“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—she’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.