ‘erm’ and ‘that’ mean that it’s not ‘somebody’. It’s a ‘hot boy-ody’, isn’t it?” She exhaled, her breath turning to steam. My stomach knotted. Was she cross at me? For not telling her? Or was she angry because a Jingle Lady shouldn’t be in this situation? “Oh my god, this is bread aisle boy but MORE. Isn’t it?!”
“No. Not at all…” Well, maybe a bit. Well, maybe a lot. Maybe actually, dude from Bridgerton season one level good-looking. But it wasn’t like that.
But how could I describe what was going on? Ru was a guy who I could chat to about anything – but I hardly knew anything about him. He was someone who kept checking in on me, and my best mate, and the fundraiser – but who seemed to ignore other people in his life. A boy who was just a friend, yet made me smile when I thought about him, like now.
Eurgh.
The shortbread must be making my brain do weird things.
“And his name is?” Grace was still studying me. Was she mad? My smile vanished. Please don’t let her be mad.
“Rudolph?” I said, shrugging, my brain scrambled. “Well, Kyle, actually. And he’s American.”
“American?” Grace whispered, impressed, like I’d said “unicorn”. “What else?”
“He used to look for a pickle on his grandparents’ Christmas tree?”
Grace leant forward, squinting . “That’s really all you know?”
“No, I also know he has NO idea about “Love Your Elf!”. Thinks I live on a reindeer farm. Have sisters called Jess and Tilly and…” I trailed off. “So, if we meet up, don’t talk about any of that. Or the film. Or that stupid song.” Grace was giving me the same blinking, confused look she did when we practised French verbs. “But he’s just a friend. So if it’s OK with you, we could meet up at seven. He’s been really helpful with Grampy G’s Grotto. And is dying to meet you. Oh, and he hates Simon.” Phew. Think that covered everything. But Grace didn’t say a word. She was just smiling at me. “And I am totally and utterly not interested in him.” But Grace was still smiling. “So pleeease stop giving me that look.”
“Only if you stop smiling like that.”
“I’m not.” But her saying that made me smile even more. Which was annoying.
“WHEN YOU SAID IT WAS A MAZE, I DIDN’T THINK YOU MEANT IT.” We both jumped as a screaming giant furry snowball burst out of the maze. Oh no, it was just Stormy in a fluffy white coat and matching hat. “AT ONE POINT I THOUGHT I’D NEVER SEE MY FAMILY AGAIN!”
She clutched her dog, which camouflaged so well with her fluff it looked like her coat was barking. She flounced past, a trail of people scurrying after her (one hissing, “she was only in there for five minutes”.)
But I was happy for the interruption and with no more chat about Ru, Grace and I set off around the lights trail. Grace wanted to make the content for the Sleigh Another Day social takeover, which was good with me. Seeing her so hyped about it, taking photos of all the Christmas details, waving at dogs in festive fancy dress, felt like the old Grace was really coming back. The one who loved Christmas, and believed in love, and happy-ever-afters, and that life could be just like the movies. And as a couple went past in a tiny sleigh for two, and Grace made a swooning sound, I started to wonder. Something I’d never thought before. Maybe, maybe next Christmas, if all this elf stuff blew over, and the Jingle Ladies disbanded, maybe it would actually be nice to know what it’s like. To hold hands in the snow, and buy stupid gifts, and swap scarves and laugh like it was the funniest thing ever.
But Grace was on a mission to spot famous people, so I left her to hunt down some celebs and took a break on a bench. Dream scenario was that Joseph was milling about, not with Maeve after all, and fell immediately in love with my best mate. Triple whammy – a story for Elijah, a happy Grace and a perfect way to annoy Simon. I pulled off my gloves with my teeth and opened a WhatsApp from a number I didn’t recognize. I had two missed calls too.
Zaiynab: Hey, Molly. Sorry for the delay. Hectic week. But … if you’re up for it… How d’ya fancy being part of The POWR crew? Your lyrics were 
“Grrrraaaaaaccceeee!” I yelled. Thank goodness I was sitting down! Had this really happened? “GRAAACCCE!!!!”
Had I really done it?!
I read it again. I’d really done it!
I’d got into The POWR.
That’s why Zaiynab must have rung! To do a Simon Cowell-esque reveal.
Just as well she hadn’t! I couldn’t speak!
I really had written Christmas off too early. I did a celebratory dance on the bench, not caring who saw.
I was in The POWR!
No one at school had found out about Elf Girl.
This was my last film event.
Grace was getting over Simon.
She knew about Ru.
I could probably find a way of talking Mum and Dad into not being on The One Show. Maybe my peace offering could be that they play Grampy G’s Grotto, after all? It was only Mr W’s friends and family coming anyway.
Yes, yes and YESSSSSSS.
I pressed play on my voicemail just as I spotted Grace running over.
“I got in to The P—” I started to say. Well, more shout.
But I stopped as the voice on the other end of my phone played. I hadn’t been listening properly.
Did she say she was called Sue? Not Zaiynab?
From where?!
Panicking, I put my finger in my other ear and went back to the start.
“Ringing back about the snow machine query…”
Uh-oh. This didn’t feel good.
“What? What?!” Grace mouthed, excited to know what the news was. “Put it on speaker!”
CHAPTER
12
