It was fair to say Ru looked more than a little bewildered. “Oh, OK. Will I see you in London then?”
I felt a weird happy tingle? Why? Ru wanting to see me again? Or not being totally alarmed by my dad. “Maybe?”
I white-lied. It was a “no” really. Elijah hadn’t asked and even if he did, I wasn’t doing anything to do with this stupid film ever again, but I couldn’t handle a final goodbye in front of my dad.
“I’ll take that,” Ru grinned. “And say hi to Grace! And Jess and Tilly!”
I literally sprinted inside before I could see Dad’s face.
Before I could process that I was never going to see Ru again.
Grace was waiting in the corridor outside our door, with all the questions.
“My best friend doth lie-eth!” she wailed dramatically. “You said you were going for pastries. Not to pick up some cute Scottish guy? I thought you were meant to be a Jingle Lady?! Right? Ms Molly Natasha Jingle Bell!” Grace was on the balcony peering after Ru. “I mean, all I could really see was a beanie. And a coat. And what looked like a really awks handshake with your dad. But I could just tell.” She made a low “mmmmm”. “I bet he had nice teeth, didn’t he?”
Should I just tell her?
“I wasn’t picking up anyone, Grace.” She mouthed, “right”. “I am still one hundred per cent Jingling all the way with you. He’s just that guy I was telling you about. Ru. Rudolph. Whatever.” So why was I reeling from just saying bye to him for the last ever time. “That we were meant to meet yesterday.”
“Hmmm.” Grace craned her neck even further. “You didn’t mention that he was hot. Well, from above anyway.”
“It all goes wrong when you’re eye level.” I laughed. Truth was, Ru was drop-dead gorgeous from every angle. From above (I may have noticed when he was looking for my imaginary badge), from the side (sitting on the bench) and most probably feet first too. But this factual appraisal wouldn’t help Grace believe me that there was nothing going on. “Anyway, he says ‘hi’. And got us these as a sorry for yesterday.” I plonked the drinks down. But Grace was still peering out the window. “I forgot I could have got them for free, but he said they give all the staff twenty quid a day just for food and drinks, so this can be a thank you from the film too.”
“Sounds like a keeper to me.” She sat back on the bed. “Not that you’re interested.”
“And not that you’re interested in Harry…”
But Grace’s smile vanished.
“I’m not.” She said it slowly, seriously. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s great. But so was Simon at the start, and look what happened there. Anyway.” She gave me a knowing look. “I’m a Jingle Lady, remember?”
“Fine.” I opened the box of pastries. “Have a mini croissant. And, in totally unrelated news, if you do ever want Harry’s number, he’s saved under ‘Liverpool Harry’.”
Grace threw a pillow at me, and after an impromptu pillow fight we were soon back outside, building a snow dog that looked like Sosig, getting bribery shortbread for Tess and trekking up to the castle – where we ran into Harry. I made an excuse to go and buy an ‘urgent novelty tie’ for Dad so I could leave them alone. As I headed down the street, my bags banging into my leg and thinking about what Grace was going to report back, I realized I was smiling.
“Dare I ask what that smile is for?” A voice called out from a little table outside a cafe. I spied Elijah having a coffee under a heater and walked over.
“You don’t want to know.” He raised an eyebrow. “Grace stuff.” He looked less interested. Rude! “Although, thanks again for those prizes. They’re awesome. Slightly hard to carry back on the train, but awesome.”
“No biggie. I was hoping to run into you actually.” He finished the last dregs of his coffee and stood up. “I know our little deal is over but…”
“Please don’t let this be about that video.” I’d got Dad to promise last night he wouldn’t do it, in return for him trying Scottish dancing with Maeve and Jack.
“Nope. It’s how would you like to come to our final event in London?”
“Not at all.” The finish line for getting through Christmas was in sight and I needed to shut down the Elf Girl suspicions at school, not run the risk of making them worse.
“And there’s nothing I could do to sweeten the deal? Get a yes? I thought maybe you’d be ready to finally show the world the real Elf Girl.”
I shook my head. “You thought wrong.” Although… I pictured Ru asking to see me there. And how I’d never see him again. And… NO! STAY STRONG, JINGLE LADY! “Maybe you should have asked when you still had that footage.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Maybe things change, Little Elf.”
“Oi!” I hissed, checking no one heard. But I had to get back to pack my stuff, so I left him to it and walked down the Royal Mile, soaking up gorgeous Edinburgh. Soaking up the atmosphere as everyone got into the festive spirit.
And maybe some festive spirit soaked into me too. Because on the train back I might have helped Dad hand out his new supply of chocolates.
And as we were driving home in Cara, I might have introduced Grace and her dad to my family’s rendition of “Let It Snow”. And not said no to the antlers Dad had bought us all.
And Mr W might have told us his big news.
Grace’s uncle and his kids had booked flights down from Newcastle for Grampy G’s Grotto. Literally a flying visit to make it here and back before Christmas.
Which meant sixty people were now coming to Grampy G’s Grotto.
And Grace whooped with excitement.
And I said “cool” rather than “HELP HELP HELP,” which is what I was thinking.
And I didn’t quite manage to tell Grace about the venue situation after all.
As I climbed into bed, I knew however awful it was, I had to.
It was already getting too much hiding my Elf Girl secret – I didn’t want to have to hide a secret from Grace too.
CHAPTER
14
TO DO:
•Venue venue venue!
•TELL GRACE about the venue venue venue.
•New lyrics for The POWR meet
•
•Survive last day at school
•Make 177 snowflakes
•Figure out how to wrap a hoof pick?!
Can you send a video of your line? My parents won’t believe it’s you!!!!
How much for Joseph’s number???
