Page 75 of Heal Me

"What?" I ask.

"Without a hand. One hundred percent. " At the same moment, Danylo says.

"I agree." Timur gives Danylo five.

"How can you two be so terrible? It’s your hand."

"Amelia, imagine that tomorrow you have an exam, then you either need to look for the library and spend several hours to find the necessary information, or you need to Google it."

"Yes, without a hand." I say, and the boys start laughing.

"Well, next question. Spend a day in a dumpster and get a million for it, or refuse."

"Refuse," I say, and at the same time Danylo tells us that he will spend the day in the garbage.

Timur starts to laugh loudly, and I look at Danylo questioningly.

"What? " He shrugs. "I am a poor student."

"Do all poor students have a father who owns the largest law firm? Was it distributed somewhere at the fair?" I take my tea in my hands, and we go to the table.

"That's the point, dude. But I’m still a poor student."

"With an apartment in the centre of Kyiv," adds Timur.

"And an expensive car," I laugh.

"And with a watch worth thirty thousand dollars."

"It was a gift from Zlata," Danylo tries to defend himself, but we continue to laugh.

"Okay, the last one. If you were given the choice of taking three million dollars and your friend dying or being left without money." "Sorry, Boyko. But today you have to die." Says Danylo.

"You're going to let me die for three million dollars?"

"Of course not. It's all a joke. I will kill you even without money."

At such moments, I realise that I’m happy. In the moments when we sit together in the cafeteria, Danylo laughs loudly and barely keeps his balance on the chair, Timur tells jokes, and I look at them and warmth spreads inside my body.

***

I look at myself in the mirror again. Long brown hair in a high ponytail. A little evening make-up. Leather shorts and a black top, with a black jacket on. I like it.

Someone knocks on the door and I immediately guess who it is.

"I'm going," I shout.

I take my purse, phone, perfume and open the door.

Danylo freezes.

"You are beautiful," he clears his throat.

"Thanks."

And you are so handsome, Danylo.

I like his black t-shirt and black jeans.

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