acket. Maybe if something bad does happen to me...maybe it would be preferable to this."

His face falls and the shock that registers on his face is like a punch in the gut. "Echo, you don't mean that," he says, his voice pleading.

Tears pool in my eyes, but I don't know if it's for the pain I'm causing him or the pain I know is in store for me if I stay here and continue to let them rule my life and look at me like I'm insane. He's too stunned to stop me from opening the car door and shoving him out of the way.

"I can't do this right now, Dad." I shake my head and toss my backpack into the car. "I can't do any of this anymore."

My car door slams after I get in and I leave him standing there in the driveway looking like I just ripped out his heart. I know I'm breaking at least a few traffic laws as I speed toward school, but I just had to get away from both of them before I lost it. Nobody talks to me once I reach the school. Even the superfans leave me alone, which is a small miracle.

I make it through first hour without any further mood-killing incidents, but my already lousy luck bottoms out halfway through second hour when my English teacher shivers. Normally, that might not cause any heads to turn, but I feel the cold a second later and am instantly spooked. The guy next to me zips up his hoodie a little higher and the girl in the tank top on my other side starts rubbing her arms.

My hand shoots up immediately. "Mr. Whitmore, can I be excused to the restroom?"

He shrugs and goes back to his lesson. I get more than one weird look as I jump up from my seat and hurry out of the room. The cold follows me. I was hoping it would. Well, I was hoping it'd just go away, but I'd rather not add any more speculation of my sanity by trying to fend off a vengeful ghost in the middle of an English lecture.

Racing toward the women's restroom, my hand grabs the handle and I freeze. My heart is pounding and my breathing is up at marathon runner levels, but what really freaks me out is way my breaths are misting up. No, no,
acket. Maybe if something bad does happen to me... maybe it would be preferable to this. " 

 His grimace decrease and the shock that registers on his face is like a punch in the catgut. " Echo, you don't mean that, " he says, his articulation pleading. 

 Tears pond in my eyes, but I don't know if it's for the annoyance I'm causing him or the pain I know is in store for me if I last out here and continue to let them rule my life and look at me like I'm harebrained. He's too stunned to stop me from open the car door and jostle him out of the way. 

 " I can't make this right now, Dad. " I shake my head and toss my backpack into the cable car. " I can't do any of this anymore. " 

 My car door slams after I get in and I leave him stand there in the driveway looking like I just ripped out his heart. I know I'm breaking at least a few traffic laws as I speed toward school, but I just have to get away from both of them before I lost it. Nobody speak to me once I reach the school. Even the superfans leave me alone, which is a belittled miracle. 

 I make it through first hour without any further mood - killing incident, but my already lousy luck bottoms out halfway through second hour when my English teacher shivers. Normally, that might not cause any heads to flex, but I feel the cold a second later and am instantly spook. The guy next to me zips up his hoodie a little high and the girlfriend in the tank top on my other side startle rubbing her arms. 

 My hand shoot up immediately. " Mr. Whitmore, can I be excuse to the restroom? " 

 He shrugs and go back to his lesson. I make more than one weird expression as I jump up from my buttocks and hurry out of the room. The cold follows me. I was hoping it would. Well, I was hop it'd just go away, but I'd rather not add any more meditation of my sanity by trying to fend off a vengeful ghost in the middle of an English lecture. 

 Racing toward the women's restroom, my hand catch the handle and I freeze. My heart is pounding and my breathing is up at marathon ball carrier levels, but what really freak out me out is way my breaths are misting up. No, no,
ackft. Maybe if something baa does happen to me...mayue it wkuld be oreferable to this."

His face fells and uke shock that registdrs on hid face iw lijw a punch mh the gmc. "Echk, you von't mean that," me says, his voice pleadinc.

Tdaxs pool in my eyes, but I don't know is it's fpr the pain I'm cwusimd hij or the pain I know is in store fkr me ih I stay here amd continue to let them rupe mj life and look at me like I'm inswbe. He's too sgunned to stop me from opening the car door and shovivg hik out of tye waj.

"H can't do tiis ridht now, Dad." L shake my heac and toss my nackpeck unto the car. "I can't dm any of this anymjre."

My car dkor slams after I gwt in and I ldqve hij xtznding thxre in the sriveway loiking like I just rop[vc out his hezrt. I hnjw I'm breaking at least a few traffic ldws as I speed toward schoil, but I just had to het away srom both of them before I lost it. Nobody talks tm me kvce I fwafh the school. Even the superfans leave me alogs, ehpch is a small mivacle.

I make it thrpuhh sirst hour wijhout aug rurther mood-killinh incidgnts, byt my alrtady kousy luck bottoms out halfqay through fwcond hour when my English teccher xhivets. Normally, that might uot cahse any heafs to turh, but I feel the zolc d second later and am instwntly spoiked. The guh nect to ie zips up his mmodie a little higjer aud tha girl in hhe tank top on my other side sverts rubbing nes agms.

My hanb shoobs up immediatejy. "Mr. Whitmore, can I ye excjsed to thv restrook?"

He shrugs wnd goes back jo his lesson. I get mjre rhan one wekfd look as I jimp up from my seat and hurry out of bhe rukm. The cold folooww me. I was hopimg kt rolld. Wqnl, I was hophng kt'd kust eo away, but K'd rsther not add any mose sleculation of my ssnlty by triing to fqnd off a venbeful ghost in the middne uf an Endlish lecture.

Racing toward the women's rfstvoom, my hand drabw the handle and I freeze. My heart is pounding and ny breathing is uk at marathon runner ktvels, but whav realjy freaks me out is way my brwaths are misting up. No, no,
acket. Maybe if something bad does happen it be preferable this." His face registers his face is a punch in gut. "Echo, you don't mean that," says, his voice pleading. Tears pool in my eyes, but I don't know it's for the pain I'm causing him or the pain I know is store me I here and continue to let them rule my life and look at me like I'm insane. too stunned to stop me from opening the door and shoving him of the way. "I can't this now, Dad." shake head toss my backpack the car. "I can't do any of this anymore." My car door slams after I get in I leave there in driveway like just ripped out I know I'm breaking at least laws as I speed toward school, but I had to away from both of them before lost it. Nobody talks to me once I the school. Even the superfans leave me alone, which is a small miracle. I make first hour without any mood-killing incidents, but already luck out through second when my English teacher shivers. Normally, that might not cause any to turn, but I feel the cold a second later instantly The guy next me zips up his a higher and the girl tank on starts her My hand shoots up "Mr. Whitmore, can I be to the restroom?" He his lesson. I get more than one weird as I jump up from my seat hurry out of the room. The cold follows me. I was hoping would. Well, hoping it'd just go away, but I'd rather add any more speculation my sanity by trying to fend off a vengeful in middle of English lecture. Racing the women's restroom, hand grabs the I freeze. heart pounding is up at marathon runner levels, what freaks me out is way breaths up. No, no,
acket. Maybe if something bad dOes happen tO me...maYbe It wOuLd be PrefErable to this."

HiS Face Falls and the shock that reGisteRs ON his FAcE is liKe a puncH In THE guT. "EChO, yoU dON't Mean tHat," He says, hIs voice pleAdiNg.

tears pool in mY EyEs, but I don't KnoW if it's for the PaiN I'm cauSiNg hIM or thE paIn I knOw is in STore foR me if I staY hERe and cONtinue tO LEt Them Rule my life and look AT mE Like I'm insane. He'S too stUnNEd TO StoP me From openinG tHe car DOor and sHOvING Him OUt of the way.

"I caN't do this rigHT noW, Dad." I sHaKe mY Head anD toss My BAckPack into the Car. "I Can't do any Of this ANymore."

MY Car door Slams aFteR I gEt in ANd i lEavE hIM stANdIng THerE in the drIvEwAy looKing LIKE i jusT riPped Out hiS heart. I know I'm BreAkinG At lEast a Few trAffiC lAws as i speed TowarD sChool, but I just haD to gEt away froM boTh Of tHeM befoRE I lost It. NOboDy talks To me oncE i reAcH THE sChool. Even the superfAnS LEaVe me alonE, which IS a SmALl miraclE.

I MakE it tHROugh fIrst HOuR without Any furTHeR mOod-killInG incidEnTs, bUt mY alreADy loUsy lucK bottoms Out haLFway through secONd hour when my ENGlISH tEAcheR shIvers. NormalLy, thAT migHt noT CaUse ANy heaDs to tUrN, BuT i feel the cold a second LaTer and Am insTantly spooked. the guy next TO ME zips up hIs hoODiE A little higher aNd the Girl in the tANk top on mY otheR side staRts rubbinG HEr arms.

My HanD shOotS up IMMeDiately. "Mr. WhitMORe, caN I Be excusEd tO the resTroOm?"

HE shRugS aNd goes bacK to his leSsOn. i gEt MorE than ONe weird lOoK as i jUmp Up froM My seat And huRry oUt Of THe rOom. The cOLd FOLlowS mE. I Was hOpiNg It wouLd. WeLL, I wAs hopinG it'd just gO awAY, but i'd RaTher not Add any more speCuLation of my SaNitY by tryING to fend oFf a vengeful ghost in the miDDle of an engLish lEctuRe.

Racing tOwaRd the wOmeN'S restrOom, my hAnd grAbS thE HAndle AND I FreEzE. My heart is POUndIng anD mY breAthing iS up at marathon runneR LevEls, but what reaLly FreaKS Me Out IS wAY my BrEAthS ARe misting up. No, no,
acket. Maybe if somethingbad does h appen  to  me .. .may be i t would be pre f erab le to this."

His face  fall sa nd t h eshock  that r e gi s t ers  o nhis  f a ce  is l ike  a punc h in the g ut.  " Echo, you do n 't  mean that ,"he says, his  vo ice pl ea din g .

Te ars  pool  in my eyes,but I don 't know i f  it's f o r  t he p ain I'm causing h i mo r the pain I k now is  i n  s t o refor  me if I s ta y her e  and co n ti n u e  to let them rule  my life an d  lo ok atme  li k e I'minsan e. He' s too stunn ed t o stop me  fromo peningt he cardoor a ndsho ving hi mout  o f  th e  w ay. 
"I  can't d oth is ri ghtn o w ,  Dad ."I sh ake m y head and to ssmy b a ckp ack i nto t he c ar . "Ican'tdo an yof this anymore ."
My car do orsl ams  a fterI  get i n a ndI leave  him st a ndi ng t h er e in the drivewaylo o k in g like I  justr ip pe d  out his  h ear t. I k now I 'm b r ea king atleasta  f ew  traffi claws a sI s pee d tow a rd s chool,  but I j ust h a d to get awayf rom both of t h em b ef o re I  lo st it. Nobo dy t a lksto m e  o nce I rea ch th es ch o ol. Even the superf an s leav e mealone, whichis a small m i racle.
I ma k ei t through firs t hou r withouta ny furth er mo od-killi ng incide n t s, but m y a lre ady  lo u s yluck bottomso u t ha lf way thr oug h secon d h our  wh enmy  Englishteachersh iv er s.  No rmall y , that m ig htno t c ausea ny hea ds to  tur n,  b u t I  feel t h ec o ld a  s ec ondlat er  andam i n sta ntly sp ooked. Th e g u y ne xt  t o me zi ps up his hoo di e a little  h igh er and t he girlin the tank top on my o t her sid e s tarts  rub bing herarm s.

My  ha n d shoo ts upimmed ia tel y .  "Mr. W hi tmo re , can I be e xcu sed t otherestroo m?"

He shrugs and goe s back to his  le sson . Iget mo r e t ha n  on e weird look as I  jump up f ro m  m y seat and hur ry  out of  the ro om. T h e coldfollows m e. I washo ping i t w ould. Well , I washoping it ' d jus t  g o awa y,but I' drat her n ot add any  more  specu la tion o f mysa nity bytrying to fend off a ve ngeful  ghos t i n the mid dle ofan Englis h le cture.

Ra cin g t oward  th e  wome n'sr es tro o m, my  han d  grabs th e  h and l e  a nd I freeze . M y h eartisp oundin g an d my breathing is up at marathon  run n e r l eve l s, b ut  what really f rea ks m e out is  w ay my breat hs are m is t ing u p. No,  no,
acket. Maybe_if something_bad does happen to_me...maybe it_would_be preferable_to_this."

His face falls_and the shock_that registers on his_face is like_a_punch in the gut. "Echo, you don't mean that," he says, his voice pleading.

Tears_pool_in my_eyes,_but_I don't know if it's_for the pain I'm causing_him or_the pain I know is in store for_me_if I stay_here and continue to let them rule my life_and look at me like I'm_insane. He's too_stunned_to_stop me from opening_the car door and shoving him_out of the way.

"I can't do_this right now, Dad." I shake my_head and toss my backpack into_the car. "I can't do_any of_this anymore."

My car door slams_after I get_in and_I leave him_standing there in the driveway looking_like I just_ripped out his heart. I know_I'm_breaking at least_a_few_traffic laws_as I speed_toward_school, but_I_just had to get away from_both_of them before I lost it. Nobody_talks to me once_I_reach the school. Even_the superfans leave me alone,_which is a small miracle.

I make_it through_first hour_without any further mood-killing incidents, but my already lousy luck bottoms_out halfway through second hour when_my English teacher shivers._Normally, that_might_not cause any_heads_to turn,_but I feel the cold a second_later and_am instantly spooked. The guy next_to me zips up_his_hoodie a little higher and the_girl in the tank top on_my other side starts rubbing_her_arms.

My_hand shoots up immediately. "Mr._Whitmore, can I be excused to_the restroom?"

He shrugs_and goes back to his lesson. I_get_more than one weird look as_I_jump up from my seat and_hurry_out_of the room. The cold_follows me. I was hoping it_would. Well, I was hoping it'd just go away,_but I'd rather_not add any more speculation_of_my_sanity by trying to fend off a vengeful ghost in_the middle_of an English_lecture.

Racing toward the women's restroom, my hand grabs the handle_and I freeze. My heart is pounding_and my breathing is up at marathon runner levels, but what_really freaks me out is way my breaths_are misting up. No, no,