I couldn’t believe how wrong my last full day in the UK had gone. Although one good thing had come of that total fail. I knew Holly was right—about Dove.

I’d asked her why she’d said what she had—and she told me exactly what had happened in Cheeze Pleaze. And it sounded…off. Way off.

And something about Clara’s reply had made me feel extra weird.

Hey Elle. Long time no speak. Honestly? It’s not me. Tbh I’d noticed too. I know you might not believe me, but maybe if you speak to someone close to home it’ll make more sense? Good luck anyway. But not too much! I don’t wanna be the SpillMoreTea of this competition.

She’d even followed up.

PS, I never really got to say it before…but sorry.

What was niggling at me so much? Was it that Clara was being friendly? Even after everything that had happened? And who did she want me to talk to? Dove?

Even thinking about winning that newbie comp back in Nashton, and beating @SpillMoreTea, made me feel uneasy.

I’d gone back through Clara’s comments to try and figure it all out.

Maybe her message was legit. Looking back on her comments, they weren’t that bad, even if I’d taken them that way. It was only really @tooblessed2bstressedxx that had been causing all the problems. But were they definitely not the same person?

As I searched through, trying to make the pieces fit, Dove posted the daily update. I was on 14,698 new followers to Clara’s 13,987.

I was so close—but I didn’t feel smug about it.

I think I’d actually felt happier when Clara had been out of my life. Competing with her hadn’t made me feel better about what happened, it had just made me sad thinking about it. She’d been the reason I’d stopped trusting people, and even though I thought beating her would be the best revenge, what had really made me happy was finding people I could trust. Who liked me for me. People like Ruby and Fred.

And not like Dove.

Something was going on, and I knew it had something to do with what I’d seen that night in London. If only I could figure it out.

It might backfire in a major way, but I needed to be brave. Ask the one person who might know.

Hey Dove—just a heads-up that I’m not going to have that selfie for you. I also wanted to ask—do you have any idea who’s behind tooblessed2bstressedxx?!

I wondered if she was going to kick me out of the competition for not getting her photo? And I wondered if I cared? I couldn’t believe what a difference seven days could make.