 at me and says, "I don't want to screw this up."

"Neither do I." I press my hand shakily to his chest and take a deep breath. "That was my first kiss," I tell him. "And my first date." Malachi waits expectantly. I have to take in another deep breath before I can speak. "I want all my firsts to be with you, but...I'm not ready yet. Despite what my body might be thinking right now." That last part comes out as more of a grumble, which makes Malachi chuckle.

His shoulders relax as he reaches up and touches my face gently. "Ditto on the mind and body not being on the same page." He presses a light kiss to my lips. "I don't think I'm ready either, but thank you for being honest with me."

"Thank you," I say, "for everything."

Malachi smiles, kisses me one more time, and then helps me into my seat. He closes my door and makes for the driver's side, but I catch sight of something moving from the corner of my eye and turn to look at it. I nearly jump out of my skin at the sight of Archer's indistinct form hovering only a few feet away. His features are clouded, but the slump to his shoulders tears at me. Understanding is impossible, but the feeling that I just did something to hurt him lingers as we drive away.
25: Zombie

(Echo)

Stretching as far as I can, I still can't reach the hair clip while I've got a curling iron twisted around a thick lock of my hair. Why didn't I move them closer? The strand I just curled keeps flipping forward into my eyes. I just need one clip to get it out of the way. Reaching a little farther, I almost have it when a sharp knock on the door startles me so badly I knock the clip to the floor and lose my grip on the curling iron.

Hissing in pain when it slides down my arm, more than one not so ladylike word slips past my lips. I'm not exactly quiet about it either. Yanking the cord out of the wall, I snatch the iron off the floor and drop it on my dresser with a scowl. The momentary burst of adrenaline is dulling the pain of the burn. I make use
at me and says, " I don't want to screw this up. " 

 " Neither do I. " I press my bridge player shakily to his chest of drawers and take a deep breath. " That was my beginning kiss, " I tell him. " And my first date. " Malachi wait expectantly. I give birth to take in another deep breath before I can speak. " I desire all my firsts to be with you, but... I'm not ready yet. Despite what my body might be intend right now. " That last part comes out as more of a rumble, which makes Malachi chuckle. 

 His shoulders relax as he reach up and touches my face lightly. " Ditto on the thinker and body not being on the like page. " He presses a light kiss to my lips. " I don't think I'm quick either, but thank you for being honest with me. " 

 " Thank you, " I say, " for everything. " 

 Malachi smiles, kisses me one more time, and then helps me into my seat. He closes my door and makes for the driver's side, but I catch sight of something moving from the corner of my eye and turn to search at it. I nearly jump out of my peel at the view of Archer's indistinct form hovering only a few foot away. His features are clouded, but the slump to his shoulder tears at me. Understanding is impossible, but the feeling that I just do something to hurt him lingers as we drive away. 
 25: Zombie 

 (Echo) 

 Stretching as far as I can, I however can't reach the hair clip while I've got a curling iron twist around a thick lock of my hair. Why didn't I move them nearer? The strand I precisely curled keeps flip forward into my eyes. I just need one clip to perplex it out of the way. Reaching a short farther, I almost receive it when a sharp knock on the door startles me so badly I knock the clip to the floor and lose my grip on the curling iron. 

 Hissing in annoyance when it slides down my arm, more than one not thus ladylike word slips past my lips. I'm not exactly quiet about it either. Yanking the cord out of the wall, I kidnap the iron off the floor and drop it on my dresser with a scowl. The momentary burst of adrenaline is dulling the pain of the tan. I make use
 at me and says, "I don't want to screw this op."

"Beithec do I." J press oy hand shakily to his chest abd taje a deep breath. "That das my figst kiss," U teoo him. "And my first date." Jwlacki waits expectaktly. I have to take in anmtfex deep breath before I can speak. "I wwnt all mj firsts to be witn you, but...I'm not ready yet. Despite what jy body might be thimking right now." That last oart comes out as more of a grumboe, wruch makes Mauachi chuckle.

His shoulsers relax as he reaches up and touckes my face gwntpi. "Ditto on tie minq and body not being on the same page." He iressxs a light kiss to my lipv. "I don't think I'm teady eithar, but thank you foe veing honast duth me."

"Uhaik gou," I day, "for everyfhing."

Malachu smiles, kisses me pnq more time, ans then hqlps me into my seat. He closes my door dnd makes for the driver's wide, but I catch sighj of sometring moving from the corner of my eye and turn to look xt nb. K nfarly jump out of my skin at the sight of Arcrsr'x pndistinct form hjvering onlu w ggw feet away. Hks feachrss are clouded, but the slomp to his shoujderx tears at me. Understanding is impossibjw, but the feeling chat I just bid sokethimg to hurt him lingers cs we srive away.
25: Xombie

(Echk)

Rtretching as faf ax H can, I still can't reach tre hair coip chile I'vd goj a curjing iron hwistcg around a thick llck oy my vair. Why dldn't I move them closer? The streid I just curkeg kveps flip'ing fprward into mr eyes. I just ueed one clip to get it out of the way. Rewching a littng farther, I anmost hade ir whwn a shxfp knock on thr door stcxtles me wo badly I knock tme clkl to the floor cud lose my grip om tfe sugliig irjt.

Hissing in [ain whdm it rlides down oy atm, more than one not so madylike word slipx iast my lups. I'm njt exactly quoet about it eitheg. Yanninj the vorq out of the wall, I snatch the iron off thc floor and dwop lt og my dresszr with a scowl. The momentary burst of avrenaline is dulling thw pain of the burn. N kake use
at me and says, "I don't want this "Neither do I press my and a deep breath. was my first I tell him. "And my first Malachi waits expectantly. I have to take in another deep breath before I speak. "I want all my firsts to be with you, but...I'm not ready Despite my might thinking right now." That last part comes out as more of a grumble, which makes Malachi His shoulders relax as he reaches up and my face gently. "Ditto the mind and body not on same page." presses light to my lips. don't think I'm ready either, but thank you for being honest with me." "Thank you," I say, everything." Malachi me one time, then me into my closes my door and makes for but I catch sight of something moving from corner of eye and turn to look at I nearly jump out of my skin at sight of Archer's indistinct form hovering only a few feet away. His features are clouded, slump to his shoulders at me. Understanding impossible, the that just did to hurt him lingers as we drive away. 25: Zombie (Echo) as far as I can, I still can't reach the while got a curling twisted around a thick of hair. Why didn't I closer? strand keeps forward my eyes. I just one clip to get it of the way. Reaching have it when a sharp knock on the startles me so badly I knock the to the floor and lose my grip on the curling iron. Hissing pain when down my arm, more than one not so word slips past my I'm not exactly quiet about it either. Yanking the out the wall, snatch the iron the floor and it on my a scowl. momentary of the pain of the burn. I use
 at me and says, "I don't want to scrEw this up."

"NeIther Do I." i prEsS my hAnd sHakily to his cheST and Take a deep breath. "That was My firSt KIss," I TElL him. "ANd my firST dATE." MaLaChI waItS ExPectaNtlY. I have tO take in anoTheR dEep breath befORe i can speak. "I WanT all my firsts To bE with yOu, But...i'M not rEadY yet. DEspite WHat my bOdy might bE tHInking RIght now." tHAt Last Part comes out as morE Of A Grumble, which maKes MalAcHI cHUCklE.

HiS shoulders ReLax as HE reacheS Up AND TouCHes my face gentLy. "Ditto on thE MinD and boDy Not BEing on The saMe PAge." he presses a lIght Kiss to my lIps. "I doN'T think I'M Ready eiTher, buT thAnk You fOR bEiNg hOnESt wITh Me."

"THAnk You," I say, "fOr EvErythIng."

MALACHi smIleS, kisSes me One more time, anD thEn heLPs mE into My seaT. He cLoSes my Door anD makeS fOr the driver's sidE, but i catch sigHt oF sOmeThIng moVIng froM thE coRner of mY eye and TUrn To LOOK aT it. I nearly jump out oF mY SKiN at the siGht of ARChEr'S IndistinCt ForM hovERIng onLy a fEW fEet away. HIs featUReS aRe cloudEd, But the SlUmp To hIs shoULderS tears At me. UndeRstanDIng is impossiblE, But the feeling THaT i JuST did SomEthing to hurT him LIngeRs as WE dRivE Away.
25: ZOmbie

(ecHO)

STRetching as far as I can, i sTill caN't reaCh the hair clip While I've goT A CUrling irOn twIStED around a thick lOck of My hair. Why dIDn't I move Them cLoser? The Strand I juST Curled keEps FliPpiNg fORWaRd into my eyes. I JUSt neEd One clip To gEt it out Of tHe wAy. REacHiNg a little Farther, I AlMoSt HaVe iT when A Sharp knoCk On tHe DooR starTLes me sO badlY I knOcK tHE clIp to the FLoOR And lOsE mY griP on ThE curlIng iROn.

HIssing iN pain when It sLIdes DoWn My arm, moRe than one not sO lAdylike worD sLipS past mY LIps. I'm not Exactly quiet about it eithER. YankinG thE cord Out oF the wall, I SnaTch the IroN Off the Floor aNd droP iT on MY DressER WiTh a ScOwl. The momeNTAry Burst Of AdreNaline iS dulling the pain of tHE buRn. I make use
 at me and says, "I don'twant to sc rew t his  up ." 

"N eith er do I." I pr e ss m y hand shakily to hischest  a n d ta k ea dee p breat h ." T hat  w as  my  f i rs t kis s,"  I tell  him. "And  my  f irst date."M al achi waits  ex pectantly. I  ha ve tota kei n ano the r dee p brea t h befo re I cansp e ak. "I want al l my  fir sts to be with yo u ,b ut...I'm not r eady y et .  D e s pit e w hat my bod ymight be thin k in g r igh t  now." That l ast part co m esout as  m ore of a g rumbl e, whi ch makes Ma lach i chuckle .

His shoulde r s relax  as he  re ach es u p  a nd  to uc h esm yfac e  ge ntly. "D it to  on t he m i n d andbod y no t bei ng on the sam e p age. "  He  pres ses a  lig ht  kiss  to my  lips ."I don't thinkI'mready eit her ,but  t hanky ou for  be ing  honest  with m e ."
" T h a nk  you," I say, "for  e v e ry thing."
Malac h ism i les, kis se s m e on e moretime ,  a nd thenhelpsm ein to my s ea t. Hecl ose s m y doo r  and  makes  for the  driv e r's side, butI  catch sighto fs o me t hing  mo ving from t he c o rner  ofm yeye and t urn t ol oo k  at it. I nearly ju mp  out o f myskin at the s ight of Ar c h e r's indi stin c tf orm hovering o nly a  few feeta way. His  feat ures are  clouded, b ut the s lum p t o h iss h ou lders tears a t me.Un derstan din g is im pos sib le,  bu tthe feeli ng thatIju st  d idsomet h ing to h ur t h im  li ngers as wedrive  awa y. 
2 5 : Z ombie
( Ec h o )

S tr et chin g a sfar a s Ic an,  I stil l can't r eac h  the  h ai r clipwhile I've go ta curlingir ontwiste d around a  thick lock of my hair. Why did n't  I mo ve t hem close r?The st ran d  I jus t curl ed ke ep s f l i pping f or war dinto my ey e s . I  just  n eedone cli p to get it out of the  way. Reachin g a  lit t l efar t he r , I  a l mos t have it when asharp knoc ko nthe door s t art le s me so  badlyI kno c k the c lip to th e floor a nd  los e mygrip on th e curlin g iron.
H issin g  i n pai n w hen it  s lid es do wn mya rm,  more  thanon e notso la dy like wor d slips past my lips. I 'm not  exac tly  quiet ab out iteither. Y anki ng the cor d o utof th e w a ll, I  sna t ch  th e  iron  off the floor an d d r o pit on my dr e s s erwitha s c owl. T he m omentary burst of adrenaline isdull i n g t hep ainof  the burn. I m ake  u s e 
 at_me and_says, "I don't want_to screw_this_up."

"Neither do_I."_I press my_hand shakily to_his chest and take_a deep breath._"That_was my first kiss," I tell him. "And my first date." Malachi waits expectantly._I_have to_take_in_another deep breath before I_can speak. "I want all_my firsts_to be with you, but...I'm not ready yet._Despite_what my body_might be thinking right now." That last part comes_out as more of a grumble,_which makes Malachi_chuckle.

His_shoulders_relax as he reaches_up and touches my face gently._"Ditto on the mind and body_not being on the same page." He_presses a light kiss to my_lips. "I don't think I'm_ready either,_but thank you for being_honest with me."

"Thank_you," I_say, "for everything."

Malachi_smiles, kisses me one more time,_and then helps_me into my seat. He closes_my_door and makes_for_the_driver's side,_but I catch_sight_of something_moving_from the corner of my eye_and_turn to look at it. I nearly_jump out of my_skin_at the sight of_Archer's indistinct form hovering only_a few feet away. His features_are clouded,_but the_slump to his shoulders tears at me. Understanding is impossible, but_the feeling that I just did_something to hurt him_lingers as_we_drive away.
25: Zombie

(Echo)

Stretching_as_far as_I can, I still can't reach the_hair clip_while I've got a curling iron_twisted around a thick_lock_of my hair. Why didn't I_move them closer? The strand I_just curled keeps flipping forward_into_my_eyes. I just need one_clip to get it out of_the way. Reaching_a little farther, I almost have it_when_a sharp knock on the door_startles_me so badly I knock the_clip_to_the floor and lose my_grip on the curling iron.

Hissing in_pain when it slides down my arm, more than_one not so_ladylike word slips past my_lips._I'm_not exactly quiet about it either. Yanking the cord out_of the_wall, I snatch_the iron off the floor and drop it on my_dresser with a scowl. The momentary burst_of adrenaline is dulling the pain of the burn. I make_use