“Sure. But for what it’s worth, I reckon as soon as she wins the challenge, she won’t even think of us ever again. And you want the other news flash.” It was all coming out now. “Y’know Dove? I honestly think she might be mean, Fred. Like mean mean.” He dropped his head in his hands. I sipped my Christmas tea. “If Elle ever asked what I thought of her, not that she’d care what someone like me would think, I’d say she was a total wet wipe.” My ultimate insult. “Genuinely—don’t you reckon she sounds like she doesn’t even want Elle to win anymore? It’s all so messed up. I’m mean, I’ve loved being here, but I can’t wait to get back home to some normal people.” But Fred had slumped forward.

“Fred?” Nothing. “I meant that in a good way. Normal is good?!”

And then it dawned on me.

Woody. Maybe that’s why he was being weird?! And why Ruby was buying time to talk to me—they already knew about what had happened with Elle.

“Oh, Fred. It’s okay…”

“Is it?” he mumbled up from having his head in his hands.

“Yeah. I know about Elle liking Woody. And frankly”—I smiled to let him know that sure, it had hurt like hell, but I was going to be okay—“they’re perfect for each other. Honestly, for all Elle’s online nice-nice, in real life, she’s just as two-faced as him.”

I thought Fred might look relieved.

But he didn’t answer. And as the silence grew, I noticed something.

Where he’d leaned forward, something about my room wasn’t as I’d remembered.

It had been covered in even more decorations. And had three little hats hanging up.

“What did Elle have left to do, Hol?” Fred’s muffled voice came up even though his head was still buried in his folded arms. “From your list?”

Weird timing, but he clearly needed an answer.

There was only one thing I could remember. “I think only the, err, Christmas Cracker?”

There was a moment’s silence before Fred said, “Bingo.”

And the two wardrobe doors behind him opened slowly.

Standing there, in matching elf onesies, two unpopped party poppers in their hands, were Ruby and Elle.

And a fed-up looking Colin. “Surprise.”

They couldn’t have sounded more miserable. Oh. My. Actual. God.

They’d heard everything.

“This was meant to be it. My Christmas Cracker.” Elle pulled her party popper.

They looked like they might be about to cry. Or shout. Or both.

Everyone had heard everything.

Well, except Nick, which would have completed my worst luck ever.