A lump forms in my throat. “No. His good-bye was pretty clear. And I’m not sure I even want to. I just can’t get over my violence issues. I think we aren’t meant to be together.”

“Maybe you should call him. Talk to him. Find a way to build a level of trust where you aren’t terrified he’ll turn into your father, and he isn’t terrified to give you some space.”

“It doesn’t matter now.” I sigh. “I’m going to send a fax to the collection agency on Friday that says I don’t consent to Max making the payment. He’ll be furious. I’m sure the new collector will be too.”

“Don’t you worry about that collector. I’m in the game now.”

“Why are you whispering?” I play with the heart-shaped pendant around my neck. I should probably take it off. Maybe even sell it, but I’ve never had a piece of jewelry that meant so much to me. It reminds me of the night Max first said, “Mine.”

“We’ve snuck into the first aid room. Drake said he needs personal medical attention. He’s gone to his car to get his supplies. I’m not sure what he expects me to do. I’m an attorney, not a doctor.” She bursts into laughter and I can’t help but smile.

“I’m thinking of taking him up on his offer to help me get into medical school,” I tell her. “He can help me get a full scholarship and get my application through on the fast-track. If it goes well, I could be in med school in just four months. If I can hold off the debt collector until then, my payments will be waived while I’m in school.”

“And if you can’t?”

“I’ll be in a position to buy my parents a new house when I graduate.”

Amanda sighs. “I thought it wasn’t what you really wanted to do.”

I bunch my sweater in my fist. “It’s not, but I don’t have any other options.”

“This is my fault,” she says, her voice flat. “You didn’t work on Saturday because of me. You and Max broke up because of me. I was too busy with my trial to help you when you needed me.”

I curl up on my bed and wrap one arm around myself. “Don’t ever think that. You’re my best friend. I was there because I wanted to be there, and I would do it again. This was going to happen anyway. I just can’t think of another way to get out of it. I can’t take Max’s money, especially now.”

“Too bad you don’t know an attorney who owes you a big favor.”

My chest tightens. “I don’t need you to fight my battles either. This is my mess. I have to sort it out.”

Amanda groans. “I’m not offering to fight your battles. You are going to fight your battles, but I am going to help you. That’s what attorneys and best friends do. And lucky for you, I have a space on my pro bono list for a best friend who has been there for me and had my back since I was four years old, even when it cost her everything, like now.”

Tears well up in my eyes. “Stop. You’re making me cry.”

“Good. You made me cry, and now when Drake comes back with his fake medical supplies, my face will be all puffy and red. Not a good look for playtime. I’m going to have to run to the washroom to freshen up. In the meantime, you need to think about getting some leverage.”

“I owe the money. I don’t have any leverage.”

“The law is your leverage.” Her tone switches to full-on lecture mode. “There are laws about how he can collect the money. He can’t harass you; he can’t threaten. The list goes on.”

“I thought it took a long time to run these things through court.”

“It does. Unless you have friends in high places. And you know I do.”

A door closes in the background. Amanda giggles. “Drake is back. He’s pulling a nurse’s uniform out of his bag. Hmmm. I’ve never seen a nurse’s uniform with only two inches of skirt and breast cutouts. What else does he have? A pair of rubber gloves, a giant syringe with no needle, twine, a roll of plastic wrap, a crescent wrench, battery cables, a plastic whale, and…I don’t even know what the last object is, but it moves.”

Laughter wells up in my chest and spills out in a snort. “You’re making that up to cheer me up.”

“I couldn’t make that up if I tried.” Her voice drops so low I can barely hear her. “I don’t think he’s really injured.”

“Maybe in the head.”

“Are you sure you don’t want him? He still holds a torch for you, and I think you could learn a few things.”

“No. Definitely not. I have issues with plastic animals being used as sex toys. He’s all yours.”

“Ooooo. He’s showing me where it hurts. That’s a very big owie. Maybe nursie should kiss it better.”

“LEAVING NOW,” I shout into the phone. “TMI.”

“Bye, honey,” she whispers. “Don’t worry about the debt collector—” She cuts herself off. “Bad patient. Stop running around or nursie will have to spank you. Oh, I see. You brought your own paddle. Gotta go, Mac. Things are heating up.”

***

Dr. Drake beams when I walk into his office after work the next day. “Look who’s here. It’s my favorite med school applicant.”

“Hi, Dr. Drake.” Don’t think about whales. Don’t think about whales. Images of plastic whales float through my mind. Bad whales. Go away.