[He slips on a blue latex glove before he takes the needle, tucking it into a plastic baggie and setting that on the tray for now, just so it's out of the way.]

Sure. I'll be interested to hear what you think.

[He definitely doesn't sound smug and cruel like normal.]

Actually- one more thing. I just wanted you to know that it's okay to get angry. At me, at your friends, whoever. This situation sucks for you guys, and anyone who's not angry is either dangerous or lying. I used to have a lot of anger when I was younger, and I know that nothing made me madder than when someone tried to tell me how I was "supposed" to respond to a situation.

[Grownups need to stay in their lane, seriously.]

I wasn't listening, but it looked like you and Ricky worked it out between the two of you after the trial, so... good work.