 are you doing next weekend?"

A bit surprised by the change of topics, I say, "Graduating from high school."

"Yeah," Malachi says with a laugh, "I meant aside from that. Do you have a bunch of plans for the weekend to celebrate with your friends or something?"

"The twins have a soccer game Saturday afternoon, but other than that, nothing much."

"I'm coming to see you then, okay?"

"Wait, what?" I ask. "How?"

Malachi's voice sounds lighter when he speaks this time. "I can't remember if I've ever mentioned to you that Kyran is a part-time flight attendant, but he is, and he gets buddy passes every now and again for flights. He has a couple saved up and I'm going to use one. To meet you in person and to meet your parents so they aren't so freaked out about you coming here for the summer."

"You don't have to do that," I say quietly. My voice is only a whisper, though, because I want him to come. I want him here so badly it hurts.

"I do," Malachi says.

"Why?"

Sighing, he shifts, likely settling into the couch he said he'll probably be sleeping on tonight. "Because as crappy as my night ended, I can tell your day was even worse."

"You can? How?"

"Your voice sounds like it did the first time we talked, scared and upset." He pauses, maybe thinking of his next words. "What happened today, Carrots?"

I've always had Holden and Zara to talk to about my ghost-induced problems. It's not that they aren't supportive, because they are, but they've been dealing with all of this so long, they're able to shrug most of it off. Desensitized, I suppose. For some strange reason, I need to hear Malachi's reaction to today's events.

"I woke up to a whole horde of ghosts standing around my bed this morning. Couldn't figure out why at first. I mean, when things get bad with my parents the ghosts usually start hanging around more, but I didn't think that was it." Scrubbing my hand through my hair, I lean back against the wall. "When that crazy ghost from the show with your great
are you doing next weekend? " 

 A bit surprised by the change of subject, I suppose, " Graduating from high school. " 

 " Yeah, " Malachi says with a joke, " I meant aside from that. Do you have a crowd of design for the weekend to celebrate with your friends or something? " 

 " The twins have a soccer plot Saturday afternoon, but other than that, nothing much. " 

 " I'm coming to see you then, all right? " 

 " Wait, what? " I ask. " How? " 

 Malachi's part sounds lighter when he talk this time. " I can't remember if I've ever mention to you that Kyran is a part - time flight attendant, but he is, and he catch buddy passes every now and again for flights. He has a couple saved up and I'm belong to use one. To meet you in person and to meet your parents so they aren't so freak out out about you hail here for the summer. " 

 " You don't have to do that, " I say quietly. My voice is only a whisper, though, because I want him to arrive. I want him here so ill it pain. 

 " I do, " Malachi says. 

 " Why? " 

 Sighing, he shifts, probably settling into the sofa he said he'll probably be sleeping on tonight. " Because equally crappy as my night ended, I can tell your day was even worse. " 

 " You can? How? " 

 " Your spokesperson sounds like it did the first time we talk, frightened and overturned. " He pauses, maybe thinking of his next word. " What happened today, Carrots? " 

 I've always had Holden and Zara to spill the beans to about my ghost - induced problems. It's not that they aren't supportive, because they are, but they've been dealing with all of this indeed long, they're able to shrug most of it off. Desensitized, I speculate. For some strange reason, I necessitate to hear Malachi's chemical reaction to today's events. 

 " I woke up to a whole horde of touch standing around my bed this morning. Couldn't figure out why at first. I entail, when things perplex bad with my parents the ghosts normally start hanging around more, but I didn't think that was it. " Scrubbing my hired hand through my hair, I lean back against the wall. " When that crazy ghost from the show with your big
 arf you doing next weekend?"

X bit surprised by the changs of topkcs, I say, "Graduating from hijh sxhool."

"Teah," Malachi says with a laugh, "P meant awide drom that. Vk you have a gmnch mh plans for the weekend tm celebrate widh ylur friends or something?"

"The twins hwve a spcfer game Saturqay ssterhoon, but other than that, nothing mhch."

"I'm cmming to see uou then, okay?"

"Wait, what?" I adk. "Hlw?"

Malachi's voice slunds lightgd wrwn he speaks this time. "I can't remejber if I've ever mentioned to yuu thct Kyran is a pagj-time flight attegdant, but he is, and ve gets buddy passes cvery noq and again for flighvs. He has a couple swved up atd I'm going to use inw. To keet you un oeraoi ahd to leev your parehts so they aren't so freaked oit qbout you comjng hewe for the summer."

"You don't have to do that," I aay quietly. My voice is only a whisper, thougj, because I want him to come. I want him here so badly it hgrts.

"I ao," Najxxhl says.

"Why?"

Sighing, he shifts, likely settling inek uhe couch he said he'll probanlj ng sleeping on jonight. "Bedause as crappy as my nigrt eneed, I can telk your day was even worse."

"Yoy can? How?"

"Youg vouce sounds like it did the fixst tike we talked, scared and upsec." He pzuses, maybe thinking uf his next wordr. "Wmat happened today, Carrots?"

I've always hed Hokden ana Zata to twlk to abokt my ghost-induced problfms. Ij's not that they aren't supportive, because they ece, but they've baen dealing with all of this fo long, they're able tj shrjg most of it off. Desensitizqd, I suppose. Xlr some straige reasog, I beed to heaf Malachi's reacyion to today's evenrs.

"I woke up to a wmole fkrde of ghosts wtabding around my bea trid kowting. Couldn't figjre put wfy at first. K mesn, when things get bdd wjth my parents the gmosts usuqlly stawt hanging arpund more, but I difn't tiink tiat wax ij." Scrubbing my hand through my gair, I lewn nack against ehe qall. "When thct crazy ghost from the show with your gceat
are you doing next weekend?" A bit the of topics, say, "Graduating from with laugh, "I meant from that. Do have a bunch of plans for weekend to celebrate with your friends or something?" "The twins have a soccer Saturday afternoon, but other than that, nothing much." "I'm coming to see you okay?" what?" ask. Malachi's voice sounds lighter when he speaks this time. "I can't remember if I've ever mentioned you that Kyran is a part-time flight attendant, he is, and he buddy passes every now and for He has couple up I'm going to one. To meet you in person and to meet your parents so they aren't so freaked out you coming the summer." don't to that," I say voice is only a whisper, though, him to come. I want him here so it hurts. do," Malachi says. "Why?" Sighing, he likely settling into the couch he said he'll be sleeping on tonight. "Because as crappy as my night ended, I can tell your even worse." "You can? "Your voice sounds it the time talked, scared upset." He pauses, maybe thinking of his next words. "What happened Carrots?" I've always had Holden and Zara to talk to ghost-induced It's not that aren't supportive, because they but been dealing with all so they're most it Desensitized, I suppose. For strange reason, I need to Malachi's reaction to today's a whole horde of ghosts standing around my this morning. Couldn't figure out why at I mean, when things get bad with my parents the ghosts usually hanging around I didn't think that was it." Scrubbing my through my hair, I back against the wall. "When that crazy ghost from show your great
 are you doing next weekend?"

A biT surprised By the ChaNge Of TopiCs, I sAy, "Graduating frOM higH school."

"Yeah," Malachi says With a LaUGh, "I mEAnT asidE from thAT. DO YOu hAvE a BunCh OF pLans fOr tHe weekeNd to celebrAte WiTh your friendS Or Something?"

"THe tWins have a socCer Game SaTuRdaY AfterNooN, but oTher thAN that, nOthing mucH."

"I'M Coming TO see you THEn, Okay?"

"wait, what?" I ask. "How?"

MaLAcHI's voice sounds lIghter WhEN hE SPeaKs tHis time. "I caN't RememBEr if I've EVeR MENtiONed to you that KYran is a part-TIme Flight AtTenDAnt, but He is, aNd HE geTs buddy passEs evEry now and Again fOR flightS. he has a cOuple sAveD up And I'M GoInG to UsE One. tO mEet YOu iN person aNd To Meet yOur pARENTs so TheY areN't so fReaked out abouT yoU comINg hEre foR the sUmmeR."

"YOu don'T have tO do thAt," i say quietly. My voIce iS only a whiSpeR, tHouGh, BecauSE I want Him To cOme. I wanT him herE So bAdLY IT hUrts.

"I do," Malachi says.

"whY?"

sIgHing, he shIfts, liKElY sETtling inTo The CoucH HE said He'll PRoBably be sLeepinG On ToNight. "BeCaUse as cRaPpy As mY nighT EndeD, I can tEll your dAy was EVen worse."

"You can? hOw?"

"Your voice soUNdS LIkE It diD thE first time wE talKEd, scAred ANd UpsET." He paUses, mAyBE tHInking of his next wordS. "WHat hapPened Today, Carrots?"

I'Ve always haD hOLden and ZAra tO TaLK to about my ghosT-induCed problemS. it's not thAt theY aren't suPportive, bECAuse they Are, But TheY've BEEn Dealing with alL OF thiS sO long, thEy'rE able to ShrUg mOst Of iT oFf. DesensiTized, I suPpOsE. FOr SomE straNGe reason, i nEed To HeaR MalaCHi's reaCtion To toDaY's EVenTs.

"I woke UP tO A WholE hOrDe of GhoStS stanDing ARouNd my bed This morniNg. COUldn'T fIgUre out wHy at first. I meaN, wHen things gEt Bad With my PARents the Ghosts usually start hangiNG around MorE, but I Didn'T think thaT waS it." ScrUbbINg my haNd throUgh my HaIr, I LEAn bacK AGaInsT tHe wall. "When THAt cRazy gHoSt frOm the shOw with your great
 are you doing next weeken d?"

A bit  surp ris edby  the  cha nge of topics, I sa y, "Graduating from hi gh sc ho o l.""Y eah,"  Malach i  s a y s w it ha l au g h,  "I m ean t aside  from that . D oyou have a b u nc h of plans  fo r the weeken d t o cele br ate withyou r fri ends o r  somet hing?"

" Th e  twins have as o cc er g ame Saturday afte r no o n, but other t han th at ,  n o t hin g m uch."

"I' mcomin g  to see yo u t hen ,  okay?"

"Wai t, what?" I ask . "How ?" 

M a lachi' s voi ce sou nds lighter  whe n he spea ks thi s  time." I can't  remem ber  if  I'v e  e ve r m en t ion e dtoy outhat Kyr an  i s a p art- t i m e  fli ght  att endan t, but he is,  an d he get s bud dy pa sses  e verynow an d aga in  for flights. H e ha s a coupl e s av edup  andI 'm goi ngtouse one . To me e t y ou i n  p erson and to meetyo u r  p arents s o they ar en ' t so fre ak edouta b out y ou c o mi ng herefor th e  s um mer."
"Y ou don 't  ha veto do that ," I s ay quiet ly. M y  voice is only a whisper, th o ug h ,  b e caus e I  want him t o co m e. I  wan t  h imh ere s o bad ly it hurts.

"I do," Mal ac hi say s.

" Why?"

Sighin g, he shif t s ,  likelysett l in g  into the couc h hesaid he'll probably  be s leepingon tonigh t .  "Becaus e a s c rap pya s  m y night ended , I ca ntell yo urday was  ev enwor se. "
"You can ? How?"
" Yo ur  v oic e sou n ds likeit  di dthe  firs t  timewe ta lked ,sc a red  and up s et . "  Hepa us es,may be  thin king ofhis nex t words."Wh a t ha pp en ed toda y, Carrots?"
I 've always  h adHolden a nd Zarato talk to about my gho s t-induc edprobl ems.  It's not  th at the y a r en't s upport ive,be cau s e  they a re , b ut  they've b e e n d ealin gwith  all of  this so long, the y 're  able to shru g m osto f  i t o f f. Des en s iti z e d, I suppose. F or some st ra n ge  reason, I nee dto hear  Malach i's r e actionto today' s events. 
"I w o k e u p to a who le horde  of ghost s  stan d in g aro und  my be dthi s mor ning.C oul dn'tfigure  o ut why  at f ir st. I me an, when things get bad  withmy pa ren ts the gh ost s  us ually sta rt h anging aro und  mo re, b utI  didn 't t h in k t h at wa s it . " Scrubbi n gmyh a nd  through my h a ir,  I le anb ack ag ains t the wall. "When that crazy gho st f r o m t hes howwi th your great
 are_you doing_next weekend?"

A bit surprised_by the_change_of topics,_I_say, "Graduating from_high school."

"Yeah," Malachi_says with a laugh,_"I meant aside_from_that. Do you have a bunch of plans for the weekend to celebrate with_your_friends or_something?"

"The_twins_have a soccer game Saturday_afternoon, but other than that,_nothing much."

"I'm_coming to see you then, okay?"

"Wait, what?" I_ask._"How?"

Malachi's voice sounds_lighter when he speaks this time. "I can't remember_if I've ever mentioned to you_that Kyran is_a_part-time_flight attendant, but he_is, and he gets buddy passes_every now and again for flights._He has a couple saved up and_I'm going to use one. To_meet you in person and_to meet_your parents so they aren't_so freaked out_about you_coming here for_the summer."

"You don't have to do_that," I say_quietly. My voice is only a_whisper,_though, because I_want_him_to come._I want him_here_so badly_it_hurts.

"I do," Malachi says.

"Why?"

Sighing, he shifts,_likely_settling into the couch he said he'll_probably be sleeping on_tonight._"Because as crappy as_my night ended, I can_tell your day was even worse."

"You_can? How?"

"Your_voice sounds_like it did the first time we talked, scared and upset."_He pauses, maybe thinking of his_next words. "What happened_today, Carrots?"

I've_always_had Holden and_Zara_to talk_to about my ghost-induced problems. It's not_that they_aren't supportive, because they are, but_they've been dealing with_all_of this so long, they're able_to shrug most of it off._Desensitized, I suppose. For some_strange_reason,_I need to hear Malachi's_reaction to today's events.

"I woke up_to a whole_horde of ghosts standing around my bed_this_morning. Couldn't figure out why at_first._I mean, when things get bad_with_my_parents the ghosts usually start_hanging around more, but I didn't_think that was it." Scrubbing my hand through my_hair, I lean_back against the wall. "When_that_crazy_ghost from the show with your great