“Thank you, Molly. I’ve had a wonderful birthday with Gracey, so I hope you haven’t gone to any trouble.” Mr W said softly. But I knew there would have been a big Grampy-G-shaped hole for the both of them.

“All I can say is…” I dialled Harry from my pocket. “I hope you like it. And Grace” – I lowered my voice – “I know how rubbish I’ve been. And I’m so sorry. But from now on, no more secrets, I promise. From now on everything, EVERYTHING, is quite literally out in the open.”

And that’s when we turned the corner. And onstage my parents started the biggest cheer, all the crowd joining in. The loudest were Grampy G’s hospice friends, who were waving everything they had in the air, even walking sticks with lights twirled round.

“Wha…” Grace came to a stop, completely stunned. Her dad looked even more shocked, and reached for her hand. “W-w-what is this?”

“Seeing as I made such a massive mess with the venue for Grampy G’s party, I thought we could do it here instead.” I took a deep breath. Please let them like this. Please! “I really hope you like it.”

“Is that…” Grace stared down the street, taking it all in. The Brussel Shouts on the stage. The wooden chalets from Edinburgh. The Christmas trees lining the pavements. The baubles and archways from the film now decorating the little houses on our street. Harry, who was waving both arms in the air.

“No…” Grace was shaking her head. Did she hate it? Oh no. She hated it! And her dad was just blinking.

Was this yet another mistake?!

“Oh no.” I put my hand over my face. “I thought this would be a good idea. They needed a music video and I wanted to save Grampy G’s Grotto, and do something that he would love for you guys and…”

But that’s when Mr W put his hand up. “Molly. Please, stop.” He took a deep breath. “My dad would have LOVED this.” I saw him squeeze Grace’s hand. “We love this, don’t we, Gracey?”

“We … we really do,” Grace mouthed, her lips wobbling as a tear rolled down her face. And for the first time in days, she gave me a smile.

Mr W lowered his head. “And we love you, Molly.”

And that’s when Grace pulled both me and him in for a hug.

“Mol, this is the best Christmas present you could have ever given us.” She hugged me again. “Friends?”

And it felt better than any present in the world.

Harry gave the signal and The Brussel Shouts burst into “Winter Wonderland”, Grace and her family’s favourite song. Mr W threw off his coat, grabbed Grace, and waltzed around the street, the whole crowd immediately joining in. I loved watching their family who had flown down from Newcastle dancing over and surprising them. Grace and her dad only stopped when they spotted the poster of Grampy G, and in amidst all the chaos the two of them stopped, put their arms around each other and smiled. The biggest smile. Just like Grampy G would have wanted. Just like I promised him I’d try and make happen.

That even though he was gone, his family would always carry on finding Christmas magic.

My work here was done.

Well, it would be, if we now didn’t have the full music video to film. Argh! This suddenly felt real. Way too real!

But as the director called “action” on our first take, real snow began to fall. And as we sang and bounced round, the crowd joining in, I had one of my weirdest Christmas thoughts yet.

Did I actually quite like “Love Your Elf!”? Because I seemed to be smiling. In fact, I was loving singing along. And loving that so many people were singing along with us – including … was that Matt and Zaiynab? And people from the year above who must have heard what was going on and had all turned up in Christmas jumpers, trying to get in on the action. I gave them a big elfy wave. Christmas grudges were so last term.

And as the last take started, and I waved down, a big grin on my face, an even bigger thought snuck in. Was it just the song I liked? Was this how it felt to finally like … me? Just as I was. Bright green, looking ridiculous, laughing my head off.

I hadn’t been ready at the end of term show. But I was ready now.

Up here, on this stage, with my family next to me, my house flashing away behind us, my best friend leaping around with Harry, a smile back on her dad’s face, I felt the happiest I had done in years.

I was done hiding. I didn’t care what anyone else thought. From now on, I cared what I thought.

World. This is who I am. The real Molly Bell. And … I like it.

I just wished I didn’t have that niggling feeling that something was missing. And I knew exactly what.

Jay.

I wished I’d had the chance tell him in person how sorry I was. How much I liked him. Really, really liked him.

“CUUUUUUUT!” the director yelled, even though we were only midway through the song. She didn’t look happy and stood up on her chair, grabbing her megaphone. “THIS PERFORMANCE IS LACKING SOMETHIING.”

Uh-oh. I looked over at my dad, who was currently on the floor having just abandoned doing the worm. I wasn’t sure we had that much left to give. The director stalked her way over to Elijah. “ANY IDEAS?”

But that’s when I noticed she was trying not to smile.

Elijah grabbed the megaphone. “GOOD TOTALLY SPONTANEOUS QUESTION. BECAUSE THIS VIDEO SHOULD REALLY … SLEIGH!”

Ding!

Everyone gasped – as thousands of lights all the way down the street towards the church flicked on.

And wait. What was that noise?! Where was it coming from? The whole crowd shushed as we craned to see.

Was it … bells?

Or was it…

“HORSES!!!!!!!!!” Billy leapt off the stage like a flying squirrel in her fluffy suit. She landed on Grace and Harry. “No! Reindeer!!”

And she was right.

There was a clip-clop of hooves as a light flickered in the dark.

There they were. Some reindeer. Was that Derek? Pulling the sleigh from the film, with Father Christmas and his very own elf holding the reins.

Elijah had got the Sleigh Another Day sleigh!

“PLACES!” Harry’s mum yelled. “We’ve only got one take guys. So, from the top…”

My family and I grabbed our instruments and for one last time began to play, the sleigh slowly rolling nearer and nearer to the stage. The crowd, who were all singing along and waving their hats, their lights, whatever they had, parted as it pulled up. Santa was waving, clutching a huge sack of presents. Next to him an elf hopped about ringing a stick with bells on. Finally, an elf more embarrassing than me! As they made their way into the crowd, Father Christmas handed out presents to the Holly Hospice residents. With the snow and everything, it was so magical it almost felt like the real Santa Claus was here.

Grampy G would have loved it.

And as we started the last chorus, Father Christmas and the elf joined us onstage, which soon became one big stage invasion led by Mr W and Grace.

Yes, this last month had all been a shock, but maybe being an elf wasn’t so bad after all.

CHAPTER

28