Page 101 of Merry Mayhem
“Yeah, she’s really getting into that,” Thea agrees. “I guess it makes her job with all the events and clubs that Parks and Rec organizes easier if there are fewer rules.”
I laugh. “That might come back and bite her in the ass.”
“Well? Who is it?” someone calls out.
“This year’s Peppermint Princess is Violet Chabert!” Nora says happily.
Everyone cheers and starts applauding.
The crowd parts as Violet makes her way toward the stage.
Nora produces a crown made of candy canes, which I assume are plastic, and a red cape with white fur trim. She places the crown on Violet’s head while Harley drapes the cape around Violet’s shoulders.
“And no one even blinks that the winner is the Mayor’s granddaughter and the organizer’s cousin?” I ask Thea.
She laughs. “Oh, lord, no.”
Nora hands Violet the microphone, and Violet takes it with a big grin.
“Well, thank you.” She faces the crowd. “When I asked Nora if I could say a few words, this is not at all what I expected.”
The crowd cheers.
“I wanted a chance to say thank you,” Violet says, quieting the noise. “I can’t believe the amount of support and love I’ve felt over these past few days after my accident, and I wanted to say how much I love all of you. I’ve always felt like Rebel is one big family, and you’ve all just driven that point home to me. Thank you.” She sniffs, and everyone applauds again.
“And there’s something I need to tell you,” she continues. “Something that you’ve all given me the strength to say.”
She glances toward me and Thea, and I feel my spine tense.
Oh. She’s going to do this right now.
“Oh…crap,” Thea says.
“It’s good,” I tell her. “Let her do it.”
“She doesn’t have to do it likethis.”
“She has to do it however she wants to,” I say quietly.
“Josh is not my boyfriend,” Violet says. Not quietly.
Just like that. Clear and simple.
“He’s a great guy who agreed to help me out when I needed a friend.”
She looks at me again and gives me a smile. That I return. But I’m itching to take Thea’s hand.
“I thought that I couldn’t face Merry Mayhem and this holiday without Sam. Single. Alone,” she goes on, facing the crowd again. “So, I asked Josh ahugefavor—to pretend to be my boyfriend for a few days—and he said yes. But it isn’t true. Josh and I were never together. We met at Perks and Rec the night of my accident. Then he pulled me out of the car and got me to the hospital. He saved me, physically, but…” She pauses and takes a deep breath. “Youall saved my heart. You showed me over these past two days how loved I am. How much support I have. That I’m absolutely not alone at all. I will never be alone. I mightnot have a boyfriend, but I’m very loved and I don’t want to be anywhere, with anyone other than all of you for Christmas.”
She stops, and the entire crowd is quiet for several long seconds.
Then someone starts clapping. Quickly, more join in, and soon everyone is clapping and cheering. Several people are wiping their eyes, but everyone is smiling.
Violet stands smiling out at the town.
“Wow,” Thea says quietly.
“That was really good,” I say.
