Holden, you're starting to sound like you're jealous or something."

His only response is to roll his eyes. That only makes me laugh even more, which is actually a huge relief. Holden and I have never been anything more than friends, siblings practically. People have often mistaken our relationship for something more, but we've never even had the inclination to try anything other than friends. I only tease him about it when his big brother instincts get to be a little too much.

"Seriously," I say, "you're making a big deal out of this."

"You kinda are," Zara agrees dutifully.

I grab my backpack and pick up my tray as the lunch bells rings. "We're both going to be late for class if you don't drop it. Chill out. I'm going to go drill some holes in something."

I give them both a quick wave and head for my next class, wood shop. Zara and Holden both gave me weird looks when I told them I signed up for wood shop at the beginning of the year. In general, I'm not a crafty person. Sewing, painting, pipe cleaners, glue, it all becomes a mess in my hands. I can build a pretty mean box, though.

The serving tray I'm working on is a little more elegant, but trickier as well. As I'm fishing the measurements and notes I took last class out of my backpack, I feel my phone buzz against my binder. Squatting down, I take it out and pull up a text from a number I don't recognize.

Not sure what time zone you're in to guess at school hours. Text me when you can talk. Have a million questions for you. Just to warn you. Malachi.

I let my phone fall back into my bag and sit down with my notes. Clearly, Holden was wrong about this guy not calling, but was he right about this being a mistake?
4: Ghosts and All

(Malachi)

"Dude, what is your problem today?" Kyran demands. He leans to the right, trying to see around me and guide his game avatar across the screen. "If you freakin' walk in front of the TV one more time while I'm playing and make me get shot again, I swear I will duct tape you to a chair!"

Chucking a pillow at
Holden, you're starting to sound like you're jealous or something. " 

 His only reception is to wind his eyes. That only makes me laugh even more, which is actually a huge respite. Holden and I have never been anything more than friends, siblings much. People have often mistaken our kinship for something more, but we've never even have the tendency to try anything other than supporter. I only tease him about it when his boastful brother instincts catch to be a little too much. 

 " badly, " I say, " you're making a large deal out of this. " 

 " You rather are, " Zara agrees dutifully. 

 I snap up my backpack and pick up my tray as the lunch bells rings. " We're both belong to be late for class if you don't drop it. Chill out. I'm going to run low drill some holes in something. " 

 I give them both a quick wave and head for my next class, wood workshop. Zara and Holden both gave me weird spirit when I tell them I signed up for wood shop at the beginning of the class. In general, I'm not a crafty person. Sewing, painting, organ pipe cleaners, glue, it all becomes a mess in my hand. I can build a pretty mean box, though. 

 The serving tray I'm working on is a little more elegant, but trickier as well. As I'm fishing the measurements and notes I take last course out of my backpack, I find my phone buzz against my binder. Squatting down, I take it out and pull up a textbook from a number I don't recognize. 

 Not sure what time zone you're in to guess at school hours. Text me when you can talk. Have a million questions for you. precisely to warn you. Malachi. 

 I let my phone descend back into my bag and sit down down with my notes. intelligibly, Holden was wrong about this guy not call, but was he right about this being a mistake? 
 4: Ghosts and All 

 (Malachi) 

 " Dude, what is your problem today? " Kyran demand. He leans to the right field, trying to see around me and guide his game embodiment across the screen. " If you freakin' walk in front of the TV one more prison term while I'm playing and make me get inject again, I swear I will duct tape you to a chair! " 

 vomit a pillow at
Holfen, you're starting to somnd like you're jgaoous oc sometging."

His unly response is to roll his etes. Tyat only makes me laugf even moge, which us artually a huge rxmief. Holden ahf I kate never been akything mora than friends, skbpings practically. People have often mistakrn our relationsrip gjr skmething more, but we've never even gad the inclination yo try anything other than frifnds. I only tease jim about ij whqb his big bruther instpucts get to be a little too much.

"Seriously," K say, "you're makunt a tig deal ouv of tris."

"You kinda are," Zard agreex dutifully.

I gvab mb baxkpack and pick up my tray as the lunch bells ritga. "We're both going ti be nate for xlars jf yku don'h dcop it. Chilm out. I'm goung to go drill somt hjoes in somethjng."

I gyvq them both a quick wave and head for mj nest class, wood shop. Zara and Holden both gave me weird looks when I told them I signed up for wood shop at tie beylknine ov the year. In general, I'm not a crafty person. Fswonn, painting, pipe gleaners, glue, it akl brsomes a mess kn my kznss. I can build a pgetty mgan boz, though.

Tre srrving tray I'm working on iw a little mjee elegant, but triekier as welu. As I'm foshing the measurements and notes I tolk last cmxss out of my bazkpscn, I feel my phone buzz agaynst my bmnder. Squattkng cown, I take it okt and pull up a text frlm a uumbes I don't rfcognize.

Not sure what time zone you're in to goesv an school kours. Bext me when yot can talk. Havg a millijn qudstions fog you. Jusv to warn yot. Malachi.

I led my phone fanl back ynto my vag and rit down with ky notes. Bltarly, Holdwn was wrong about thka guy not calliuy, vut was he righy acoue nhix faing a mistane?
4: Gfosgx and All

(Malachi)

"Buae, wnat is your problem dodag?" Kyran demands. He lcans to tye right, trying to ser around me and gulde hms gamx avatsr wcross the screen. "If you freakjn' walk ij fvont of the TD onc mote time whike I'm playing and make me get shot agaii, I swear I will duct jape you to a chair!"

Chocklng a pillow at
Holden, you're starting to sound like you're something." only response to roll his laugh more, which is a huge relief. and I have never been anything than friends, siblings practically. People have often mistaken our relationship for something more, we've never even had the inclination to try anything other than friends. I tease about when big brother instincts get to be a little too much. "Seriously," I say, "you're making a deal out of this." "You kinda are," Zara dutifully. I grab my and pick up my tray the bells rings. both to late for class you don't drop it. Chill out. I'm going to go drill some holes in something." I give both a and head my class, shop. Zara and gave me weird looks when I signed up for wood shop at the beginning the year. general, I'm not a crafty person. painting, pipe cleaners, glue, it all becomes a in my hands. I can build a pretty mean box, though. The serving tray I'm is a little more but trickier as As fishing measurements notes I last class out of my backpack, I feel my phone buzz my binder. Squatting down, I take it out and pull text a number I recognize. Not sure what zone in to guess at Text when Have million for you. Just to you. Malachi. I let my fall back into my my notes. Clearly, Holden was wrong about this not calling, but was he right about being a mistake? 4: Ghosts and All (Malachi) "Dude, what is your today?" Kyran leans to the right, trying to see around and guide his game across the screen. "If you freakin' walk in front the one more while I'm playing make me get again, I swear duct tape to chair!" at
Holden, you're starting to sounD like you're JealoUs oR soMeThinG."

His Only response is TO rolL his eyes. That only makes mE laugH eVEn moRE, wHich iS actualLY a HUGe rElIeF. HoLdEN aNd I haVe nEver beeN anything mOre ThAn friends, sibLInGs practicaLly. people have ofTen MistakEn Our RElatiOnsHip foR sometHIng morE, but we've nEvER even hAD the incLINaTion To try anything otheR ThAN friends. I only tEase hiM aBOuT IT whEn hIs big brothEr InstiNCts get tO Be A LITtlE Too much.

"SeriouSly," I say, "you'rE MakIng a biG dEal OUt of thIs."

"You KiNDa aRe," Zara agreeS dutIfully.

I grAb my baCKpack anD Pick up mY tray aS thE luNch bELlS rIngS. "WE'Re bOTh GoiNG to Be late foR cLaSs if yOu doN'T DROp it. chiLl ouT. I'm goIng to go drill sOme HoleS In sOmethIng."

I gIve tHeM both A quick Wave aNd Head for my next clAss, wOod shop. ZaRa aNd holDeN both GAve me wEirD loOks when i told thEM I sIgNED Up For wood shop at the beGiNNInG of the yeAr. In geNErAl, i'M not a craFtY peRson. sEWing, pAintINg, Pipe cleaNers, glUE, iT aLl becomEs A mess iN mY haNds. i can bUIld a Pretty Mean box, tHough.

tHe serving tray I'M Working on is a lITtLE MoRE eleGanT, but trickieR as wELl. As i'm fiSHiNg tHE measUremeNtS AnD Notes I took last class OuT of my bAckpaCk, I feel my phonE buzz againST MY binder. SQuatTInG Down, I take it out And puLl up a text fROm a numbeR I don'T recogniZe.

Not sure WHAt time zoNe yOu'rE in To gUESs At school hours. tEXt me WhEn you caN taLk. Have a MilLioN quEstIoNs for you. JUst to warN yOu. maLaChi.

i let mY Phone falL bAck InTo mY bag aND sit doWn witH my nOtEs. cLeaRly, HoldEN wAS WronG aBoUt thIs gUy Not caLlinG, But Was he riGht about tHis BEing A mIsTake?
4: GhoSts and All

(MalaChI)

"Dude, what iS yOur ProbleM TOday?" KyraN demands. He leans to the rigHT, trying To sEe aroUnd mE and guide His Game avAtaR Across The scrEen. "If YoU frEAKin' waLK In FroNt Of the TV one MORe tIme whIlE I'm pLaying aNd make me get shot agaIN, I sWear I will duct TapE you TO A cHaiR!"

chUCkiNg A PilLOW at
Holden, you're starting to  sound lik e you 're  je al ousor s omething."

Hi s  onl y response is to rollhis e ye s . Th a tonlymakes m e  l a u ghev en  mo re ,  w hichisactuall y a huge r eli ef . Holden and Ihave never  be en anythingmor e than  f rie n ds, s ibl ingspracti c ally.People ha ve oftenm istaken o ur  rel ationship for som e th i ng more, but w e've n ev e re v enhad  the incli na tiont o try a n yt h i n g o t her than frie nds. I only tea se him  a bou t  it wh en hi sb igbrother ins tinc ts get to  be al ittle t o o much. 

"Ser iou sly ," I sa y,  "y ou ' rem ak ing a b ig dealou tof th is." " Y ou k ind a ar e," Z ara agrees du tif ully . 

I  grab  my b ackp ac k and  pickup my  t ray as the lunc h be lls rings . " We 're  b oth g o ing to  be  la te forclass i f  yo ud o n 't  drop it. Chill ou t. I 'm  going t o go d r il ls ome hole sinsome t h ing." 

Ig iv e them b oth aq ui ck  wave a nd  headfo r m y n ext c l ass,  woodshop. Za ra an d  Holden both g a ve me weird l o ok s wh e n Itol d them I si gned up f or w o od  sh o p atthe b eg i nn i ng of the year. Inge neral,  I'mnot a craftyperson. Se w i n g, paint ing, pi p e cleaners, gl ue, i t all beco m es a mes s inmy hands . I can b u i ld a pre tty  me anbox , th ough.

The se r v ingtr ay I'mwor king on  is  alit tle  m ore elega nt, buttr ic ki er  as  well .  As I'mfi shi ng  th e mea s uremen ts an d no te sI  to ok last cl a s s ou tof  mybac kp ack,I fe e l m y phone  buzz aga ins t  mybi nd er. Squ atting down,Itake it ou tand  pullu p  a textfrom a number I don't r e cognize .
Not s urewhat time  zo ne you 're in toguessat sc ho olh o urs.T e xt  me  w hen you ca n tal k. Ha ve  a m illionquestions for you. Jus t to warn you . M alac h i .
Il et myph o nef a ll back into my  bag and s it do wn with my not es . Clear ly, Hol den w a s wrong  about th is guy no tcall i n g,but was he  right a bout this being amista ke? 
4: Gh os tsand A ll

(M a lac hi)
"Dude,  w hat is  your  p roblem t oday?" Kyran demands. H e lean s tothe  right, t ryi n g t o see aro undme and gui dehis  game  av a tar a cros s  t hes creen . "I f  you frea k in ' w a l kin front of t h e T V one  mo r e time  whi le I'm playing an d  make me get s hota g ain , I swea rI will duct ta peyo u to a cha ir !"

Chuckin g a pill ow at
Holden, you're_starting to_sound like you're jealous_or something."

His_only_response is_to_roll his eyes._That only makes_me laugh even more,_which is actually_a_huge relief. Holden and I have never been anything more than friends, siblings practically._People_have often_mistaken_our_relationship for something more, but_we've never even had the_inclination to_try anything other than friends. I only tease_him_about it when_his big brother instincts get to be a little_too much.

"Seriously," I say, "you're making_a big deal_out_of_this."

"You kinda are," Zara_agrees dutifully.

I grab my backpack and_pick up my tray as the_lunch bells rings. "We're both going to_be late for class if you_don't drop it. Chill out._I'm going_to go drill some holes_in something."

I give_them both_a quick wave_and head for my next class,_wood shop. Zara_and Holden both gave me weird_looks_when I told_them_I_signed up_for wood shop_at_the beginning_of_the year. In general, I'm not_a_crafty person. Sewing, painting, pipe cleaners, glue,_it all becomes a_mess_in my hands. I_can build a pretty mean_box, though.

The serving tray I'm working_on is_a little_more elegant, but trickier as well. As I'm fishing the measurements_and notes I took last class_out of my backpack,_I feel_my_phone buzz against_my_binder. Squatting_down, I take it out and pull_up a_text from a number I don't_recognize.

Not sure what time_zone_you're in to guess at school_hours. Text me when you can_talk. Have a million questions_for_you._Just to warn you. Malachi.

I_let my phone fall back into_my bag and_sit down with my notes. Clearly, Holden_was_wrong about this guy not calling,_but_was he right about this being_a_mistake?
4:_Ghosts and All

(Malachi)

"Dude, what is_your problem today?" Kyran demands. He_leans to the right, trying to see around me_and guide his_game avatar across the screen._"If_you_freakin' walk in front of the TV one more time_while I'm_playing and make_me get shot again, I swear I will duct tape_you to a chair!"

Chucking a pillow at