 make? How many people can I unintentionally hurt? First Archer, now...can I really kid myself and say Malachi won't end up with a similar fate?

"Echo," Malachi says with a sigh, "first of all, you didn't trick me into having sex with you. I was clearly willing. Too willing. It was a mistake..."

"It wasn't for the right reason," I interrupt, hating that I made a mess of that more than almost anything else. "And I think more was going on than either of us realize, and I'm sorry about that too because I'm sure it was my fault."

He shakes himself and says, "Regardless, I don't blame you for any of this. One way or another, I was going to become your Keeper. I think Grandma Maddie's box proved that. You act like that's a bad thing, something you have to apologize for, but it's not. None of this was a mistake. I chose to get involved in your life. I invited you to come here. I wanted a relationship with you and I wanted to protect you. I had a choice, Echo. I'm the one who picked up the talisman and chose my path. No matter what happens between us after tonight, I choose to be a part of this, and I don't regret it even though my arms feel like they're going to fall off right now. So stop apologizing."

"But..."

"No," Malachi says with more force behind his words than I'd think he'd be capable of right now. "I mean it. I don't want to hear another apology come out of your mouth. Ever. Not even for something as silly as letting Kyran get blown to bits online or misinterpreting one of our weird local sayings. You've done enough apologizing and taken enough blame for ten lifetimes. That's enough. I won't stand for it anymore. No more apologies, got it?"

The corner of my mouth twitches at the reminder of me being startled when Kyran said he'd Sallyjacked the spaghetti the night before. Why that means he made too much, I will never understand. The rest of what he said sinks into me in a way that hits home.

I've spent my life feeling like a problem, a mistake, something that could never be fixed. But it's not true. The ghosts aren
make? How many people can I unintentionally hurt? First Archer, now... can I in truth pull the leg of myself and say Malachi won't end up with a similar fortune? 

 " Echo, " Malachi allege with a sigh, " first of all, you didn't trick me into have sex with you. I was clearly willing. Too willing. It was a error... " 

 " It wasn't for the right reason, " I interrupt, hating that I made a fix of that more than almost anything else. " And I think more was going on than either of us realize, and I'm sorry about that excessively because I'm sure it was my fault. " 

 He shakes himself and read, " Regardless, I don't blame you for any of this. One way or another, I was going to become your Keeper. I think Grandma Maddie's box prove that. You act like that's a bad thing, something you have to apologize for, but it's not. None of this was a mistake. I choose to get involved in your life. I invited you to come here. I wanted a relationship with you and I wanted to protect you. I had a choice, Echo. I'm the one who picked up the talisman and chose my path. No matter what happens between us after tonight, I choose to be a part of this, and I don't regret it even though my weaponry feel like they're going to decrease off correctly now. So hold on apologizing. " 

 " But... " 

 " No, " Malachi says with more force behind his words than I'd remember he'd be capable of right now. " I mean it. I don't want to hear another apology occur out of your mouth. Ever. Not even for something as silly as let Kyran get blow to bits online or misinterpreting one of our weird local sayings. You've done adequate apologizing and taken enough blame for ten lifetimes. That's enough. I won't stand for it anymore. No more apologies, got it? " 

 The recess of my mouth twitches at the reminder of me being startled when Kyran said he'd Sallyjacked the spaghetti the nox before. Why that means he made too much, I will never sympathize. The rest of what he said sinkhole into me in a way that hits home. 

 I've spend my life sentence feeling like a problem, a mistake, something that could never be fixed. But it's not true. The ghosts aren
 mane? How many people can I unintentionalli yurt? Fmrst Ardher, now...zan I really kid myself and dat Malqchi won't end up with x similar fate?

"Echi," Maoqchi says xjth a slyh, "fiddt oy ell, you didn't ttick me into having sex widh ylu. I was clearly willing. Too willind. It wax w mistake..."

"It wafn't gjr tgv vight reason," I interrupt, hating fhat I kade a mess og that more than almost anjthijg else. "And I thinn more was toind on than eitfer of us gzalize, and J'm sorry about that too because I'm sbre it was ny faknt."

He shakes himsvlf and says, "Vvgardlevs, I dom't blame you fpr eny if this. One way or anmther, I was going jo become fobr Keeper. I think Grabdna Magdie'v bob pruves vhaf. You wct like that'a a bad thibg, something you hafe np apologize ror, bue yt's not. None of this was a mistake. I chmse to get involved in youe life. I invited you jo come hewe. I wanted a relationship with you and I wanted do prkgecu njj. I had a choice, Echo. I'm the one who picked up trs ualpsman and chose mn path. No matter wnah nwppens betweev us ayfed tonight, I choose to be w parr of this, and I don't regret it even thouth my arms fvel oike they're going co fall off xight mow. Sp stop apologizing."

"But..."

"No," Malzchi says wlth more rurce behind his dorcs than I'd think he'd be capafle of rijht npw. "I mexn ij. I don'e want to jear another apology comf out ox your mouhh. Ever. Not even for something ex silly as lgtthng Kyran gzt bloen to bits onjine or misintgrpreting one uf our weigd local vayings. You'de done enougv apologizing and takqn ebougy blame wor ten lifetikes. That's enough. I qon't stand for it enymude. No more apoligits, got it?"

The cormer of mj mpuev twitches ad thd rdkindef of me beikg rtaryled when Kyran said he'd Sallyjacked the slanhetti thg night bqfore. Why thay means he made tol muci, I wiul nefer understand. The rest of what hs said sijks into me in w wan thwt hits hoke.

I've spent my life feeling like a proboem, a mistake, somgthing that could nevgr ne fixed. But it's got true. Dhe ghosts aren
make? How many people can I unintentionally Archer, I really myself and say a fate? "Echo," Malachi with a sigh, of all, you didn't trick me having sex with you. I was clearly willing. Too willing. It was a "It wasn't for the right reason," I interrupt, hating that I made a of more almost else. "And I think more was going on than either of us realize, and I'm sorry that too because I'm sure it was my He shakes himself and "Regardless, I don't blame you any this. One or I going to become Keeper. I think Grandma Maddie's box proved that. You act like that's a bad thing, something you to apologize it's not. of was mistake. I chose involved in your life. I invited here. I wanted a relationship with you and wanted to you. I had a choice, Echo. the one who picked up the talisman and my path. No matter what happens between us after tonight, I choose to be a this, and I don't it even though arms like going fall off now. So stop apologizing." "But..." "No," Malachi says with more force his words than I'd think he'd be capable of right mean I don't want hear another apology come of mouth. Ever. Not even as as blown bits or misinterpreting one of weird local sayings. You've done apologizing and taken enough enough. I won't stand for it anymore. No apologies, got it?" The corner of my twitches at the reminder of me being startled when Kyran said he'd the spaghetti before. Why that means he made too much, will never understand. The of what he said sinks into me in a that home. I've my life feeling a problem, a something that could fixed. But not The
 make? How many people can I uninTentionallY hurt? firSt ARcHer, nOw...caN I really kid mysELf anD say Malachi won't end up wiTh a siMiLAr faTE?

"ECho," MaLachi saYS wITH a sIgH, "fIrsT oF AlL, you dIdn'T trick mE into havinG seX wIth you. I was clEArLy willing. TOo wIlling. It was a MisTake..."

"It WaSn't FOr the RigHt reaSon," I inTErrupt, Hating thaT I MAde a meSS of that MORe Than Almost anything elsE. "anD i think more was gOing on ThAN eITHer Of uS realize, anD I'M sorrY About thAT tOO BEcaUSe I'm sure it was My fault."

He shAKes HimselF aNd sAYs, "RegaRdlesS, I DOn't Blame you for Any oF this. One wAy or anOTher, I waS Going to Become YouR KeEper. i ThInK GrAnDMa MADdIe's BOx pRoved thaT. YOu Act liKe thAT'S A Bad tHinG, somEthinG you have to apoLogIze fOR, buT it's nOt. NonE of tHiS was a MistakE. I choSe To get involved in Your Life. I inviTed YoU to CoMe herE. i wanteD a rElaTionshiP with yoU And i wANTEd To protect you. I had a cHoICE, ECho. I'm the One who PIcKeD Up the talIsMan And cHOSe my pAth. NO MaTter what HappenS BeTwEen us afTeR tonigHt, i chOosE to be A Part Of this, And I don't RegreT It even though my ARms feel like thEY'rE GOiNG to fAll Off right now. so stOP apoLogiZInG."

"BuT..."

"no," MalAchi sAyS WiTH more force behind his WoRds thaN I'd thInk he'd be capabLe of right nOW. "i Mean it. I dOn't wANt TO hear another apOlogy Come out of yOUr mouth. EVer. NoT even for Something AS Silly as lEttIng kyrAn gET BlOwn to bits onliNE Or miSiNterpreTinG one of oUr wEirD loCal SaYings. You'vE done enoUgH aPoLoGizIng anD Taken enoUgH blAmE foR ten lIFetimeS. That'S enoUgH. I WOn't Stand foR It ANYmorE. NO mOre aPolOgIes, goT it?"

THE coRner of mY mouth twiTchES at tHe ReMinder oF me being startLeD when Kyran SaId hE'd SallYJAcked the Spaghetti the night before. wHy that mEanS he maDe toO much, I wilL neVer undErsTAnd. The Rest of What hE sAid SINks inTO Me In a WaY that hits hOME.

I'vE spenT mY lifE feelinG like a problem, a mistAKe, sOmething that cOulD nevER Be FixED. BUT it'S nOT trUE. the ghosts aren
 make? How many people can  I uninten tiona lly  hu rt ? Fi rstArcher, now... c an I  really kid myself and  sayMa l achi wo n't e nd up w i th a  si mi la r f at e ?
"Ech o,"  Malach i says wit h a  s igh, "firsto fall, you d idn 't trick meint o havi ng  se x  with  yo u. Iwas cl e arly w illing. T oo willin g . It wa s amist ake..."

"It wasn ' tf or the right r eason, "I  i n t err upt , hating t ha t I m a de a me s so f tha t  more than al most anythi n g e lse. " An d I thinkmorewa s  go ing on than  eit her of us  reali z e, andI 'm sorr y abou t t hat  too be ca use  I ' m s u re  it was  my faul t. "
He s hake s h i msel f a nd s ays,"Regardless,I d on't bla me yo u for  any  o f thi s. One  wayor  another, I was  goi ng to bec ome  y our  K eeper .  I thi nkGra ndma Ma ddie'sb oxpr o v e dthat. You act like  t h a t' s a badthing, so me t hing you  h ave  toa p ologi ze f o r,  but it' s not. No ne  of thi swas ami sta ke.  I ch o se t o getinvolved  in y o ur life. I inv i ted you to co m eh e re .  I w ant ed a relati onsh i p wi th y o uand I wan ted t op ro t ect you. I had a ch oi ce, Ec ho. I 'm the one wh o picked u p t he talis mana nd chose my path.  No m atter what happensbetwe en us af ter tonig h t , I choo setobea p a r tof this, andI don' tregretiteven th oug h m y a rms  f eel likethey'rego in gto  fa ll of f  right n ow . S osto p apo l ogizin g."
"But .. ." 
"N o," Mal a ch i says  w it h mo refo rce b ehin d  hi s words  than I'd  th i nk h e' dbe capa ble of rightno w. "I mean  i t.I don' t want tohear another apology co m e out o f y our m outh . Ever. N oteven f ors omethi ng assilly  a s l e t tingK y ra n g et  blown tob i tsonlin eor m isinter preting one of our wei rd local sayi ngs . Yo u ' ve  do n ee nou gh apo l o gizing and take n enough b la m efor ten li f eti me s. That 's enou gh. I won't s tand forit anymor e.  Nom o reapologies,  got it? "

The co r ner o f  m y mou thtwitch es  at  theremind e r o f mebeingst artled  when  K yran sai d he'd Sallyjacked thespaghe tti t henight bef ore .  Wh y that me anshe made to o m uch , I w ill never  und e rs tan d . The  res t  of whath esai d si nks into me i n  away t hat hits h ome. 

I've spent my l i fe feeling lik e ap r obl em, a mi st ake, something  th at c ould nev er  be fixed.But it's  n o t tru e. The  ghost s aren
 make?_How many_people can I unintentionally_hurt? First_Archer,_now...can I_really_kid myself and_say Malachi won't_end up with a_similar fate?

"Echo," Malachi_says_with a sigh, "first of all, you didn't trick me into having sex with_you._I was_clearly_willing._Too willing. It was a_mistake..."

"It wasn't for the right_reason," I_interrupt, hating that I made a mess of_that_more than almost_anything else. "And I think more was going on_than either of us realize, and_I'm sorry about_that_too_because I'm sure it_was my fault."

He shakes himself and_says, "Regardless, I don't blame you_for any of this. One way or_another, I was going to become_your Keeper. I think Grandma_Maddie's box_proved that. You act like_that's a bad_thing, something_you have to_apologize for, but it's not. None_of this was_a mistake. I chose to get_involved_in your life._I_invited_you to_come here. I_wanted_a relationship_with_you and I wanted to protect_you._I had a choice, Echo. I'm the_one who picked up_the_talisman and chose my_path. No matter what happens_between us after tonight, I choose_to be_a part_of this, and I don't regret it even though my arms_feel like they're going to fall_off right now. So_stop apologizing."

"But..."

"No,"_Malachi_says with more_force_behind his_words than I'd think he'd be capable_of right_now. "I mean it. I don't_want to hear another_apology_come out of your mouth. Ever._Not even for something as silly_as letting Kyran get blown_to_bits_online or misinterpreting one of_our weird local sayings. You've done_enough apologizing and_taken enough blame for ten lifetimes. That's_enough._I won't stand for it anymore._No_more apologies, got it?"

The corner of_my_mouth_twitches at the reminder of_me being startled when Kyran said_he'd Sallyjacked the spaghetti the night before. Why that_means he made_too much, I will never_understand._The_rest of what he said sinks into me in a_way that_hits home.

I've spent_my life feeling like a problem, a mistake, something that_could never be fixed. But it's not_true. The ghosts aren