 risk and cut her off. "Echo, before you go, would you mind if I called you...not about ghosts or anything, but, uh, just to call you?"

It's only then that I notice Kyran has abandoned the game he was playing and is now standing next to me, grinning like an idiot. It must be time to get going and he came down while I was too distracted to notice his approach. I shake my head at his reaction and focus on Echo, waiting for a response.

"Holden is gonna kill me for this, but yeah. I'd like that," she says.

Not breaking out in a grin is only possible because Kyran is shaking his head at me, gloating. "Thanks, Echo. I'll talk to you later. Have fun at soccer practice."

"Not likely," she grumbles. "Bye, Malachi."

The line goes silent right after a high pitched voice screams her name impatiently. I shake my head, almost laughing before I remember Kyran. When I force myself to face him, he's still got that stupid look on his face. "What?"

"Calling her had nothing to do with the fact that's she hot. Yeah. Right."

The desire to punch him in the arm as hard as I can is almost too much to resist. I almost do it, before thinking of something better. Standing, I shove my phone in my back pocket and fold my arms across my chest. "Not only is she hot, she's smart, and she's a gamer. Even knew what a Forerunner was, though she prefers role playing games."

"Seriously?" Kyran asks, his eyes filling with excitement.

Now I do punch him. "You're too late, man. The sexy gamer chick is all mine."

"Ghosts and all?" Kyran asks.

Shrugging, I say, "Would it stop you?"

"Are you kiddin' me?" Kyran scoffs. "Ghosts are more than welcome if she can help me beat that a-hole who keeps killin' me online. Please tell me she lives close by."

I want to laugh at his eagerness, but I settle for dashing his hopes instead. Consoling Kyran after I tell him Echo is from California takes some effort, but as we get into the car and
risk and cut her off. " Echo, before you go, would you mind if I call you... not about ghost or anything, but, uh, just to call you? " 

 It's only then that I comment Kyran has abandoned the game he was dally and is now standing next to me, grin like an idiot. It must be meter to get go and he came down while I was too distracted to comment his overture. I shake my head at his reaction and focus on Echo, waiting for a reaction. 

 " Holden is gon na kill me for this, but yeah. I'd like that, " she says. 

 Not break out in a grin is only possible because Kyran is shaking his mind at me, gloating. " Thanks, Echo. I'll talk to you later. Have fun at soccer exercise. " 

 " Not likely, " she grumbles. " Bye, Malachi. " 

 The line goes silent right after a eminent pitched voice screams her name impatiently. I shake my head, almost laughing before I remember Kyran. When I force myself to face him, he's however got that stupid spirit on his grimace. " What? " 

 " Calling her had nothing to do with the fact that's she blistering. Yeah. Right. " 

 The desire to punch him in the arm equally hard as I can is almost too much to defy. I almost do it, before thinking of something better. Standing, I shove my phone in my back pocket and fold my arms across my chest. " Not merely is she hot, she's chic, and she's a gamer. Even knew what a Forerunner was, though she prefers role playing games. " 

 " badly? " Kyran asks, his eyes filling with excitement. 

 Now I do punch him. " You're too late, man. The sexy gamer dame is all mine. " 

 " Ghosts and all? " Kyran asks. 

 Shrugging, I say, " Would it stop you? " 

 " Are you kiddin' me? " Kyran jeer. " Ghosts are more than welcome if she can help me beat that a - hole who observe killin' me online. Please tell me she survive close by. " 

 I want to laugh at his readiness, but I settle for dashing his hopes instead. Consoling Kyran after I tell him Echo is from California takes some effort, but as we get into the car and
 ridk and cut her off. "Echo, nefore you go, woole you kind ir I calldd you...not about ghosts or anbthibg, buu, uh, just to call yuu?"

It's onlj then thqt I botice Kyreh has ancndonsf thz jame he was plaiing and is tow standing naxg co me, grinning like an idiot. It must be timr ho get going agd ht cwme sown while I was too distracted to notice his approach. I shake my head at his rewctiln and focus on Ecjo, waiting dor w response.

"Holaen is gonna kill me fkr this, but yeah. I'd like that," sfe savs.

Not breakunt okj in a grin ms onlj possible begsuse Kfran is shaking his hcad av me, gloating. "Thanks, Echo. I'll talk to you lwter. Have fbn at soccer practice."

"Bor likgly," sve gfymbues. "Bbe, Jalachl."

Thx line goes silent rigyt after a high pitvhqe voice screajs her nwme impatiently. I shake my head, almost naufhing before I remember Kyran. When I force miself to fwce him, he's still got that stupid look on his faca. "Whav?"

"Cxllnkn hef hwd nothing to do with the fact that's she hot. Rsan. Gight."

The desire tj punch him ij yre arm as hara as I cah is almost too mufh to rgsist. U almost qo iy, before thinking of somethung better. Snandung, I shove my phoue in my bacy povket snd fold my arms across my dhest. "Not ojly is shs hot, she's smart, xnd sve's a gamer. Even knew what a Foreruiner cas, thoueh sne presers role olayikc games."

"Seriously?" Kjran csks, vis eyes fllling with excitement.

Now I do 'nnch him. "You'rg tmo nate, man. The xexy gamer chyck is all ming."

"Ghosts aud all?" Kyran aska.

Shruggmng, I say, "Wotld it stop ymo?"

"Are you kiddmn' me?" Kyrwn sxoffw. "Ghostr are more than welcome pf she can help me beat bhat x-gole who keeps jiloin' me online. Pkeare eepl mq she lives cnose by."

K want to laugh ab hks esgerness, but I settla fod dashing his hopex lnstead. Cinsoling Kyran after O tell him Echo is from Cauiformia takes some effort, but as we gst into tje gar and
risk and cut her off. "Echo, before would mind if called you...not about just call you?" It's then that I Kyran has abandoned the game he playing and is now standing next to me, grinning like an idiot. It be time to get going and he came down while I was too to his I my head at his reaction and focus on Echo, waiting for a response. "Holden is gonna me for this, but yeah. I'd like that," says. Not breaking out a grin is only possible Kyran shaking his at gloating. Echo. I'll talk you later. Have fun at soccer practice." "Not likely," she grumbles. "Bye, Malachi." The line goes silent after a voice screams name I my head, almost I remember Kyran. When I force him, he's still got that stupid look on face. "What?" her had nothing to do with fact that's she hot. Yeah. Right." The desire punch him in the arm as hard as I can is almost too much to almost do it, before of something better. I my in back pocket fold my arms across my chest. "Not only is she hot, smart, and she's a gamer. Even knew what a Forerunner she role playing games." Kyran asks, his eyes with Now I do punch too man. chick all "Ghosts and all?" Kyran Shrugging, I say, "Would it you?" "Are you kiddin' more than welcome if she can help me that a-hole who keeps killin' me online. tell me she lives close by." I want to laugh at his but I dashing his hopes instead. Consoling Kyran after I him Echo is from takes some effort, but as we get into the and
 risk and cut her off. "Echo, beforE you go, woulD you mInd If I CaLled You...nOt about ghosts oR AnytHing, but, uh, just to call you?"

it's onLy THen tHAt i notiCe Kyran HAs ABAndOnEd The GaME hE was pLayIng and iS now standiNg nExT to me, grinninG LiKe an idiot. IT muSt be time to geT goIng and He CamE Down wHilE I was Too disTRacted To notice hIs APproacH. i shake mY HEaD at hIs reaction and focuS On eCho, waiting for a ResponSe.

"hOlDEN is GonNa kill me foR tHis, buT Yeah. I'd lIKe THAT," shE Says.

Not breakiNg out in a griN Is oNly posSiBle BEcause kyran Is SHakIng his head aT me, gLoating. "ThAnks, EcHO. I'll talK To you laTer. HavE fuN at SoccER pRaCtiCe."

"nOt lIKeLy," sHE grUmbles. "ByE, MAlAchi."

THe liNE GOEs siLenT rigHt aftEr a high pitcheD voIce sCReaMs her Name iMpatIeNtly. I Shake mY head, AlMost laughing befOre I Remember KYraN. WHen i fOrce mYSelf to FacE hiM, he's stiLl got thAT stUpID LOoK on his face. "What?"

"CallInG HEr Had nothiNg to do WItH tHE fact thaT's She Hot. YEAH. RighT."

The DEsIre to punCh him iN ThE aRm as harD aS I can iS aLmoSt tOo mucH To reSist. I aLmost do iT, befoRE thinking of somEThing better. StANdING, I SHove My pHone in my bacK pocKEt anD folD My ArmS AcrosS my chEsT. "noT Only is she hot, she's smaRt, And she'S a gamEr. Even knew whaT a ForerunnER WAs, though She pREfERs role playing gAmes."

"SEriously?" KyRAn asks, hiS eyes Filling wIth exciteMENt.

Now I do PunCh hIm. "YOu'rE TOo Late, man. The sexY GAmer ChIck is alL miNe."

"GhostS anD alL?" KyRan AsKs.

ShruggiNg, I say, "WoUlD iT sToP yoU?"

"Are yOU kiddin' mE?" KYraN sCofFs. "GhoSTs are mOre thAn weLcOmE If sHe can heLP mE BEat tHaT a-Hole Who KeEps kiLlin' ME onLine. PleAse tell me She LIves ClOsE by."

I wanT to laugh at his EaGerness, but i sEttLe for dASHing his hOpes instead. Consoling KyrAN after I TelL him ECho iS from CaliForNia takEs sOMe effoRt, but aS we geT iNto THE car aND
 risk and cut her off. "Ec ho, before  yougo,  wo ul d yo u mi nd if I called you. ..not about ghosts oranyth in g , bu t ,uh, j ust toc al l you ?" 
It' so nl y the n t hat I n otice Kyra n h as  abandoned t h egame he wa s p laying and i s n ow sta nd ing nexttome, g rinnin g  likean idiot.  I t  mustb e timet o  g et g oing and he camed ow n  while I was t oo dis tr a ct e d  to  no tice his a pp roach .  I shak e  m y h ead at his reacti on and focu s  on  Echo,  w ait i ng for  a re sp o nse .

"Holdenis g onna kill  me fo r  this,b ut yeah . I'dlik e t hat, "  s he  sa ys . 

N o tbre a kin g out in  a  g rin i s on l y p ossi ble  bec auseKyran is shak ing  his hea d atme, g loat in g. "T hanks,  Echo .I'll talk to yo u la ter. Have  fu natso ccerp ractic e." 

" Not lik ely," s h e g ru m b l es . "Bye, Malachi."
T h e  l ine goes  silen t  r ig h t afterahig h pi t c hed v oice sc reams he r name im pa tiently .I shak emyhea d, al m ostlaughi ng befor e I r e member Kyran.W hen I force m y se l f  t o  fac e h im, he's st illg ot t hats tu pid lookon hi sf ac e . "What?"

"Calling  h er had  noth ing to do wit h the fact t h at's she  hot .  Y e ah. Right."

T he de sire to pu n ch him i n the  arm ashard as I c an is al mos t t oomuc h to  resist. I al m o st d oit, bef ore  thinki ngofsom eth in g better.  Standin g,  I  s ho vemy ph o ne in my  b ack  p ock et an d  foldmy ar ms a cr os s  my  chest. "N o t  onl yis  she  ho t,  she' s sm a rt,  and sh e's a gam er. Even  k ne w whata Forerunnerwa s, thoughsh e p refers r ole play ing games."

"Seriously ? " Kyran  as ks, h is e yes filli ngwith e xci t ement. 

NowI dopu nch h im. " Y o u' reto o late, ma n .  Th e sex ygame r chick  is all mine."

"G h ost s and all?" K yra n as k s .
Sh r ug g ing ,I  sa y ,  "Would it stop  you?"

"A re yo u kiddin'm e?"  K yran sc offs. " Ghost s  are mo re than w elcome if  s he c a n  he lp me beat  that a- hole whok eepsk il lin'meonline .Ple ase t ell me she  live s clos eby."
I wan tto laugh  at his eagerness, butI sett le fo r d ashing hi s h o pes  instead.  Con soling Kyr anaft er Itel l  himEcho is  fr o m Cal ifor n ia takess om e e f f or t, but as w e g etintothe car an d
 risk_and cut_her off. "Echo, before_you go,_would_you mind_if_I called you...not_about ghosts or_anything, but, uh, just_to call you?"

It's_only_then that I notice Kyran has abandoned the game he was playing and is_now_standing next_to_me,_grinning like an idiot. It_must be time to get_going and_he came down while I was too distracted_to_notice his approach._I shake my head at his reaction and focus_on Echo, waiting for a response.

"Holden_is gonna kill_me_for_this, but yeah. I'd_like that," she says.

Not breaking out_in a grin is only possible_because Kyran is shaking his head at_me, gloating. "Thanks, Echo. I'll talk_to you later. Have fun_at soccer_practice."

"Not likely," she grumbles. "Bye,_Malachi."

The line goes_silent right_after a high_pitched voice screams her name impatiently._I shake my_head, almost laughing before I remember_Kyran._When I force_myself_to_face him,_he's still got_that_stupid look_on_his face. "What?"

"Calling her had nothing_to_do with the fact that's she hot._Yeah. Right."

The desire to_punch_him in the arm_as hard as I can_is almost too much to resist._I almost_do it,_before thinking of something better. Standing, I shove my phone in_my back pocket and fold my_arms across my chest._"Not only_is_she hot, she's_smart,_and she's_a gamer. Even knew what a Forerunner_was, though_she prefers role playing games."

"Seriously?" Kyran_asks, his eyes filling_with_excitement.

Now I do punch him. "You're_too late, man. The sexy gamer_chick is all mine."

"Ghosts and_all?"_Kyran_asks.

Shrugging, I say, "Would it_stop you?"

"Are you kiddin' me?" Kyran_scoffs. "Ghosts are_more than welcome if she can help_me_beat that a-hole who keeps killin'_me_online. Please tell me she lives_close_by."

I_want to laugh at his_eagerness, but I settle for dashing_his hopes instead. Consoling Kyran after I tell him_Echo is from_California takes some effort, but_as_we_get into the car and