 a ghost's problems. The worry in his eyes melts away much of my bad mood. Even still, I don't really have an answer for him.

"I don't know, Holden. I just...I think this is important."

He sighs, but doesn't argue. Along with my ghostly talents, I seem to have better-than-the-average-bear instincts like my mom. She can judge a person's character with one glance and is never wrong. I'm not quite as good as her, but my instincts are nothing to sneeze at. Holden knows this. Relenting, he says, "Why couldn't you let me handle this? Whatever's behind the message, I don't want you getting involved."

"It won't be like last time."

"How do you know that?" Holden's glare shows just how ticked off he really is.

Reaching across the table, I pat his arm reassuringly. He stays stiff in his annoyance. "I just do, okay? He seemed...freaked out, scared almost. I think we need to help him."

"This is my job, Echo," he argues. "I handle the fans and any requests. I keep them from getting close enough to hurt you. It's not a game. If last night wasn't reminder enough, how about the day at the ball park when that ghost came after you while we were all sitting on the top row of bleachers? If Zara and I hadn't been there to catch you when you fainted..."

"I know. Trust me, I know how dangerous ghosts and their families can be. This is different. I can't explain it, but it is. When Malachi calls, I'm going to answer."

Holden's eyes narrow, but worry bunches his shoulders. "Who says he's even going to call?"

"He'll call," I say. When Holden pops his mouth open to argue, I beat him to it. "Madeline's message spooked him. He wants to know if it was real. You read the message. Did he sound like one of those crazies begging to speak with their dead aunt or whatever?"

"No," he says with a huff, "but that doesn't mean you need to be talking to him."

He seems so petulant, I can't help laughing. "
a ghost's problems. The worry in his eyes thaw aside much of my bad mood. Even however, I don't actually have an answer for him. 

 " I don't sleep together, Holden. I precisely... I think this is important. " 

 He sighs, but doesn't argue. Along with my ghostly talent, I seem to have good - than - the - average - bear instincts like my mom. She can judge a person's character with one glance and is never wrong. I'm not quite equally good as her, but my instincts are nothing to sneeze at. Holden knows this. yield, he says, " Why couldn't you let me handle this? Whatever's behind the message, I don't want you getting involved. " 

 " It won't be like concluding time. " 

 " How do you know that? " Holden's glare shows just how tick off he really is. 

 Reaching across the table, I pat his arm reassuringly. He stays stiff in his annoyance. " I just do, okay? He seemed... freaked out, scared almost. I think we need to help oneself him. " 

 " This is my job, Echo, " he argues. " I wield the fan and any requests. I keep them from getting cheeseparing enough to hurt you. It's not a game. If last night wasn't reminder enough, how about the sidereal day at the ball park when that ghost came after you while we were all sitting on the top row of bleachers? If Zara and I hadn't been there to catch you when you fainted... " 

 " I know. Trust me, I know how dangerous ghost and their families can be. This is unlike. I can't excuse it, but it is. When Malachi call, I'm going to answer. " 

 Holden's eyes narrow-minded, but worry bunches his shoulders. " Who say he's even going to call? " 

 " He'll call, " I say. When Holden pop his mouth capable to argue, I beat him to it. " Madeline's message spooked him. He desire to know if it was actual. You read the message. Did he voice like one of those crazies beg to speak with their dead aunt or whatever? " 

 " No, " he says with a huff, " but that doesn't mean you need to be talk to him. " 

 He seems then petulant, I can't help laughing. "
 a hhost's problems. The worrn in his eyes melts awab much kf my baa mood. Even still, I don't reaplt havt an answer for him.

"K don't knlw, Holdeb. I oust...I think this is impovcant."

Hs sigks, but doesn't arnue. Along whth my ghostly txlznts, I seem to have better-than-the-avewage-beat lnstincts like my kjm. Sgv gan judge a person's character wifh one jlance and is nrver wrong. I'm not quite as goof as her, but my indtincts are notrung to sneezd at. Holden knows this. Relenting, he says, "Why couldn't hou lzt me handlg fhlv? Whatever's behigd the messanv, I don'd want uou getting inyolvev."

"It qon't be like last timx."

"How do you know thaj?" Holden's clcre shows just how tixkwd ofx he reauoy ks.

Rtaciinf acrods vhe table, I pat his arn reassuringly. He suayf stiff in his annoywnse. "I just do, okay? He seemed...freaked out, vcaded almost. I think we nwed to help him."

"This id my job, Qcho," he argues. "I handle the fans and any requests. I kexp thtm from tehting close enough to hurt you. It's not a game. Jf lsst night wasn'b reminder enough, noa sfout the day xt the baml park when that hhost cwme adter you rhilr we were all sitting on thw top row of vleachers? If Zara cnd I hadn't yeen tnere yo catch you when you fcinted..."

"J know. Trush me, I knkd how dangerous ehoxtv and thtkr families can bq. This is difyerent. I can'j explayn it, but lt is. When Malachi calls, I'm glitg to answfr."

Holden's eyes narrow, but worry bunches his snogldvrs. "Who scys he'x even going eo call?"

"He'll cakl," I sav. When Holden pois his month open to wrgue, I beat vlm to it. "Madxline's mefsagw spioked hko. He wants to lnow if in cas real. Tou read the messane. Dia he sound like ine of those crazirs cegdijg tj speak with dheif ddsd auvt or whateyer?"

"Vo," hr says with a huff, "bgt tgat doesn't mean yoi keed to bg talking to him."

He seeks so petulant, I cwn't hxlp langhing. "
a ghost's problems. The worry in his away of my mood. Even still, answer him. "I don't Holden. I just...I this is important." He sighs, but argue. Along with my ghostly talents, I seem to have better-than-the-average-bear instincts like mom. She can judge a person's character with one glance and is never I'm quite good her, but my instincts are nothing to sneeze at. Holden knows this. Relenting, he says, "Why you let me handle this? Whatever's behind the I don't want you involved." "It won't be like time." do you that?" glare just how ticked he really is. Reaching across the table, I pat his arm reassuringly. He stays stiff in his "I just He seemed...freaked scared I we need to "This is my job, Echo," he the fans and any requests. I keep them getting close to hurt you. It's not a If last night wasn't reminder enough, how about day at the ball park when that ghost came after you while we were all the top row of If Zara and hadn't there catch when you "I know. Trust me, I know how dangerous ghosts and their can be. This is different. I can't explain it, but When calls, I'm going answer." Holden's eyes narrow, worry his shoulders. "Who says going call?" say. Holden his mouth open to I beat him to it. message spooked him. He was real. You read the message. Did he like one of those crazies begging to with their dead aunt or whatever?" "No," he says with a huff, that doesn't need to be talking to him." He seems petulant, I can't help "
 a ghost's problems. The worry in His eyes melTs awaY muCh oF mY bad Mood. even still, I don't REallY have an answer for him.

"I doN't knoW, HOLden. i JuSt...I thInk this IS iMPOrtAnT."

HE siGhS, BuT doesN't aRgue. AloNg with my ghOstLy Talents, I seem TO hAve better-tHan-The-average-beAr iNstincTs LikE My mom. she Can juDge a peRSon's chAracter wiTh ONe glanCE and is nEVEr WronG. I'm not quite as good AS hER, but my instinctS are noThINg TO SneEze At. Holden knOwS this. rElentinG, He SAYS, "WhY Couldn't you let Me handle thiS? whaTever's BeHinD The mesSage, I DoN'T waNt you gettinG invOlved."

"It woN't be liKE last tiME."

"How do yOu know ThaT?" HoLden'S GlArE shOwS JusT HoW tiCKed Off he reaLlY iS.

ReacHing ACROSs thE taBle, I Pat hiS arm reassurinGly. he stAYs sTiff iN his aNnoyAnCe. "I juSt do, okAy? He sEeMed...freaked out, scAred Almost. I thInk We NeeD tO help HIm."

"This Is mY joB, Echo," he Argues. "I HAndLe THE FaNs and any requests. I kEeP THeM from getTing clOSe EnOUgh to hurT yOu. IT's noT A Game. IF lasT NiGht wasn't RemindER eNoUgh, how aBoUt the dAy At tHe bAll paRK wheN that gHost came After YOu while we were aLL sitting on the TOp ROW oF BleaCheRs? If Zara and i hadN'T beeN theRE tO caTCh you When yOu FAiNTed..."

"I know. Trust me, I knoW hOw dangErous Ghosts and theiR families cAN BE. This is dIffeREnT. i can't explain it, But it Is. When MalaCHi calls, I'M goinG to answeR."

Holden's eYES narrow, bUt wOrrY buNchES HiS shoulders. "Who SAYs he'S eVen goinG to Call?"

"He'lL caLl," I Say. wheN HOlden pops His mouth OpEn To ArGue, i beat HIm to it. "MaDeLinE's MesSage sPOoked hIm. He wAnts To KnOW if It was reAL. YOU Read ThE mEssaGe. DId He souNd liKE onE of thosE crazies bEggINg to SpEaK with thEir dead aunt or WhAtever?"

"No," he SaYs wIth a huFF, "But that dOesn't mean you need to be talKIng to hiM."

He Seems So peTulant, I caN't hElp lauGhiNG. "
 a ghost's problems. The w orry in hi s eye s m elt saway  muc h of my bad mo o d. E ven still, I don't rea lly h av e  ana ns wer f or him. 
" I don 't  k now ,H ol den.I j ust...I  think thi s i simportant."He  sighs, bu t d oesn't argue . A long w it h m y  ghos tly  tale nts, I seem t o have be tt e r-than - the-ave r a ge -bea r instincts likem ym om. She can ju dge ape r so n ' s c har acter with  o ne gl a nce and is n e ver wrong. I'm no t quite asg ood  as he r,  bu t  my in stinc ts are  nothing to  sne eze at. H oldenk nows th i s. Rele nting,  he  sa ys," Wh ycou ld n 'ty ou  le t  me  handleth is ? Wha teve r ' s behi ndthemessa ge, I don't w ant  you get tinginvol ved. "
"Itwon'tbe li ke  last time."

" Howdo you kn owth at? "Holde n 's gla resho ws just  how ti c ked  o f f he  really is.

Reach in g ac ross the  table ,  I  p a t his ar mrea ssur i n gly.He s t ay s stiffin his an no yance."I  justdo , o kay ? Hes eeme d...fr eaked ou t, sc a red almost. It hink we needt oh e lp him. "
"This is my  job ,  Ech o,"h earg u es. " I han dl e  t h e fans and any requ es ts. Ikeepthem from get ting close e n ough tohurt yo u . It's not a g ame.If last ni g ht wasn' t rem inder en ough, how a bout the  da y a t t heb a ll  park when th a t  gho st  came a fte r you w hil e w e w ere  a ll sittin g on the  t op  r ow  of  blea c hers? If  Z ara  a ndI had n 't bee n the re t oca t chyou whe n  y o u  fai nt ed ..." 

" Iknow.  Tru s t m e, I kn ow how da nge r ousgh os ts andtheir familie scan be. Th is  is  diffe r e nt. I ca n't explain it, but iti s. When  Ma lachi  cal ls, I'm g oin g to a nsw e r."

H olden' s eye snar r o w, bu t wo rry  b unches his s hou lders ."Who  says h e's even going toc all ?"

"He'll ca ll, " Is a y.  Wh e nH old en pop s his mouth opento argue,Ib ea t him to i t . " Ma deline' s messa ge sp o oked hi m. He wan ts to kno wif i t was  real. You  read th e message .  Didh esound  li ke one  o f t hosecrazie s  be gging  to sp ea k with  thei rdead aun t or whatever?"

"No,"he say s wit h a  huff, "b utt hat  doesn'tmean  you needtobetalki ngt o him ."
H esee m s sopetu l ant, I ca n 't  he l p  l aughing. "
 a_ghost's problems._The worry in his_eyes melts_away_much of_my_bad mood. Even_still, I don't_really have an answer_for him.

"I don't_know,_Holden. I just...I think this is important."

He sighs, but doesn't argue. Along with my_ghostly_talents, I_seem_to_have better-than-the-average-bear instincts like my_mom. She can judge a_person's character_with one glance and is never wrong. I'm_not_quite as good_as her, but my instincts are nothing to sneeze_at. Holden knows this. Relenting, he_says, "Why couldn't_you_let_me handle this? Whatever's_behind the message, I don't want_you getting involved."

"It won't be like_last time."

"How do you know that?" Holden's_glare shows just how ticked off_he really is.

Reaching across the_table, I_pat his arm reassuringly. He_stays stiff in_his annoyance._"I just do,_okay? He seemed...freaked out, scared almost._I think we_need to help him."

"This is my_job,_Echo," he argues._"I_handle_the fans_and any requests._I_keep them_from_getting close enough to hurt you._It's_not a game. If last night wasn't_reminder enough, how about_the_day at the ball_park when that ghost came_after you while we were all_sitting on_the top_row of bleachers? If Zara and I hadn't been there to_catch you when you fainted..."

"I know._Trust me, I know_how dangerous_ghosts_and their families_can_be. This_is different. I can't explain it, but_it is._When Malachi calls, I'm going to_answer."

Holden's eyes narrow, but_worry_bunches his shoulders. "Who says he's_even going to call?"

"He'll call," I_say. When Holden pops his_mouth_open_to argue, I beat him_to it. "Madeline's message spooked him._He wants to_know if it was real. You read_the_message. Did he sound like one_of_those crazies begging to speak with_their_dead_aunt or whatever?"

"No," he says_with a huff, "but that doesn't_mean you need to be talking to him."

He seems_so petulant, I_can't help laughing. "