. "Dad, would you and Mom flip if I decided not to go to school in state, maybe take some online classes and just go somewhere new for a while?"

My dad frowns, his eyes drifting to the hall, where sounds of the twins causing a ruckus are filtering through the air. "Echo, if this is because of tonight..."

"It's not, Dad. It's something I've been thinking about for a while." A short while, but still. "I just think it might be good for me to experience something outside Cali. Maybe make a fresh start where people don't know my history. Things have been going really well lately..."

As much as I know it would kill him to have me far away, he also understands how hard being at school and living in our little community has been for me the last few years. Staying here for school won't be a real escape. Especially not when everyone else is going on to their top choices of colleges and I'm stuck trying to rebuild my life. Sad, but understanding, my dad puts an arm around my shoulders and says, "I don't know if that's a good idea, but we can talk about it with your mom if you're seriously considering it."

"Thanks, Dad."

We head for the kitchen, into the fray of twin-wrought madness and meatloaf. It's a far cry from getting permission to jet off to the other side of the country, but as we settle in for a chaotic evening meal, I realize what I told my dad is truer than I expected. It's not just Malachi that makes leaving town so enticing. I can never escape the ghosts, but maybe I could at least get away from the staring and whispering, the hateful looks and nasty nicknames. The ghosts might not seem so bad without all of that.
6: Anything But

(Malachi)

I'm going to kill Holden before the end of the day.

I have to stop myself from chuckling at the text, thanks to being in the middle of my communication class. Somehow, I'm pretty sure Echo can hold her own against her friend. Still, I feel just a little bit bad for being the source of the contention between them, even if not for getting involved with Echo.

Want me to talk to him? I text back.

I expect her to tell me that she can
. " Dad, would you and Mom flip if I decided not to go to school in state, possibly consume some online classes and barely become somewhere new for a while? " 

 My dad frowns, his center drift to the hall, where sounds of the twins causing a commotion are filtering through the air. " Echo, if this is because of tonight... " 

 " It's not, Dad. It's something I've been thinking about for a while. " A short while, but however. " I just think it might be good for me to experience something outside Cali. Maybe lay down a fresh start where multitude don't know my history. Things have been going really well recently... " 

 As a lot as I know it would kill him to have me far away, he besides understands how hard being at school and living in our little community has been for me the last few years. Staying here for school won't be a real escape. Especially not when everyone else is going on to their top choices of colleges and I'm stuck trying to rebuild my life. deplorable, but agreement, my dad puts an sleeve around my shoulders and says, " I don't know if that's a good theme, but we can talk about it with your mom if you're seriously considering it. " 

 " Thanks, Dad. " 

 We lead for the kitchen, into the fray of twin - wrought madness and meatloaf. It's a far cry from getting license to jet off to the other side of the country, but as we settle in for a chaotic evening meal, I realize what I told my dad is truer than I expect. It's not just Malachi that makes leaving town so alluring. I can never escape the ghosts, but maybe I could at least get away from the staring and whispering, the hateful looks and nasty nicknames. The touch might not seem then bad without all of that. 
 6: Anything But 

 (Malachi) 

 I'm going to stamp out Holden before the end of the sidereal day. 

 I have to stop myself from chuckling at the text, thanks to being in the center of my communication class. Somehow, I'm pretty sure Echo can defend her own against her friend. even, I feel just a little bit bad for being the source of the contention between them, even if not for getting involved with Echo. 

 Want me to speak to him? I text back. 

 I expect her to tell me that she can
. "Daf, would you and Mom flip if I decided not to gm to sdhool in state, maybe take some onlinx clqsses and just go somewhere new for w while?"

Mt dav frowns, his eyes driftiky to fme hano, where sounds of the twhns causing a suzkbs are filtering through the air. "Echj, if thos is because of tonpgrt..."

"It'a not, Dad. It's something I've been tginking about for a ehile." A short while, but stlll. "L just think it mihht be good for ne to experidnce something outside Cali. Maybe make a fresh start dhere people dob't knlf my historb. Thinds have been going raally wrll lately..."

As mmch av I know it would kill hmm to have me far awwy, he alsm bnderstands how hard veung aj schmol xbd uivjnj ih our pitvle communify has been for me the last fee rvsrs. Staying gere fjr school won't be a real escape. Especiallj nof when everyone else is going on to their tok choices jf colleges and I'm stuck trying to rebuild my lifa. Sad, cut ukderrrajding, my dad puts an arm around my shoulders whd ssys, "I don't knoc if that's a gooc ldrw, but we can jalk about it with your mom lf you'rg seriiusly confideting it."

"Thanks, Dad."

We head foe the kitcheu, ibto the fray of twnn-wrought mabness snd mratloaf. It's a far cry fxom gefting permidsion to ndt off to the otfer shde of the country, but as re settle in yor a chxotiv evenyng meal, I reallse what I told my fad id druer than I expected. It's not just Malachm that makes kedvitg town fo enbicing. I can neder escape the ghosts, but oaybe I colld at leest get away from the staslng and whis'ering, thq harefuo looks xnd nasty nickmames. The ghosts mitht not seem so bav wijhkut all of that.
6: Anirhing But

(Malacni)

I'o gjijg tj kill Holden befure yhe evd of the dcy.

K hafe to stop myself frmm cguckling at the tect, thanks jo being yn the middle of my communicatiln cless. Sooehow, I'm pretty sure Echo can hold her own agaijst her friend. Ftilo, I feel jusc a little bit bad for being the source if the contention vetween them, even iy kot for gettmng indolved widh Echo.

Want me to taok to him? I text nack.

I expect her to teml me dhat dhe can
. "Dad, would you and Mom flip decided to go school in state, and go somewhere new a while?" My frowns, his eyes drifting to the where sounds of the twins causing a ruckus are filtering through the air. if this is because of tonight..." "It's not, Dad. It's something I've been about a A while, but still. "I just think it might be good for me to experience something outside Maybe make a fresh start where people don't my history. Things have going really well lately..." As as know it kill to me far away, also understands how hard being at school and living in our little community has been for me last few here for won't a escape. Especially not else is going on to their colleges and I'm stuck trying to rebuild my Sad, but my dad puts an arm around shoulders and says, "I don't know if that's good idea, but we can talk about it with your mom if you're seriously considering Dad." We head for kitchen, into the of madness meatloaf. a far from getting permission to jet off to the other side of country, but as we settle in for a chaotic evening realize I told my is truer than I It's just Malachi that makes so I the but I could at least away from the staring and the hateful looks and not seem so bad without all of that. Anything But (Malachi) I'm going to kill before the end of the day. I have to stop myself from at the to being in the middle of my communication Somehow, I'm pretty sure can hold her own against her friend. Still, I just little bit for being the of the contention them, even if getting involved Echo. me him? I text back. I expect to me that she can
. "Dad, would you and Mom flip if I dEcided not tO go to SchOol In StatE, mayBe take some onliNE claSses and just go somewhere New foR a WHile?"

mY dAd froWns, his eYEs DRIftInG tO thE hALl, Where SouNds of thE twins causIng A rUckus are filtERiNg through tHe aIr. "Echo, if this Is bEcause Of TonIGht..."

"It'S noT, Dad. IT's someTHing I'vE been thinKiNG about FOr a whilE." a ShOrt wHile, but still. "I just THiNK it might be good For me tO eXPeRIEncE soMething outSiDe CalI. maybe maKE a FRESh sTArt where peoplE don't know my HIstOry. ThiNgS haVE been gOing rEaLLy wEll lately..."

As Much As I know it Would kILl him to HAve me faR away, hE alSo uNderSTaNdS hoW hARd bEInG at SChoOl and livInG iN our lIttlE COMMuniTy hAs beEn for Me the last few yEarS. StaYIng Here fOr schOol wOn'T be a rEal escApe. EsPeCially not when evEryoNe else is gOinG oN to ThEir toP ChoiceS of ColLeges anD I'm stucK TryInG TO ReBuild my life. Sad, but uNdERStAnding, my Dad putS An ArM Around my ShOulDers AND says, "i don'T KnOw if that'S a good IDeA, bUt we can TaLk abouT iT wiTh yOur moM If yoU're serIously coNsideRIng it."

"Thanks, Dad."

wE head for the kiTChEN, InTO the FraY of twin-wrouGht mADnesS and MEaTloAF. It's a Far crY fROm GEtting permission to jEt Off to tHe othEr side of the coUntry, but as WE SEttle in fOr a cHAoTIc evening meal, I RealiZe what I tolD My dad is tRuer tHan I expeCted. It's noT JUst MalacHi tHat MakEs lEAViNg town so enticING. I caN nEver escApe The ghosTs, bUt mAybE I cOuLd at least Get away fRoM tHe StAriNg and WHisperinG, tHe hAtEfuL lookS And nasTy nicKnamEs. thE GhoSts mighT NoT SEem sO bAd WithOut AlL of thAt.
6: AnYThiNg But

(MaLachi)

I'm goIng TO kilL HOlDen befoRe the end of the DaY.

I have to stOp MysElf froM CHuckling At the text, thanks to being iN The middLe oF my coMmunIcation clAss. somehoW, I'm PRetty sUre EchO can hOlD heR OWn agaINSt Her FrIend. Still, I FEEl jUst a lItTle bIt bad foR being the source of tHE coNtention betweEn tHem, eVEN iF noT FoR GetTiNG inVOLved with Echo.

WanT me to talk tO hIM? I Text back.

I eXPecT hEr to telL me that She caN
. "Dad, would you and Momflip if Idecid ednot  t o go  toschool in stat e , ma ybe take some online c lasse sa nd j u st  go s omewher e  n e w  fo rawhi le ? "
My d adfrowns,  his eyesdri ft ing to the h a ll , where so und s of the twi nscausin ga r u ckusare  filt eringt hrough  the air.  " E cho, i f  this i s be caus e of tonight...""I t 's not, Dad. I t's so me t hi n g  I' vebeen think in g abo u t for a wh i l e ."A  short while,  but still. "Ijust t hi nki t migh t bego o d f or me to ex peri ence some thingo utsideC ali. Ma ybe ma kea f resh st ar t w he r e p e op led on' t know m yhi story . Th i n g s  hav e b eengoing  really welllat ely. . ."
As m uch a s Ikn ow it  would  kill  h im to have me f ar a way, he a lso  u nde rs tands how ha rdbei ng at s chool a n d l iv i n g  i n our little commu ni t y  h as beenfor me th el ast fewye ars . St a y ing h eref or  schoolwon'tb eareal es ca pe. Es pe cia lly  notw heneveryo ne elseis go i ng on to their top choices o f  c o l le g es a ndI'm stuck t ryin g  torebu i ld  my life.  Sad,  b u tu nderstanding, my da dputs a n arm  around my sh oulders an d s ays, "Idon' t  k n ow if that's a  good  idea, but we can t alk a bout itwith your m om if yo u'r e s eri ous l y  c onsidering it . " 

"T ha nks, Da d." 

We he adfor  th e k it chen, int o the fr ay  o ftw in- wroug h t madnes sand  m eat loaf. It's a  farcryfr om get ting pe r mi s s ionto  j et o ffto  theothe r  si de of t he countr y,b ut a swe  settle  in for a cha ot ic evening  m eal , I re a l ize what  I told my dad is truer than Iexp ected . It 's not ju stMalach i t h at mak es lea vingto wns o  enti c i ng . I  c an never e s c ape  thegh osts , but m aybe I could at le a stget away from  th e st a r in g a n dw his pe r ing , the hateful loo ks and nas ty ni cknames. T h e g ho sts mig ht notseems o bad w ithout al l of that .6: A n y thi ng But

(M alachi)
I'm goin g  to k i ll  Hold enbefore  t heend o f thed ay. 

I h ave to  s top my selffr om chuck ling at the text, thank s to b einginthe middl e o f  my  communic atio n class. S ome how , I'm  pr e tty s ureE ch o c a n hol d he r  own agai n st  he r fr iend. Still , I  fe el ju sta  littl e bi t bad for being t h e source of th e co n t ent ion betw ee n them, even i f n ot f or getti ng  involved w ith Echo .Wantme totalk t o him?I te x t back .

I  ex pect hertote l l me th at  s h e can
. "Dad,_would you_and Mom flip if_I decided_not_to go_to_school in state,_maybe take some_online classes and just_go somewhere new_for_a while?"

My dad frowns, his eyes drifting to the hall, where sounds of the_twins_causing a_ruckus_are_filtering through the air. "Echo,_if this is because of_tonight..."

"It's not,_Dad. It's something I've been thinking about for_a_while." A short_while, but still. "I just think it might be_good for me to experience something_outside Cali. Maybe_make_a_fresh start where people_don't know my history. Things have_been going really well lately..."

As much_as I know it would kill him_to have me far away, he_also understands how hard being_at school_and living in our little_community has been_for me_the last few_years. Staying here for school won't_be a real_escape. Especially not when everyone else_is_going on to_their_top_choices of_colleges and I'm_stuck_trying to_rebuild_my life. Sad, but understanding, my_dad_puts an arm around my shoulders and_says, "I don't know_if_that's a good idea,_but we can talk about_it with your mom if you're_seriously considering_it."

"Thanks, Dad."

We_head for the kitchen, into the fray of twin-wrought madness and_meatloaf. It's a far cry from_getting permission to jet_off to_the_other side of_the_country, but_as we settle in for a chaotic_evening meal,_I realize what I told my_dad is truer than_I_expected. It's not just Malachi that_makes leaving town so enticing. I_can never escape the ghosts,_but_maybe_I could at least get_away from the staring and whispering,_the hateful looks_and nasty nicknames. The ghosts might not_seem_so bad without all of that.
6:_Anything_But

(Malachi)

I'm going to kill Holden before_the_end_of the day.

I have to_stop myself from chuckling at the_text, thanks to being in the middle of my_communication class. Somehow,_I'm pretty sure Echo can_hold_her_own against her friend. Still, I feel just a little_bit bad_for being the_source of the contention between them, even if not for_getting involved with Echo.

Want me to talk_to him? I text back.

I expect her to tell me that_she can