 and shake my head. "No. It's not your fault. Don't make yourself feel awful about what happened."

"But I used you," Echo argues. "That was a terrible thing to do."

"Look," I say, "yesterday, that wasn't how I'd been hoping our first time together would go, but the fact is, I care about you a lot. Maybe I am supposed to be near you for some ghost-involved reason, but even if that weren't true, you're the only person I would have wanted to end up in bed with. I feel like an ass for how things went down, but I promise I'll make it up to you if you don't dump me on the spot."

Echo's eyebrows scrunch together. "Dump you? Why on earth would you think that?"

For a few seconds, I just stare at her. I get that she's harboring a lot of guilt for what happened, but does she really not blame me for any of it? Surely the idea of breaking up with me crossed her mind at least once. Is that naiveté, or does she really feel that completely responsible? For someone who's never been allowed to make her own decisions before a few weeks ago, she's certainly no stranger to accepting responsibility, I suppose. Even though none the ghost stuff was really her fault, blame was never in short supply. Realizing that makes me feel like the biggest tool in the world.

"Malachi," Echo says when I don't respond, "I'm not breaking up with you. I do think I need to take a few steps back, though."

"What do you mean?" I ask warily.

Echo looks down and shrugs. "I thought I was ready for all of this, but I'm just not." She looks up and bites her bottom lip. "Not just you. Everything. Ghosts, my own apartment, the FBI, your grandma...I can't handle everything coming at me at once. I care about you a lot, and I don't want to screw this up even more than I already have, so...well, I think I need to deal with a few other things before I can really make an attempt at being someone's girlfriend."

"That sounds an awful lot like you breaking up with me," I say with a half-smile. The logic behind what she's saying keeps me
and shake my head. " No. It's not your fault. Don't make yourself find awed about what happened. " 

 " But I used you, " Echo argues. " That was a atrocious thing to do. " 

 " expect, " I read, " yesterday, that wasn't how I'd been hoping our inaugural time together would fit, but the fact is, I care about you a fortune. Maybe I am supposed to be near you for some ghost - involved reason, but even if that weren't true, you're the lone person I would have wanted to end up in bed with. I feel like an american samoa for how things went down, but I promise I'll make it up to you if you don't plunge me on the spot. " 

 Echo's eyebrows scrunch together. " Dump you? Why on ground would you think that? " 

 For a few seconds, I just stare at her. I get that she's harboring a lot of guilt for what happened, but does she really not blame me for any of it? Surely the idea of breaking up with me crossed her mind at least once. Is that naiveté, or does she really feel that completely responsible? For someone who's never been allow to make her own decisions before a few week ago, she's certainly no stranger to accepting responsibility, I suppose. Even though none the ghostwriter stuff was really her fault, blame was never in light supply. Realizing that makes me feel like the biggest tool in the earth. 

 " Malachi, " Echo says when I don't respond, " I'm not breaking up with you. I do think I necessitate to take a few footstep back, though. " 

 " What do you think of? " I ask warily. 

 Echo looks down and shrugs. " I intend I was ready for all of this, but I'm just not. " She looks up and bite her bottom lip. " Not just you. Everything. Ghosts, my own apartment, the FBI, your grandma... I can't handle everything fall at me at once. I manage about you a lot, and I don't want to sleep together this up even more than I already have, thus... well, I think I necessitate to deal with a few early things before I can really make an attack at being someone's girlfriend. " 

 " That sounds an awful lot like you breaking up with me, " I say with a half - smile. The logic behind what she's saying keeps me
 anf shake my head. "No. It's nut your fault. Don't makx yoursslf feel awful about what happened."

"Buv I ysed tou," Echo argues. "That wxs a terrpble thint to eo."

"Look," I seg, "yestevbay, tgwt wcsi't how I'd been moping our xirst time togatfex would go, but the fact is, I care abjut you a lot. Maybe I ai sukpofed fo be near you for some ghost-involbed reavon, but even of that weren't true, you're hhe lnly person I woulf have wantgs tj end up in bdd with. I feel like an ass for how things went down, bjt I 'romise I'll mqke ht up to yon if yju don't dump me on tve spot."

Rcho's eyebrows sccuncy together. "Dump you? Wiy on earth would yoo think thdt?"

Yor a few seconds, I jysr state at her. U gdt uhav sge's hagbocing a lot kf guilt foe what happened, but djvx she really not bjaie me for any of it? Surely the idea of trezking up with me crossee her mind at least ojce. Is thwt naiveté, or does she really feel that completely respkvsiyoe? Fof slmeone who's never been allowed to make her owg dtcixions before a few weeks sgl, xre's certainly no stxznfer to accepting rfsponsifilitt, I suppofe. Efen though none the ghost sruff was reajoy her fault, blame was never nn shott suplly. Realizing that maker me feel like hhe biggeag tool in the wofld.

"Kanachi," Echo says when I don'e respond, "I'm uot breaying up wieh you. I dl thikn I need to take a few dtaps back, tjough."

"What do you mean?" I ask warmky.

Echo looks dmwn and shrbgs. "I bhought I was rqady for all oy this, bbt I'm gust not." Sge lookv up and biees her bottok lip. "Not jusv you. Evewythung. Thosts, oh own apartmeny, the FBI, your granema...I can't handle eyerytfjng coming at mz qt once. I care sbojt rol a ljd, and I don't wang tu scred this up eyen morr than I already hava, so...sell, I think I neec bo deal wuth a fer other thingx before I can reaply meke an attekpt at being someone's girlfriend."

"Tgat soundd ak awful lot lyke nou freaking u' with me," I say with a half-smile. The logmc behind what she's saiing keeps me
and shake my head. "No. It's not Don't yourself feel about what happened." argues. was a terrible to do." "Look," say, "yesterday, that wasn't how I'd hoping our first time together would go, but the fact is, I care you a lot. Maybe I am supposed to be near you for some reason, even that true, you're the only person I would have wanted to end up in bed with. I like an ass for how things went down, I promise I'll make up to you if you dump on the Echo's scrunch "Dump you? Why earth would you think that?" For a few seconds, I just stare at her. I get that harboring a guilt for happened, does really not blame any of it? Surely the idea with me crossed her mind at least once. that naiveté, does she really feel that completely For someone who's never been allowed to make own decisions before a few weeks ago, she's certainly no stranger to accepting responsibility, I though none the ghost was really her blame never short Realizing that me feel like the biggest tool in the world. "Malachi," Echo when I don't respond, "I'm not breaking up with you. think need to take few steps back, though." do mean?" I ask warily. down shrugs. was for of this, but I'm not." She looks up and her bottom lip. "Not own apartment, the FBI, your grandma...I can't handle coming at me at once. I care you a lot, and I don't want to screw this up even than I so...well, I think I need to deal with few other things before can really make an attempt at being someone's girlfriend." sounds awful lot you breaking up me," I say a half-smile. The what she's keeps
 and shake my head. "No. It's not youR fault. Don't Make yOurSelF fEel aWful About what happeNEd."

"BuT I used you," Echo argues. "ThaT was a TeRRiblE ThIng to Do."

"Look," I SAy, "YESteRdAy, ThaT wASn'T how I'D beEn hopinG our first tIme ToGether would gO, BuT the fact is, i caRe about you a lOt. MAybe I aM sUppOSed to Be nEar yoU for soME ghost-Involved rEaSOn, but eVEn if thaT WErEn't tRue, you're the only peRSoN i would have wantEd to enD uP In BED wiTh. I Feel like an AsS for hOW things WEnT DOWn, bUT I promise I'll mAke it up to yoU If yOu don't DuMp mE On the sPot."

EcHo'S EyeBrows scruncH togEther. "Dump You? Why ON earth wOUld you tHink thAt?"

FOr a Few sECoNdS, I jUsT StaRE aT heR. i geT that she'S hArBorinG a loT OF GUilt For What HappeNed, but does she ReaLly nOT blAme me For anY of iT? SUrely The ideA of brEaKing up with me croSsed Her mind at LeaSt OncE. IS that NAiveté, Or dOes She realLy feel tHAt cOmPLETeLy responsible? For soMeONE wHo's never Been alLOwEd TO make her OwN deCisiONS befoRe a fEW wEeks ago, sHe's cerTAiNlY no straNgEr to acCePtiNg rEsponSIbilIty, I suPpose. EveN thouGH none the ghost sTUff was really hER fAULt, BLame Was Never in shorT supPLy. ReAlizINg ThaT Makes Me feeL lIKe THe biggest tool in the wOrLd.

"MalaChi," EcHo says when I doN't respond, "I'M NOT breakinG up wITh YOu. I do think I neeD to taKe a few stepS Back, thouGh."

"WhaT do you meAn?" I ask warILY.

Echo looKs dOwn And ShrUGS. "I Thought I was reADY for AlL of this, But i'm just nOt." SHe lOokS up AnD bites her Bottom liP. "NOt JuSt You. everyTHing. GhosTs, My oWn ApaRtmenT, The FBI, Your gRandMa...i cAN't hAndle evERyTHIng cOmInG at mE at OnCe. I caRe abOUt yOu a lot, aNd I don't waNt tO ScreW tHiS up even More than I alreAdY have, so...welL, I ThiNk I neeD TO deal witH a few other things before I CAn reallY maKe an aTtemPt at being SomEone's gIrlFRiend."

"THat souNds an AwFul LOT like YOU bReaKiNg up with me," i SAy wIth a hAlF-smiLe. The loGic behind what she's sAYinG keeps me
 and shake my head. "No. I t's not yo ur fa ult . D on 't m akeyourself feela wful  about what happened." 

"Bu tI  use d  y ou,"Echo ar g ue s .  "T ha twas  a te rribl e t hing to  do."

"Lo ok, "I say, "yest e rd ay, that w asn 't how I'd b een  hopin gour first  ti me to gether wouldgo, but t he fact i s , I car e ab outyou a lot. MaybeI  a m  supposed to b e near  y o uf o r s ome  ghost-inv ol ved r e ason, b u te v e n i f  that weren't  true, you' r e t he onl yper s on I w ouldha v e w anted to en d up  in bed w ith. I feel li k e an as s forhow  th ings we nt  do wn ,  bu t  I  pr o mis e I'll m ak eit up  toy o u if y oudon' t dum p me on the s pot ."
E cho 's ey ebrow s sc ru nch t ogethe r. "D um p you? Why on e arth  would yo u t hi nkth at?"For afew  se conds,I justs tar ea t he r. I get that she' sh a rb oring alot of gu il t  for wha thap pene d ,  butdoes sh e really  not b l am eme foran y of i t?  Su rel y the idea  of br eaking u p wit h  me crossed he r  mind at leas t  o n c e. Is t hat  naiveté, o r do e s sh e re a ll y f e el th at co mp l et e ly responsible? For  s omeone  who' s never beenallowed to m a ke her o wn d e ci s ions before afew w eeks ago,s he's cer tainl y no str anger toa c ceptingres pon sib ili t y ,I suppose. Ev e n  tho ug h nonethe  ghoststu ffwas  re al ly her fa ult, bla me  w as  n eve r ins hort sup pl y.Re ali zingt hat ma kes m e fe el  l i kethe big g es t tool  i nthewor ld .

"M alac h i,"  Echo s ays whenI d o n'tre sp ond, "I 'm not breaki ng  up with y ou . I  do th i n k I need  to take a few steps ba c k, thou gh. "

"W hatdo you me an? " I as k w a rily.
Echolooks  d own a nd sh r u gs . " Ithought Iw a s r eadyfo r al l of th is, but I'm just n o t."  She looks up  an d bi t e sher bo t tom  l i p." N ot just you. Ev erything.Gh o st s, my owna par tm ent, th e FBI,yourg randma. ..I can't  handle e ve ryth i n g c oming at m e at onc e. I care about yo u a l ot,  and I  d on' t wan t to s c rew  this  up ev en  morethanIalreadyhave, so...well, I thin k I ne ed to  de al with a  fe w  ot her thing s be fore I can  re all y mak e a n  atte mpta tbei n g som eone ' s girlfri e nd ."" Th at sounds a n a wfu l lot  li k e youbrea king up with me," I say with a h alf- s m ile . T h e lo gi c behind whatshe 's s aying ke ep s me
 and_shake my_head. "No. It's not_your fault._Don't_make yourself_feel_awful about what_happened."

"But I used_you," Echo argues. "That_was a terrible_thing_to do."

"Look," I say, "yesterday, that wasn't how I'd been hoping our first time_together_would go,_but_the_fact is, I care about_you a lot. Maybe I_am supposed_to be near you for some ghost-involved reason,_but_even if that_weren't true, you're the only person I would have_wanted to end up in bed_with. I feel_like_an_ass for how things_went down, but I promise I'll_make it up to you if_you don't dump me on the spot."

Echo's_eyebrows scrunch together. "Dump you? Why_on earth would you think_that?"

For a_few seconds, I just stare_at her. I_get that_she's harboring a_lot of guilt for what happened,_but does she_really not blame me for any_of_it? Surely the_idea_of_breaking up_with me crossed_her_mind at_least_once. Is that naiveté, or does_she_really feel that completely responsible? For someone_who's never been allowed_to_make her own decisions_before a few weeks ago,_she's certainly no stranger to accepting_responsibility, I_suppose. Even_though none the ghost stuff was really her fault, blame was_never in short supply. Realizing that_makes me feel like_the biggest_tool_in the world.

"Malachi,"_Echo_says when_I don't respond, "I'm not breaking up_with you._I do think I need to_take a few steps_back,_though."

"What do you mean?" I ask_warily.

Echo looks down and shrugs. "I_thought I was ready for_all_of_this, but I'm just not."_She looks up and bites her_bottom lip. "Not_just you. Everything. Ghosts, my own apartment,_the_FBI, your grandma...I can't handle everything_coming_at me at once. I care_about_you_a lot, and I don't_want to screw this up even_more than I already have, so...well, I think I_need to deal_with a few other things_before_I_can really make an attempt at being someone's girlfriend."

"That sounds_an awful_lot like you_breaking up with me," I say with a half-smile. The_logic behind what she's saying keeps me