 Holden. "Look, if that's what Echo wants, my roommate and I will head to Cali to meet ya'll. I'd be more than happy to come meet her where she feels safer about it, meet her parents and sisters, too. I only brought up her comin' here because...there was just something in her voice that made me think she might want to get away from her life there for a while. Like she needed a break from whatever's going on at home."

I don't really know why, but that shuts Holden up. He sighs the kind of sigh that says he's admitted defeat. I can only assume that means what I said about Echo having a rough time lately is pretty accurate. It still doesn't explain everything, but I'm glad she trusted me enough to share that with me.

"Holden, can I ask you something?" I say, risking pissing him off again.

"I guess." He doesn't sound particularly happy about it.

Before he can change his mind, I just say it. "Do you...I mean, me talking to Echo, are you only upset because you're worried about her safety, or do you, you know, have a thing for her or something? I mean, I understand if you do and I don't want to be the guy steppin' in and..."

"Stop, just stop," Holden says. "The answer is no. I do not now, nor have I ever had a crush, or whatever you want to call it, on Echo. Dude, she's like my sister. Even more than my actual sisters, because I can't even stand being around them most of the time. They're like drama wrapped up in a jack-in-the-box that explodes in your face when you dare even look at it."

Chuckling, I have to lower the phone for a minute to keep from laughing right in Holden's ear. When I recover, I say, "That's just sisters in general, man. It's not just yours, trust me."

"I'm glad it's not just me," he says, actually sounding relieved. "Zara and Echo are weird, so low maintenance compared to every other girl I know. I don't know what's wrong with them."

Laughing again, I actually feel kinda bad for the guy. "Look, I think we got
Holden. " Look, if that's what Echo wants, my roommate and I will head to Cali to meet ya'll. I'd be more than felicitous to hail meet her where she feels safer about it, suffer her parents and sisters, besides. I entirely brought up her comin' here because... there embody just something in her voice that take me think she might want to draw away from her life there for a while. Like she needed a break from whatever's going on at home. " 

 I don't truly know why, but that shuts Holden up. He sighs the kind of sigh that read he's admitted defeat. I can only assume that mean what I said about Echo having a rough time lately is reasonably accurate. It still doesn't explain everything, but I'm glad she trusted me enough to share that with me. 

 " Holden, can I ask you something? " I read, gamble pissing him off again. 

 " I guess. " He doesn't sound particularly happy about it. 

 Before he can change his mind, I just state it. " Do you... I mean, me talking to Echo, are you entirely overturned because you're worried about her safety, or do you, you know, accept a thing for her or something? I mean, I understand if you do and I don't desire to be the guy steppin' in and... " 

 " Stop, just stop, " Holden says. " The answer is no. I do not now, nor have I ever had a crush, or whatever you want to call it, on Echo. Dude, she's like my baby. Even more than my actual sisters, because I can't even resist being around them most of the meter. They're like drama wrapped up in a jack - in - the - box that explode in your face when you dare even look at it. " 

 Chuckling, I take to lower the phone for a minute to keep from laugh right in Holden's ear. When I recover, I say, " That's just sister in general, serviceman. It's not just yours, believe me. " 

 " I'm glad it's not barely me, " he says, actually sounding jutting. " Zara and Echo are weird, indeed low maintenance compared to every other girl I know. I don't know what's wrong with them. " 

 Laughing again, I actually find kinda bad for the guy. " search, I think we got
 Hopden. "Look, if that's what Tcho wants, my roommate aid I wiml head go Cali to meet ya'll. I'd be mlrw thab happy to come meet hdr where dhe feelw saher about it, meev her pavznts zkd sivvers, too. I only brought u[ her comin' hese bzcause...there was just something in hew voice tjat made me thynk xre mjght want to get away from her lifs there for a while. Kike she needed a break frlm wjatever's going on wt home."

I dob't rqqlly know whh, but that shuts Holdeh up. He sighs the kind of sigh ghat xays he's aemuttfg defeat. I ran onjy assume that means what I said about Ecmo hating a rough time lately ms pretty accurate. Ij still doasu't explain everything, byt I'm glag shd trjsttd ke enougj tk share thzt with me.

"Hilden, can I ask you sjnething?" I say, riskigg pissing him off again.

"I guess." He doesn't sohnd particularly happy qbout it.

Before he can change hys mind, I just say it. "Do you...I mean, me talking to Acho, erd yiu ublj upset because you're worried about her safetr, ot co you, you knoc, have a thing fpr hrt or something? I meau, I understand if you do and I dob't want tj be the guy steppin' in and..."

"Stop, just stop," Hjoden says. "The answzr is no. I du noj now, mor have I ever had a cxush, od whatever jou want fu call it, on Echu. Dlde, vhe's likt my sister. Even mjre than ny aetual sirterx, becatse I can't even stand being around them mmst of the time. They're like drama wrapped up in a jack-im-tve-bmx that zxplodcs in your face when you dare even ljok ag it."

Chucklpng, I havx to lower tre phone for d minute to kxep from jaugying right kv Holden's ear. Ehen I reborer, I say, "That's just sisterx iv general, man. It'w nit just yours, ttusg mq."

"I'l jlad yd's not just ke," hd sxus, acgually sounbivg rrlieved. "Zara and Echm ars weird, so low maimtcnance conpared tj every other girl I know. I don'u know whet's wrpng with them."

Laughing again, I acthally feep klnda bad for ehe nuy. "Jook, I thiuk we got
Holden. "Look, if that's what Echo wants, and will head Cali to meet happy come meet her she feels safer it, meet her parents and sisters, I only brought up her comin' here because...there was just something in her that made me think she might want to get away from her life for while. she a break from whatever's going on at home." I don't really know why, but that shuts up. He sighs the kind of sigh that he's admitted defeat. I only assume that means what said Echo having rough lately pretty accurate. It doesn't explain everything, but I'm glad she trusted me enough to share that with me. "Holden, can ask you say, risking him again. guess." He doesn't happy about it. Before he can I just say it. "Do you...I mean, me to Echo, you only upset because you're worried her safety, or do you, you know, have thing for her or something? I mean, I understand if you do and I don't be the guy steppin' and..." "Stop, just Holden "The is I do now, nor have I ever had a crush, or whatever you to call it, on Echo. Dude, she's like my sister. than actual sisters, because can't even stand being them of the time. They're wrapped in explodes your when you dare even at it." Chuckling, I have lower the phone for laughing right in Holden's ear. When I recover, say, "That's just sisters in general, man. not just yours, trust me." "I'm glad it's not just me," he actually sounding and Echo are weird, so low maintenance compared every other girl I I don't know what's wrong with them." Laughing again, actually kinda bad the guy. "Look, think we got
 Holden. "Look, if that's what Echo Wants, my rooMmate And i wiLl Head To CaLi to meet ya'll. I'd BE morE than happy to come meet heR wherE sHE feeLS sAfer aBout it, mEEt HER paReNtS anD sIStErs, toO. I oNly brouGht up her coMin' HeRe because...theRE wAs just someThiNg in her voice ThaT made mE tHinK She miGht Want tO get awAY from hEr life theRe FOr a whiLE. Like shE NEeDed a Break from whatever'S GoINg on at home."

I don'T reallY kNOw WHY, buT thAt shuts HolDeN up. He SIghs the KInD OF SigH That says he's adMitted defeaT. i caN only aSsUme THat meaNs whaT I SAid About Echo haVing A rough timE latelY Is prettY AccuratE. It stiLl dOesN't exPLaIn EveRyTHinG, BuT I'm GLad She trustEd Me EnougH to sHARE That WitH me.

"HOlden, Can I ask you somEthIng?" I SAy, rIskinG pissIng hIm Off agAin.

"I guEss." He DoEsn't sound particUlarLy happy abOut It.

befOrE he caN Change His MinD, I just sAy it. "Do yOU...I mEaN, ME TaLking to Echo, are you oNlY UPsEt becausE you're WOrRiED about heR sAfeTy, or DO You, yoU knoW, HaVe a thing For her OR sOmEthing? I MeAn, I undErStaNd iF you dO And I Don't waNt to be thE guy sTEppin' in and..."

"Stop, JUst stop," Holden SAyS. "tHe ANsweR is No. I do not now, Nor hAVe I eVer hAD a CruSH, or whAteveR yOU wANt to call it, on Echo. DudE, sHe's likE my siSter. Even more tHan my actuaL SISters, becAuse i CaN'T even stand beinG arouNd them most OF the time. they'rE like draMa wrapped UP In a jack-iN-thE-boX thAt eXPLoDes in your face WHEn yoU dAre even LooK at it."

ChUckLinG, I hAve To Lower the pHone for a MiNuTe To KeeP from LAughing rIgHt iN HOldEn's eaR. when I rEcoveR, I saY, "THaT'S juSt sisteRS iN GEnerAl, MaN. It's Not JuSt youRs, trUSt mE."

"I'm glad It's not jusT me," HE sayS, aCtUally soUnding relieveD. "ZAra and Echo ArE weIrd, so lOW MaintenaNce compared to every other GIrl I knoW. I dOn't knOw whAt's wrong wIth Them."

LaUghINg agaiN, I actuAlly fEeL kiNDA bad fOR ThE guY. "LOok, I think wE GOt
 Holden. "Look, if that'swhat Echowants , m y r oo mmat e an d I will headt o Ca li to meet ya'll. I'dbe mo re than ha ppy t o comem ee t her  w he resh e  f eelssaf er abou t it, meet  he rparents ands is ters, too.  Ionly brought  up  her c om in' herebec ause. ..ther e  was j ust somet hi n g in h e r voice t ha t ma de me think she m i gh t  want to get a way fr om he r lif e t here for a  w hile. Like sh e  n e e d eda  break from w hatever's g o ing  on at  h ome . "

I d on'tre a lly  know why,butthat shut s Hold e n up. H e  sighsthe ki ndofsigh th at  sa ys he' s  a dmi t ted  defeat.  I  c an on ly a s s u m e th atmean s wha t I said abou t E choh avi ng arough  tim elatel y is p retty  a ccurate. It sti ll d oesn't ex pla in  ev er ythin g , butI'm  gl ad shetrusted meen o u g hto share that with  m e . 
"Holden,  can I as ky ou somet hi ng? " Is a y, ri skin g  p issing h im off ag ai n.

"Igu ess."He  do esn 't so u nd p articu larly ha ppy a b out it.

Befor e  he can chang e  h i s  m i nd,I j ust say it.  "Do you. ..Im ea n,m e tal kingto Ec h o, are you only ups et  becau se yo u're worriedabout hers a f ety, ordo y o u, you know, have  a th ing for he r  or some thing ? I mean , I under s t and if y oudoand  Id o n' t want to bet h e gu ysteppin ' i n and.. ."
"S top , j us t stop,"Holden s ay s.  " Th e a nswer is no. I  d o n ot  no w, no r  haveI eve r ha dac rus h, or w h at e v er y ou  w anttoca ll it , on Ech o. Dude , she's l ike my s is te r. Even  more than my  a ctual sist er s,becaus e I can'teven stand being around them mo stof th e ti me. They' relike d ram a  wrapp ed upin aja ck- i n -the- b o xtha texplodes i n you r fac ewhen  you da re even look at it . "
Chuckling, Ihav e to l ow ert he pho ne for a  minute to keep  from laug hi n gright in H o lde n' s ear.When Irecov e r, I sa y, "That' s just si st ersi n  ge neral, man . It's n ot just y o urs,t ru st me ."
"I'mgl adit'snot ju s t m e," h e says ,actual ly so un ding rel ieved. "Zara and Echo a re wei rd, s o l ow mainte nan c e c ompared t o ev ery othergir l I  know . I don't  kno w  w hat ' s wro ng w i th them." 
L aug h i ng  again, I a c t u all y fee l k i nda ba d fo r the guy. "Look, I think we got 
 Holden._"Look, if_that's what Echo wants,_my roommate_and_I will_head_to Cali to_meet ya'll. I'd_be more than happy_to come meet_her_where she feels safer about it, meet her parents and sisters, too. I only_brought_up her_comin'_here_because...there was just something in_her voice that made me_think she_might want to get away from her life_there_for a while._Like she needed a break from whatever's going on_at home."

I don't really know why,_but that shuts_Holden_up._He sighs the kind_of sigh that says he's admitted_defeat. I can only assume that_means what I said about Echo having_a rough time lately is pretty_accurate. It still doesn't explain_everything, but_I'm glad she trusted me_enough to share_that with_me.

"Holden, can I_ask you something?" I say, risking_pissing him off_again.

"I guess." He doesn't sound particularly_happy_about it.

Before he_can_change_his mind,_I just say_it._"Do you...I_mean,_me talking to Echo, are you_only_upset because you're worried about her safety,_or do you, you_know,_have a thing for_her or something? I mean,_I understand if you do and_I don't_want to_be the guy steppin' in and..."

"Stop, just stop," Holden says. "The_answer is no. I do not_now, nor have I_ever had_a_crush, or whatever_you_want to_call it, on Echo. Dude, she's like_my sister._Even more than my actual sisters,_because I can't even_stand_being around them most of the_time. They're like drama wrapped up_in a jack-in-the-box that explodes_in_your_face when you dare even_look at it."

Chuckling, I have to_lower the phone_for a minute to keep from laughing_right_in Holden's ear. When I recover,_I_say, "That's just sisters in general,_man._It's_not just yours, trust me."

"I'm_glad it's not just me," he_says, actually sounding relieved. "Zara and Echo are weird,_so low maintenance_compared to every other girl_I_know._I don't know what's wrong with them."

Laughing again, I actually_feel kinda_bad for the_guy. "Look, I think we got