“C’mon then.” Ru got his phone out but it was so cold it immediately died. He grabbed the other and checked no one was around. “Would it be too cheesy to ask for a selfie?”
Face please serve: ew, how un-imaginative. Because my brain was full: I ALREADY KNOW I’M PRINTING THIS OFF AND STICKING IT TO MY WALL.
“Just for me. Promise I’m not the sharing type.”
“Sure.” My voice wobbled like when Mum gives me a way-too-tight hug. Had he just put his arm around me?
AFFIRMATIVE! RU’S ARM WAS AROUND ME!!!
And that’s the moment he took the photo. And that’s what got immortalized. Him smiling, head tilted at the perfect angle, cap in his hand, light bouncing off him like a supermodel and me. Standing pole straight like I’d been stuffed more than a Christmas turkey, my mouth hanging open.
“And that’s why I say no to photos.” He sent it to me anyway, and we headed over the bridge into the market. After checking out some of the quieter stalls, Ru leant over the railings by the river.
“Verdict so far? I’m not hating Christmas.” He turned and smiled at me. “Not hating it at all… But.” He bit his lip. “You’ve done all the hard work. Do you want me to take over the sleigh reins, little elf?” I did a double take. Was that just an elfing-bad coincidence? I did need to tell him. People had definitely been giving me funny looks. “Or do you have a plan for what’s next?”
I knew what I needed to say, “Yes, I do, but first I need to tell you something that might change everything, and also do you mind me ducking out of our date later to go eat an “intimate meal” with a movie star? Potentially on that posh-looking yacht thing over there?”
Instead, I said, “Curling.” But we had a fifteen-minute wait before my booking, so we grabbed a Christmas waffle, headed away from the crowds and sat on a bench opposite a pub with steamed-up windows.
The time had come. Time to reveal my elfy past. The conversation I’d practised over and over with Grace.
My heart was thumping so hard my enamel pin was shaking.
“We’ve got time to kill, so how about a British tradition? Christmas truth or dare.”
Ru lowered his eyebrows. “Can’t say I’ve heard of that one.”
“Oh, in the UK, no Christmas Day is complete without it.” We both knew I was lying.
“Okaaay.” He pushed his lips out. His really gorgeous lips. OH GOD, I WAS STARING AT HIS MOUTH. I stopped. And switched to staring at his eyes. His really gorgeous eyes.
OK. Nowhere was safe.
“Is it negotiable?” He wiped some snow off his nose. “Cos you look kind of serious right now and I’m getting scared…” But he laughed.
“Nope. It’s not optional. That’s also part of the tradition.” I felt so sick. “But to make it easier, you can go first?”
“Sure. Truth or dare?” I answered “truth” and he looked at me like he was trying to dredge up the most amazing question of all. Uh-oh. “Total honesty, right?” I nodded. That’s exactly what today was about. “What did you really think about Sleigh Another Day?”
I laughed into my waffle, some of the squirty cream spraying out on to my jeans.
“That’s your question?”
But Ru nodded, no hint of a smile. “Yup. And your honest answer is…”
“My honest answer is – I haven’t seen it.” Hadn’t I told him that? “In fact, I haven’t even seen a single poster for it. That’s how much I haven’t seen it.”
“Whoa.” He looked shocked. “Kind of wish I’d asked another question now.”
“It’s fine, you’re a novice. There is something I could tell you about the film though…” If I opened up, maybe he would too? “Something about Maeve.”
Ru pulled back. “Maeve Murphy?”
“Uh-huh. Although you have to promise to tell NO ONE.”
He zipped his lips shut. OK, here it went. The second Molly secret.
“I was the one that tripped into her on the red carpet.”
His eyes went so wide, for a second I worried they might pop out. “YOU?!”
“Yup. I’m Dread Carpet girl.”
“The one with the sign?” He looked horrified.
“Oi!” Was he edging away from me? “Panic not. It’s not what it seems. I was actually trying to leave somewhere quickly, and I was holding on to this random guy’s sign but then I tripped over a dog lead, and one thing led to another.”
Ru just blinked. And blinked. OK, this wasn’t even the big secret. How was he going to cope with the actual weird one?!
“Earth to Ru…”
He shook his head. “Sorry … that just … took a serious turn.” He laughed. Really laughed.
“Indeed. So, I think we can agree I set the bar high? So, your turn. Truth or dare.”
He chose “truth” straight away.
Deep breath, Mols.
