by Alyson Noel
I shoot a quick glance at Ezer before returning to Tinsley. Smiling brightly for the camera, I slide my arm around her, and in my most charming Nick Dashaway voice, say, “Why would I want to be anywhere but right here beside you?”
Her eyes meet mine, and though her smile is tight like she suspects something’s up, she’s professional enough to make little squealing sounds as she springs onto her toes and kisses my cheek.
I do my best to go along. As the only one in the room who didn’t get the handout, I have no idea what’s to come. Still, if there’s one thing I know about TV, it’s that the biggest reveals are always saved for the season finale, where they love to throw in a cliffhanger. And judging by the way Ezer’s acting, I’ve no doubt he’s got something planned.
But I have something planned too.
I continue to go through the motions. Even when we film the scene where Dougall and I are messing around, singing “Jingle Bells” to the tune of “Twelve Days,” and I’m reminded of a similar scene back in Greentree when the real Dougall walked in on me as I was rehearsing in my bedroom, and how instead of making fun of me he just looked at me and said, “I still think you’re crazy for wanting to get up in front of the entire school and sing, but I gotta admit, you sound almost good”—even though I know this Dougall would never support me like that, that he’s my friend only because of the girls and the gifts and the way our friendship benefits him—I still keep my cool.
I keep playing along for the cameras like everything’s normal until Plum enters the room and I no longer have to.
I glare at Ezer, ready to call him out for stealing the ticket and making Tinsley hide it, when I realize that Plum didn’t arrive on her own. One of Ezer’s bodyguards has dragged her in by the arm.
“Found her up in Tinsley’s room, going through her stuff,” he says.
And just like that, my plan falls apart.
“Is this true?” Ezer approaches Plum, but to her credit she doesn’t say a word. Doesn’t even implicate me by looking my way.
“Caught her with her hand right inside Tinsley’s purse. How do you want to handle it?” The security guy tightens his grip on Plum’s arm like he’s hoping Ezer will command him to haul her off to prison or worse.
Ezer rubs a hand over his chin and studies Plum. “Why would you do that?” He acts as though the question is for her until he turns and his gaze levels on me.
He knows.
He knows I put her up to it.
Since he thwarted my original plan to make a run for the trolley stop, I was forced to act so quickly I didn’t have time to brainstorm a backup plan in case this one failed.
He knows this is the only card in my deck. Now he’s daring me to admit it.
“She did it because I asked her to,” I say. “I sent her a text asking her to go through Tinsley’s purse and get something Tinsley took from me.”
Tinsley gasps. Like, audibly gasps. And from the sound of it, this time she’s not acting.
“And why would you do that?” Ezer’s expression shifts so quickly it’s hard to keep track, but one thing’s for sure: he’s offering a challenge I have no choice but to meet.
“Because Plum’s the only one I can trust. She’s the only one who doesn’t want something from me. Heck, she doesn’t even like me.”
I sneak a look at Plum. I can’t help it. And considering how much trouble she’s facing, it’s kind of nice to see she’s still able to grin.
“Nick—what’s going on with you?” Tinsley’s pretty face turns pink with betrayal and outrage. “First you accuse me of stealing from you, then you claim you can’t trust me. Is that what you think? That I’m with you only for what I can get?” She looks as though she’s asking me to deny it, which is kind of funny, considering our earlier conversation where she made it perfectly clear that those accusations are true.
The whole room goes silent as everyone waits for my response.
And that’s when I realize that the cameras never stopped rolling. Everything that’s happening here is being recorded.
This is Ezer’s ultimate test.
His final manipulation.
He’s pushing me to choose a life lived as Dashing Nick Dashaway, International Superstar—or to outright reject it and risk never returning to Greentree.
If I make the choice he wants, he’ll edit out the bad parts and I’ll continue living the dream.
If not, he’ll make sure the whole mess goes viral so I’ll be forced to live out my life in disgrace, stuck in this place with a family that doesn’t like me and even fewer friends than I had back in Greentree.
He’s making me bet on my future.
The outcome is mine to decide.
I glance between Ezer, Plum, and Tinsley. My heart hammering hard in my chest, I take a step closer and say, “Where are you hiding it, Tins?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She insists on denying what we both know is true.
“I think you do.” I look right at her, unable to see her the same way I used to. She’s a better singer than me, and definitely a better actor, since all along she’s been playing me.
“Nick!” She lets out a high-pitched squealy sound—a cross between a scream and a laugh. “What’s in that mug of hot chocolate you’re drinking?” She points a shaky finger toward the red-and-green cup bearing my name. “You’re acting all crazy!”
It’s a desperate attempt to insert a little humor, make it seem like a brief moment of insanity before we all return to our regularly scheduled programming. Too bad it won’t work. For me there’s no turning back.
“The ticket, Tins. I confided in you today by the pool when I told you about the cupcake magic and the crazy Christmas trolley and how I found myself here.”
“Nick…” She presses a hand to her throat and slowly backs away, the camera continuing to track our progress as I match her every step. “Nick, please!” Her fingers twist nervously at the someday ring, like she doesn’t know whether to protect it or to hurl it at me.
“The ticket expires one minute past midnight, time’s running out, and I want to spend Christmas in my real home, with my real family. Not this”—oblivious to the camera recording every word, I point at Joe, Eileen, and Holly—“not this embarrassing, plasticized version of a family.”
“Hey, now—that was uncalled for!” Joe shouts in outrage as Holly glares and Eileen clutches her diamond necklace as though I might snatch it right off her neck.
But it’s not enough to stop me. Not even close.
“And this”—I pause, unsure how to refer to Dougall—“this fake, wannabe-celebrity friend.”
He holds his hands up before him, glancing between the camera and me, saying, “Whoa, bro—that is seriously harsh!”
Despite the cruel things I just said about my family and friends, the biggest upset comes when I refer to Sir Dasher Dashaway as a completely ridiculous embarrassment of a dog. Even the film crew is outraged. But it’s all just background noise. I no longer care about my image or how this will play on TV. I’m determined to get the heck out of here so I can go back to my life as a Brainiac Nerd, supported by people I’ve only just now learned to appreciate, and Tinsley is the single person who can either help or hurt me.
“It’s not too late to fix this,” I tell her.
But one look at her face tells me she has completely shut down.
And when Mac Turtledove appears on the sidelines, taking his place beside Ezer, I’m not one bit surprised to see how, just like in Greentree, he ends up with the girl and the life I dreamed of having.
As far as I’m concerned, it’s his for the taking.
Tinsley heaves a resigned sigh, pulls her hand from her pocket, and thrusts it toward me.
But instead of the ticket I was expecting, she removes the sapphire ring from her finger and drops it onto my palm, allowing the camera to zoom in for a close-up before she folds my fingers around it.
“Sorry, Nick.” Her eyes mist with tears—sh
e’s gotten really good at crying on cue. “I guess we were wrong about each other. This no longer feels right. Besides, I’m too young to be promising myself to anyone. But someday…when we’re both older and more mature, who knows?”
Someday.
Nice way to plug our #1 and #2 hits.
She turns away, blond hair sailing behind her like a curtain being drawn.
She no longer needs me—Mac Turtledove’s waiting.
It’s enough to satisfy Ezer too.
Because just after that, the director shouts, “Cut—that’s a wrap!”
Ezer shakes his head, then shows me the door.
57 Minutes and 42 Seconds till Christmas
REALITY REFUGEE
For someone who has spent the last five days being chased by screaming fans, it feels kinda strange to transition into a social pariah in just a matter of seconds. Though I guess I better get used to it. If I don’t get my hands on that ticket, this is how I’ll live out my days, without a single person willing to speak to me.
Tinsley hates me for humiliating her on TV.
My family hates me for calling them embarrassing and plastic, but most of all for the lifestyle they’ll lose because of my choices.
And when I tried to apologize to Plum, her mom stood in my way and told me she quit.
“You surprise me, kid.” Ezer walks behind me, practically clipping my heels. “I thought you were smarter than that.”
I toss my mike and head for the door, determined to find my way to the trolley stop and try pleading my case with the driver. It’s the only hope I have left. “I guess it’s like you once said,” I tell him. “Nothing wrong with knowing your limits. I guess I discovered mine.”
“You know you just committed celebrity suicide, right? By tomorrow morning every girl in America—heck, the whole world—will have turned against you. You cleared the decks for Mac to step in and take your place. And I gotta admit, the kid’s got charisma. Won’t be long before they forget about Ninsley and start screaming for Macsley.”
His words stop me cold.
I realize the one thing I’ve missed all along, even though it was sitting right smack in front of me.
Ezer is the only one here who’s exactly the same as he was back in Greentree.
“You’re in on it, aren’t you?” I have no way to explain it or prove it, but I know that I’m right. “You’ve known the whole time.”
“What I know, kid, is you’ve killed your career and I no longer represent you. After the stunt you just pulled, won’t be long before all your other deals drop you as well. You’ll be lucky if you can scrape together enough dough to rent a small apartment somewhere. And you better make sure they take pets, since you put your family’s financial well-being at risk, which means they’ll be living with you. You’ll be broke in no time—and with a face as recognizable as yours, good luck blending into the world. The one thing that always bothered you—the lack of privacy—will never be yours. People know who you are. They watched your meltdown unfold on TV. From this moment on there’s nowhere to hide.”
It’s all true.
Every single word.
Which is why it’s imperative for me to make one final plea.
“None of this has to happen,” I say. “Just give me that ticket and you can pretend we never met.”
He stands before me, as impenetrable as a brick wall, his henchmen watching from a few feet away, in case I’m dumb enough to try to jump him or something.
“Why won’t you help me?” I ask, refusing to give up so easily.
“I did help you.” He slaps me hard on the back. “I gave you a life most people can only dream of, and this is how you repay me. Good luck, Nick. You’re gonna need it.” He shuts the double doors firmly between us, and from the corner of my eye I see Dougall making his way down the drive.
“Hey!” I rush to catch up. “Hey—Dougall!” I call, wanting to apologize for what I said on TV. Just because it’s true doesn’t make it okay to share with the world. “Dougall?”
I quicken my pace, only to watch as he quickens his as well. Reaching the end of the drive well before me, he slips through the electronic gate just as it’s closing and laughs when it slams shut in my face.
And that’s when it hits me.
I had it all wrong.
Ezer and Tinsley didn’t steal the ticket.
They just used my story and pending meltdown to reframe the show, to make room for Mac.
And though my family had plenty of motive, they looked way too clueless to be involved either.
But Dougall—
Dougall was alone in my room when he returned the Xbox earlier today. He could have overheard me by the pool spilling my guts to Tinsley.
Dougall’s entire life, his whole identity, revolves around being my friend.
If I return to Greentree, where does that leave him?
Also, what was that he said just after wishing me a happy birthday? Something about how he was glad to see that I’d made it?
As if there was any doubt that I would? As if I’ve ever failed to show up?
He expected me to run.
All the while knowing I wouldn’t get very far.
“Why’d you do it?” I grab hold of the thick iron bars, shaking them as hard as I can, but the gate refuses to budge.
He drops his skateboard to the ground and places his foot on the deck. “Don’t bother.” He motions toward my futile attempt. “You’re not going anywhere, Nick.” He reaches into his pocket and wags the trolley ticket in my face. His eyes narrowed, his grin crooked and wide, he milks the moment for all he can. “Figured you’d blame Tinsley and Ezer once you caught on to their reality game. Which took you a ridiculously long time, by the way. All those failed attempts to kiss her because Ezer interfered—you think that was a coincidence?” He shakes his head. “Anyone could see she was using you, but you were so hung up on your fantasy version of Tinsley you chose to ditch me, your best bro, just so you could spend more time with a girl who never even liked you. I was willing to let it go for a while, since I figured you’d wise up soon enough, but then I overheard you talking to Tinsley about how you got here and how much you want to return….”
He thrusts the ticket toward me until it’s almost within reach, but just as I make a move for it, he yanks it back again.
“You seriously thought I’d let you rob me of this life?” He looks at me like I’m the biggest moron he’s ever seen. “We had everything—an all-access, red-carpet, VIP pass to the whole entire world! But apparently that wasn’t good enough for you, since you can’t wait to leave it all behind. Tell me, Nick, out of all the time you’ve spent feeling sorry for yourself, did you ever stop to think about me? Did you ever once consider what might happen to me when you leave?”
I can’t meet his glare, so I stare down at my shoes. There’s no denying he’s right. I didn’t think about him. He never once factored into my decision.
“And now, thanks to you, I’m about to become a complete and total nobody.” He shakes his head and scowls. “No, scratch that, I’ll be worse than a nobody—I’ll be a joke—a has-been—the celebrity suck-up who got dumped by his best bro on TV. Nice work, Dashaway.”
“You can always try to get in good with Mac Turtledove….” The second it’s out I regret it. I meant to present it as a viable option, but it sounded more like an insult. “Dougall, listen—” I rush to cover, but he won’t let me finish.
“All you had to do was stick with Ezer’s plan for a couple more years, three at the most. Just keep riding the fame wave until the tide turned and someone new took your place. Is that too much to ask?”
I study him for a long moment. Deciding to go with the truth. “As it turns out, yes.”
He flips his skateboard up with his foot, then angrily slams it back down. “Wrong answer, Nick. Anyway, enjoy living the rest of your life as a nobody. I know I won’t, but if I’m going down, I’m taking you with me.” He shoots me a sickly grin, tucks the t
icket into his pocket, and speeds down the street, disappearing from view.
38 Minutes and 18 Seconds till Christmas
SK8TR BOY
I shake the gate again, but it hardly even moves. And since there’s no one inside Ezer’s house who would be willing to help, I hoist myself onto one of the thick iron scrolls and use it as a foothold to heave myself up.
“Well, one thing’s for sure, we’ll definitely break all existing records as the most talked-about season finale.”
Tinsley.
“Nothing like a little controversy to raise the ratings and get people talking. And just so you know, it’s already gone viral. Ezer has had the crew feeding clips to YouTube since the whole thing fell apart—all done anonymously, of course. But I know you no longer care about that.”
I focus on the gate and continue to climb.
“The someday ring was ridiculous, completely over-the-top.”
I heave myself up, but the gate is so tall, there’s still a long way to go.
“And, just so you know, I really did try to talk Ezer out of going through with it. I mean, we’re not even thirteen!”
“Tins—” I turn to find her fidgeting with something inside her pocket, which only confuses me more. What could she possibly be hiding? What kind of game is she playing? I already know Dougall stole the ticket.
“Then again, even though it was dumb, it definitely worked. Whatever you may think of him, he is a genius when it comes to making headlines.”
I heave a frustrated sigh, making no attempt to hide my annoyance. Tinsley is seriously starting to get on my nerves.
“Still, I want you to know that, while the ring may have been fake, my feelings for you weren’t—or at least, not entirely. Remember that day on the beach? Remember what I said to you?”
I center my foot and reach for a handhold, pausing long enough to remember the day she looked at me and said, Promise me that no matter what happens, you’ll remember this moment….