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umb—”
    â€œAmbassador,” I said. “And don’t call me that. And don’t expect me to hold your hand or wipe your butt, either. I’ll show you around school, but I’m not doing any bullshit favor you can come up with like … like helping you clean your room or something.”
    â€œI don’t need you to help clean my room. I need you to help find my dad.”
    I stumbled on the sidewalk and had to search Billy’s face to see if he was joking. He wasn’t. I backed up a step with my hands in the air. “Whoa. That is … that’s just … way heavy.”
    And way too close to home.
    Billy didn’t look surprised. With his eyes narrowed and his jaw set, he looked—
what was it?
—calculating.
    â€œMr. Bell likes me,” he said.
    â€œSo?”
    â€œSo he won’t give you detentions if you help me.”
    I didn’t like where this conversation was going.
    â€œNo deal,” I said, and kept walking.
    Billy scurried to keep up. “If you help me find my dad, I’ll help you find yours.”
    Again, I was stopped in my tracks. “Dude, who said I wanted to find my dad? That’s … that’s … none of your business, that’swhat that is.” I paced the sidewalk, feeling my palms begin to itch. “And who says I don’t know where my dad is?”
    â€œMark.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œMark says you don’t know
who
your dad is.”
    Mark had really given Billy an earful in his first week in town. I pounded a fist into one of my itchy palms. “Okay, this time I
am
going to kick his ass.”
    â€œDo you?” Billy asked.
    â€œDo I what?”
    â€œDo you know who your dad is?”
    â€œI told you it’s none of your business!” I pointed a finger in his face. “And you shouldn’t listen to mental defects like Mark.”
    â€œAnd you shouldn’t say ‘mental defects.’”
    I dropped my hand. “I didn’t mean it like … I didn’t mean, y’know …”
    Billy stared.
    â€œAnyway.” I shook off his stare. “If you’re such good friends with Mark, ask
him
to help you find your dad.”
    â€œWe’re not friends. He just walked me to school once.”
    I was sure Billy meant he
followed
Mark to school.
    â€œI bet he wouldn’t help me,” Billy said. “But you will.”
    â€œWhy is that?”
    â€œBecause if you don’t, I’ll tell Mr. Bell.”
    â€œTell him what? That I won’t solve your family crisis? Yeah, go ahead. I’m sure he’ll throw me right out of school.”
    Billy shook his head. “No. I’ll tell him you won’t help me at school. That you’re not a good ampassator.”
    â€œAmbassador,” I said, and stared hard down at Billy. “You’re joking, right? You wouldn’t lie to the warden and get me a detention and maybe kicked out of school just because I won’t do you some impossible favor.”
    Billy didn’t answer, but he met my gaze without blinking, and the look in his eyes said it.
    Yes, yes he would.
    â€œThat’s … You can’t …” I chased him as he started moving down the street again, waving my arms and desperately trying to find the words. “That’s
extortion
!” I finally cried.
    Billy gave me a blank look.
    â€œBlackmail,” I said.
    Billy shrugged. “I don’t know what that means. But I’m supposed to tell Mr. Bell if you don’t help me. And if you don’t help me, you get in trouble. So you have to help.”
    I was beginning to wonder if there wasn’t an evil genius brain under that innocent expression. I wanted to be pissed, but—
damn it
—I was secretly impressed.
    â€œOkay, kid. I guess you got a deal.”
    â€œI’m not a kid. My name is—”
    â€œI know, I know. Your name is Billy D. Fine,
Billy D.
,