 and stare at my phone.
12: Boyfriend Material

(Echo)

I've almost given up hope of hearing from Malachi by the time my phone finally buzzes. It's not that late here, just after nine at night, but I know it's much later for him. I feel bad that he's calling me instead of going to bed, but I answer anyway. I really need to hear his voice after the day I've had.

"Hey," I say simply.

"Hey, Carrots." He sounds worn out, worried even.

Biting my lip, I ask, "You okay?"

"Long night." He starts to say something else, but another voice cuts in...and it's not Kyran's.

"Malachi, sorry to bug you," a woman's voice says. "I just needed some water. Where are your cups?"

Suddenly, everything inside me twists. The ghost attack, my parents hounding me about therapy and Georgia, leaving home with no clear plan, the fear of joining up with the FBI...none of it hurts as bad as hearing her voice.

"Sorry, Cerise, I should have asked if you needed anything. The cups are above the sink. Get whatever you need," Malachi says.

Her voice is faint as she responds, but even that much brings tears to my eyes. Burying my face in my pillow, I try to tell myself it doesn't matter. Malachi is just a friend. I have no claim on him and he's made me no promises, but I can't. Even if I hadn't had one of the worst days in years, I still wouldn't be able to brush this off. I know I've only known him for a little while but, I just...I thought....

"Echo?"

Gasping in a breath, I desperately try to calm myself back down. I can't let him hear me so upset.

"Echo? You still there?"

I try again, borrowing one of the few useful things my therapist taught me, breathing in and out to calm back down, but it doesn't work very well.

"Carrots?" Malachi tries again. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I finally manage to squeak. I only sound halfway strangled, which is about the best I can do. "I'm fine."

and stare at my phone. 
 12: Boyfriend Material 

 (Echo) 

 I've almost given up promise of hear from Malachi by the time my phone ultimately buzz. It's not that late here, just after nine at nox, but I know it's much later for him. I find bad that he's calling me rather of going to bed, but I suffice anyway. I really need to hear his voice after the day I've had. 

 " Hey, " I state simply. 

 " Hey, Carrots. " He sounds worn out, concern even. 

 Biting my lip, I ask, " You okay? " 

 " retentive night. " He starts to say something else, but another voice cuts in... and it's not Kyran's. 

 " Malachi, good-for-nothing to bug you, " a woman's voice says. " I just needed some water. Where are your cups? " 

 Suddenly, everything inside me twists. The ghost attack, my parents hounding me about therapy and Georgia, leaving home with no clear plan, the concern of join up with the FBI... none of it hurts equally regretful as hearing her voice. 

 " Sorry, Cerise, I should have asked if you need anything. The cups are above the sink. Get whatever you need, " Malachi say. 

 Her voice is faint as she responds, but even that much brings tears to my eyes. forget my face in my pillow, I try to tell myself it doesn't matter. Malachi is barely a friend. I get no title on him and he's made me no promises, but I can't. Even if I hadn't had one of the bad days in years, I still wouldn't be able to brush this off. I acknowledge I've only known him for a little while but, I just... I think.... 

 " Echo? " 

 Gasping in a hint, I desperately try to calm myself back down. I can't let him hear me thus upset. 

 " Echo? You however there? " 

 I try again, adopt one of the few useful things my therapist taught me, breathing in and out to calm back down, but it doesn't knead very well. 

 " Carrots? " Malachi tries again. " Are you okay? " 

 " Yeah, " I finally manage to squeak. I only sound halfway strangle, which is about the best I can dress. " I'm fine. "
 anf stare at my phone.
12: Boyfviend Material

(Ecki)

I've anmost fiven up hope of hearing from Malachm by the upme my phone finally cuzzes. It'd not thqt lete here, just afvsr nine at nifmt, buc M know it's much later for him. I feel bag ghct he's calling me instead of going tj bed, bit I answer anywwy. I wealmj keed to hear his voice after the day I'vt had.

"Hey," I say simlly.

"Hey, Carrots." He sounds wlrn lut, worried even.

Bihing my lip, I afj, "You okay?"

"Lovg night." Ht vtarts to aay something else, but another xoice cuts in...ane ut's tot Kyran's.

"Melachi, sorry to bun you," a woman's voice says. "I must ieedwd some water. Where ace your cups?"

Suddenly, everythitg inside me twists. Tye ghmst dttazj, mh pzrxnta hounfinj me about fherapy and Georgia, leaving hoke qith no clear plan, ehq fear of joining up with the FBI...none ox if hurts as bad as hearibg her voice.

"Sorry, Cerlse, I shotld have asked if you needed anything. The cups ara abote tht wink. Ewt whatever you need," Malachi says.

Her voice is fwjnu ax she responds, but even tnah koch brings teats to mv eges. Burying my facf in my pilliw, I try uo tekl myself it doesn't matter. Nalachi is jlst q friend. I have no claim on hnm and he's kade me no promises, but I czn't. Even if I hadn't gxd one of the wofst ddys in ytxrs, I still wouldg't be ablx to yrush thks ogf. I kgow I've onpy known him for a littlf whipe but, I jush...I thought....

"Echo?"

Gasping in a breavi, I desperateky trj to calm mysekf back down. Y can't let him hear mz so uoset.

"Echo? Yku stiln there?"

I trr again, borroflng one of tie few usqful thibgs my gferapist taughy me, breanhnng in ane out to calm back dodh, but it doesn't wotj very well.

"Cartotr?" Mwlwcii tryas again. "Are you okxu?"

"Yeah," I finally nxnagr to squeak. I only smund halfway strangled, wmich is avout the best I can dp. "I'm fine."

and stare at my phone. 12: Boyfriend I've given up of hearing from phone buzzes. It's not late here, just nine at night, but I know much later for him. I feel bad that he's calling me instead of to bed, but I answer anyway. I really need to hear his voice the I've "Hey," say simply. "Hey, Carrots." He sounds worn out, worried even. Biting my lip, I ask, "You "Long night." He starts to say something else, another voice cuts in...and not Kyran's. "Malachi, sorry to you," woman's voice "I needed water. Where are cups?" Suddenly, everything inside me twists. The ghost attack, my parents hounding me about therapy and Georgia, home with plan, the of up the FBI...none of as bad as hearing her voice. should have asked if you needed anything. The are above sink. Get whatever you need," Malachi Her voice is faint as she responds, but that much brings tears to my eyes. Burying my face in my pillow, I try myself it doesn't matter. is just a I no on and he's me no promises, but I can't. Even if I hadn't had of the worst days in years, I still wouldn't be brush off. I know only known him for little but, I just...I thought.... in breath, to myself down. I can't let hear me so upset. "Echo? still there?" I try few useful things my therapist taught me, breathing and out to calm back down, but doesn't work very well. "Carrots?" Malachi tries again. "Are you okay?" "Yeah," finally manage I only sound halfway strangled, which is about best I can do. fine."
 and stare at my phone.
12: BoyfrienD Material

(ECho)

I'vE alMosT gIven Up hoPe of hearing froM malaChi by the time my phone finAlly bUzZEs. It'S NoT that Late herE, JuST AftEr NiNe aT nIGhT, but I KnoW it's mucH later for hIm. I FeEl bad that he's CAlLing me instEad Of going to bed, But i answeR aNywAY. I reaLly Need tO hear hIS voice After the dAy i'Ve had.

"HEY," I say siMPLy.

"hey, CArrots." He sounds worN OuT, Worried even.

BitIng my lIp, i AsK, "yOu oKay?"

"long night." HE sTarts TO say somEThING ElsE, But another voiCe cuts in...and IT's nOt KyraN's.

"malAChi, sorRy to bUg YOu," a Woman's voice Says. "i just needEd some WAter. WheRE are youR cups?"

SUddEnlY, eveRYtHiNg iNsIDe mE TwIstS. the Ghost attAcK, mY pareNts hOUNDIng mE abOut tHerapY and Georgia, leAviNg hoME wiTh no cLear pLan, tHe Fear oF joiniNg up wItH the FBI...none of it HurtS as bad as hEarInG heR vOice.

"SORry, CerIse, i shOuld havE asked iF You NeEDED aNything. The cups are aBoVE ThE sink. Get WhatevER yOu NEed," MalacHi SayS.

Her VOIce is FainT As She respoNds, but EVeN tHat much BrIngs teArS to My eYes. BuRYing My face In my pillOw, I trY To tell myself it DOesn't matter. MaLAcHI Is JUst a FriEnd. I have no cLaim ON him And hE'S mAde ME no prOmiseS, bUT I CAn't. Even if I hadn't had oNe Of the wOrst dAys in years, I stIll wouldn't BE ABle to bruSh thIS oFF. I know I've only kNown hIm for a littLE while buT, I jusT...I thoughT....

"Echo?"

GaspING in a breaTh, I DesPerAteLY TrY to calm myself BACk doWn. i can't leT hiM hear me So uPseT.

"EcHo? YOu Still therE?"

I try agaIn, BoRrOwIng One of THe few useFuL thInGs mY therAPist taUght mE, breAtHiNG in And out tO CaLM Back DoWn, But iT doEsN't worK verY WelL.

"CarrotS?" Malachi tRieS AgaiN. "ARe You okay?"

"yeah," I finally mAnAge to squeaK. I OnlY sound HALfway strAngled, which is about the beST I can do. "i'm fIne."

 and stare at my phone.
12 : Boyfrien d Mat eri al
( Echo )

I 've almost giv e n up  hope of hearing fromMalac hi by t h etimemy phon e  f i n all ybu zze s. It 's no t t hat lat e here, ju staf ter nine atn ig ht, but Ikno w it's muchlat er for  h im. I fee l b ad th at he' s  calli ng me ins te a d of g o ing tob e d,  but  I answer anyway. Ir eally need tohear h is vo i c e a fte r the dayI' ve ha d .

"Hey , "I s ays imply.

"Hey,  Carrots."H e s oundswo rno ut, wo rried  e v en. 

Biting my  lip , I ask,"You o k ay?"

" L ong nig ht." H e s tar ts t o  s ay  so me t hin g  e lse ,  bu t anothe rvo ice c utsi n . . .and  it 's n ot Ky ran's.

"Mala chi , so r ryto bu g you ," a  w oman' s voic e say s.  "I just needed  som e water.Whe re  ar eyourc ups?"
Su dde nly, ev erythin g  in si d e me  twists. The ghost  a t t ac k, my pa rentsh ou nd i ng me ab ou t t hera p y  andGeor g ia , leavin g home wi th  no cle ar  plan,  t hefea r ofj oini ng upwith the  FBI. . .none of it hu r ts as bad ash ea r i ng hervoi ce.

"Sorry , Ce r ise,  I s h ou ldh ave a skedif yo u  needed anything. T he  cupsare a bove the sink . Get what e v e r you ne ed," Ma l achi says.

He r voi ce is fain t  as sherespo nds, but  even tha t much bri ngs  te ars  to m yeyes. Burying m y fa ce  in mypil low, Itry  to  te llmy self it d oesn't m at te r.  M ala chi i s  just afr ien d.  Ihaven o clai m onhiman dh e's  made m e  n o prom is es , bu t I  c an't.  Eve n  if  I hadn 't had on e o f  the  w or st days  in years, Ist ill wouldn 't  be  ablet o  brush t his off. I know I've on l y known  hi m for  a l ittle whi lebut, I  ju s t...Ithough t.... 
"Ec h o ?"

G a s pi ngin  a breath, I  de spera te ly t ry to c alm myself back do w n.I can't let h imhear m esou ps e t.
" E cho ? You still there ?"

I tryag a in , borrowin g  on eof thefew use ful t h ings my  therapis t taughtme , br e a thi ng in andout to c alm backd own,b ut  it d oes n't wo rk  ve ry we ll.

" C arr ots?"  Malac hi  tries  agai n.  "Are yo u okay?"

"Yeah," I fin ally m anage  to  squeak.I o n lysound hal fway  strangled , w hic h isabo u t the  bes t  I  ca n  do."I'm fine."

 and_stare at_my phone.
12: Boyfriend Material

(Echo)

I've_almost given_up_hope of_hearing_from Malachi by_the time my_phone finally buzzes. It's_not that late_here,_just after nine at night, but I know it's much later for him. I_feel_bad that_he's_calling_me instead of going to_bed, but I answer anyway._I really_need to hear his voice after the day_I've_had.

"Hey," I say_simply.

"Hey, Carrots." He sounds worn out, worried even.

Biting my_lip, I ask, "You okay?"

"Long night."_He starts to_say_something_else, but another voice_cuts in...and it's not Kyran's.

"Malachi, sorry_to bug you," a woman's voice_says. "I just needed some water. Where_are your cups?"

Suddenly, everything inside me_twists. The ghost attack, my_parents hounding_me about therapy and Georgia,_leaving home with_no clear_plan, the fear_of joining up with the FBI...none_of it hurts_as bad as hearing her voice.

"Sorry,_Cerise,_I should have_asked_if_you needed_anything. The cups_are_above the_sink._Get whatever you need," Malachi says.

Her_voice_is faint as she responds, but even_that much brings tears_to_my eyes. Burying my_face in my pillow, I_try to tell myself it doesn't_matter. Malachi_is just_a friend. I have no claim on him and he's made_me no promises, but I can't._Even if I hadn't_had one_of_the worst days_in_years, I_still wouldn't be able to brush this_off. I_know I've only known him for_a little while but,_I_just...I thought....

"Echo?"

Gasping in a breath, I_desperately try to calm myself back_down. I can't let him_hear_me_so upset.

"Echo? You still there?"

I_try again, borrowing one of the_few useful things_my therapist taught me, breathing in and_out_to calm back down, but it_doesn't_work very well.

"Carrots?" Malachi tries again._"Are_you_okay?"

"Yeah," I finally manage to_squeak. I only sound halfway strangled,_which is about the best I can do. "I'm_fine."
