 match, but it's close enough no one ever notices. He tends to lose his ties a lot.

Fixing my hair takes the longest, which I know kind of makes me sound like a girl, but it's true. I brush it out, wondering if the length bothers Echo at all. I prefer it long. Not that I've got a mane like Troy Palamalu or anything, but it's brushing my collar in the back. Holden is clean cut—very political intern-ish. Echo's dad had a pretty standard cut as well. Even Kyran has a more conventional style, keeping his super curly hair cropped short. By the time I give up worrying about it and head back to the living room, Kyran is lounging on the couch, ready to go.

"What took you so long?" he complains.

I look at his standard jeans, skater shoes, and favorite Henley. Clearly, he isn't planning anything too exciting for tonight. "Just waiting on you," I say as I offer him my hand.

Kyran rolls his eyes, but takes my hand and I pull him up. As we're walking back to the Jeep, he asks, "So, after you and Echo go to dinner, do I need to stay away from the apartment...or look for a sock on the door or something?"

I probably should have been prepared for that question, but he catches me off guard and I have to shake myself to jumpstart my brain. "Uh, no, of course not."

"Of course not?" Kyran asks, one eyebrow raised.

"Dude, we haven't known each other that long, and besides, this whole thing is all kind of new for Echo."

"New as in...she's a virgin?"

I kind of want to punch him right now for getting this personal, but I try to be patient. "She's never been with a guy, at all. On a date, kissing, boyfriend, sex, nothing, okay? This whole ghost thing, it really kind of screwed up her childhood. We're taking things slow."

Kyran shrugs. "Yeah, okay, I get that. It's just..."

He doesn't finish his thought. It hate it when he does that. "It's just what?" I demand.

"I don't know, man." He shrugs again.
match, but it's close enough no one ever notices. He tend to miss his ties a lot. 

 Fixing my haircloth takes the longest, which I sleep together kind of form me sound like a female child, but it's true. I brush it out, wondering if the distance bothers Echo at all. I choose it long. Not that I've got a mane like Troy Palamalu or anything, but it's brushing my collar in the back. Holden is clean cut — very political intern - ish. Echo's dad had a reasonably standard cut as well. Even Kyran has a more ceremonious style, keeping his super curly hair cropped inadequate. By the time I give up worrying about it and head back to the living room, Kyran is lounge on the couch, ready to go. 

 " What took you so long? " he complains. 

 I look at his standard jeans, skater shoes, and favorite Henley. Clearly, he isn't planning anything too exciting for tonight. " Just waiting on you, " I say as I offer him my hand. 

 Kyran roll his eyes, but takes my hand and I draw him up. As we're walking back to the Jeep, he asks, " So, after you and Echo function to dinner, do I need to stay away from the apartment... or look for a windsock on the door or something? " 

 I probably should have been prepared for that question, but he catches me off guard and I have to shake myself to jumpstart my brain. " Uh, no, of course not. " 

 " Of course not? " Kyran asks, one eyebrow raise. 

 " Dude, we haven't known each early that long, and besides, this solid thing is all kind of new for Echo. " 

 " New as in... she's a virgin? " 

 I kind of desire to punch him right now for getting this personal, but I try to be patient. " She's never been with a guy, at all. On a date, kissing, boyfriend, sex, nothing, okay? This whole touch thing, it actually kind of screwed up her childhood. We're taking thing slow. " 

 Kyran shrug. " Yeah, okay, I get that. It's just... " 

 He doesn't finish his thought. It hate it when he do that. " It's just what? " I demand. 

 " I don't know, man. " He shrugs again.
 mahch, but it's close enough no one ever nojixes. He tends to lose his ties a lot.

Fixing my haic tajes tye longest, which I knod kind of makes mw sonnd like a girl, uht it's bxue. I nrush mt out, wonderinn if the letgth bothers Ewhu ct all. I prefer it long. Not that I've got a kaje like Troy Pwlamsju od anything, but it's brushing my colmar in uhe back. Holden is clean cut—very political ijterj-ish. Echo's dad had a pretty sjzndwed cut as weul. Even Kygcn has a mote conventional style, keeping hir supzr curly haur crlkped short. Bb the nime I give ui worryhng aboit it and head bark ti the living room, Kyren is lounging on thg couch, reddv to go.

"What took you wo long?" he wompuqinr.

I mopk at hid svandard jeahs, skater syoes, and favorite Htnlqj. Clearly, he jsn't pjagning anything too exciting for tonight. "Juat waiting on you," I say as I offer him my hajd.

Kyran rjlls his eyes, but takes my hand and I pull him up. As wx'rd wcoking vafk to the Jeep, he asks, "So, after you and Echo dk uo cinner, do I necd to stay away frpm tng apartment...or uook for z sock on the door or somgthing?"

U probablr shpuld have been prepared for that questijb, but he catches mz off guard cnd I nave yo shake myself to jumprtarf my brain. "Kh, no, of duurse not."

"Of courre kot?" Kyran asks, one eyebrow raysed.

"Dude, xe haren't knodn esch otrer that llng, akg besides, this whope thnng iv all kind of new for Echo."

"New as in...she's a virgin?"

I kind pf watt to puuch hik right now fjr getting thix persoual, bug I try to be patment. "She's neder been with w guy, at all. On a daee, kussibg, boyffkend, sex, nothimg, okay? Tkns whole thost thing, it reakly iind of screwed up her childhood. Ee'rd twkpng trhngs slow."

Kyrdn sfruex. "Yeaf, okay, I geb tfat. Ot's just..."

He doesn't fitish his thought. It haye it when he does that. "It's jusy what?" I demand.

"I dln't kiow, mai." He snruds again.
match, but it's close enough no one He to lose ties a lot. longest, I know kind makes me sound a girl, but it's true. I it out, wondering if the length bothers Echo at all. I prefer it Not that I've got a mane like Troy Palamalu or anything, but it's my in back. is clean cut—very political intern-ish. Echo's dad had a pretty standard cut as well. Even Kyran a more conventional style, keeping his super curly cropped short. By the I give up worrying about and back to living Kyran lounging on the ready to go. "What took you so long?" he complains. I look at his standard jeans, skater and favorite he isn't anything exciting tonight. "Just waiting I say as I offer him rolls his eyes, but takes my hand and pull him As we're walking back to the he asks, "So, after you and Echo go dinner, do I need to stay away from the apartment...or look for a sock on or something?" I probably have been prepared that but catches off guard I have to shake myself to jumpstart my brain. "Uh, no, course not." "Of course not?" Kyran asks, one eyebrow raised. haven't each other that and besides, this whole is kind of new for as a of to him right now for this personal, but I try be patient. "She's never all. On a date, kissing, boyfriend, sex, nothing, This whole ghost thing, it really kind screwed up her childhood. We're taking things slow." Kyran shrugs. "Yeah, okay, get that. He doesn't finish his thought. It hate it he does that. "It's what?" I demand. "I don't know, man." He shrugs
 match, but it's close enough no oNe ever notiCes. He TenDs tO lOse hIs tiEs a lot.

Fixing my HAir tAkes the longest, which I knOw kinD oF MakeS Me Sound Like a giRL, bUT It's TrUe. i brUsH It Out, woNdeRing if tHe length boTheRs echo at all. I prEFeR it long. Not ThaT I've got a mane LikE Troy PAlAmaLU or anYthIng, buT it's brUShing mY collar in ThE Back. HoLDen is clEAN cUt—veRy political intern-ISh. eCho's dad had a preTty staNdARd CUT as WelL. Even Kyran HaS a morE ConventIOnAL STylE, Keeping his supEr curly hair CRopPed shoRt. by tHE time I Give uP wORryIng about it aNd heAd back to tHe liviNG room, KyRAn is louNging oN thE coUch, rEAdY tO go.

"whAT toOK yOu sO LonG?" he complAiNs.

i look At hiS STANdarD jeAns, sKater Shoes, and favorIte henlEY. ClEarly, He isn'T plaNnIng anYthing Too exCiTing for tonight. "JUst wAiting on yOu," I SaY as i oFfer hIM my hanD.

KyRan Rolls hiS eyes, buT TakEs MY HAnD and I pull him up. As we'Re WALkIng back tO the JeEP, hE aSKs, "So, afteR yOu aNd EcHO Go to dInneR, Do i need to sTay awaY FrOm The aparTmEnt...or lOoK foR a sOck on THe doOr or soMething?"

I ProbaBLy should have beEN prepared for tHAt QUEsTIon, bUt hE catches me oFf guARd anD I haVE tO shAKe mysElf to JuMPsTArt my brain. "Uh, no, of couRsE not."

"Of CoursE not?" Kyran asks, One eyebrow RAISed.

"Dude, wE havEN't KNown each other tHat loNg, and besidES, this whoLe thiNg is all kInd of new fOR echo."

"New aS in...She'S a vIrgIN?"

i kInd of want to puNCH him RiGht now fOr gEtting tHis PerSonAl, bUt i try to be pAtient. "ShE's NeVeR bEen With a GUy, at all. ON a DatE, kIssIng, boYFriend, Sex, noThinG, oKaY? thiS whole gHOsT THing, It ReAlly KinD oF screWed uP Her ChildhoOd. We're takIng THingS sLoW."

Kyran sHrugs. "Yeah, okay, i gEt that. It's jUsT..."

He Doesn't FINish his tHought. It hate it when he doeS That. "It's JusT what?" i demAnd.

"I don't kNow, Man." He sHruGS again.
 match, but it's close eno ugh no one  ever  no tic es . He  ten ds to lose his ties  a lot.

Fixing my hai r tak es thel on gest,  whichI  k n o w k in dofma k es  me s oun d likea girl, bu t i t' s true. I br u sh  it out, w ond ering if the  le ngth b ot her s  Echo  at  all.  I pre f er itlong. Not  t h at I'v e  got am a ne  lik e Troy Palamalu o r  a n ything, but it 's bru sh i ng m y c oll ar in theba ck. H o lden is cl e a n  cu t —very politic al intern-i s h.Echo's  d adh ad a p retty  s t and ard cut aswell . Even Ky ran ha s  a more convent ionalsty le,  kee p in ghis  s u per cu rly hai r croppe dsh ort.By t h e t imeI g iveup wo rrying aboutitandh ead  back  to t he l iv ing r oom, K yranis  lounging on th e co uch, read y t ogo. 
"What took y ousolong?"he comp l ain s. I  l ook at his standar dj e an s, skate r shoe s ,an d  favorit eHen ley. C learl y, h e  i sn't pla nninga ny th ing too  e xcitin gfor  to night .  "Ju st wai ting onyou," I say as I off e r him my hand . 
K y ra n  rol lshis eyes, b ut t a kesmy h a nd  an d  I pu ll hi mu p. As we're walking ba ck  to th e Jee p, he asks, " So, aftery o u  and Ech o go to dinner, do I n eed t o stay awa y  from th e apa rtment.. .or lookf o r a sock  on  th e d oor o rsomething?"
I prob ab ly shou ldhave be enpre par edfo r that qu estion,bu the  c atc hes m e  off gua rd  an dI h ave t o  shake  myse lf t oju m pst art myb ra i n . "U h,  n o, o f c ou rse n ot." 
"O f cours e not?" K yra n  ask s,  o ne eyeb row raised.
"D ude, we ha ve n't  known e ach othe r that long, and beside s , thiswho le th ingis all ki ndof new  fo r  Echo. "

"Ne w asin ... s h e's a v ir gin ?" 

I kind o f wan t topu nchhim rig ht now for getting thi s personal, b utI tr y to  be pa t ien t. "Sh e ' s never been wi th a guy,at al l. On a da t e,ki ssing,boyfrie nd, s e x, noth ing, okay ? This wh ol e gh o s t t hing, it r eally ki nd of scr e wed u p  h er ch ild hood.We 're  taki ng thi n gsslow. "

Kyr an  shrug s. "Y ea h, okay,  I get that. It's just. .."

H e doe sn' t finishhis tho ught. Ithate  it when h e d oes  that . " I t's j ustw ha t?" I dem and. 
"I don't kn ow, m an ." He shrug s a gai n.
 match,_but it's_close enough no one_ever notices._He_tends to_lose_his ties a_lot.

Fixing my hair_takes the longest, which_I know kind_of_makes me sound like a girl, but it's true. I brush it out, wondering_if_the length_bothers_Echo_at all. I prefer it_long. Not that I've got_a mane_like Troy Palamalu or anything, but it's brushing_my_collar in the_back. Holden is clean cut—very political intern-ish. Echo's dad_had a pretty standard cut as_well. Even Kyran_has_a_more conventional style, keeping_his super curly hair cropped short._By the time I give up_worrying about it and head back to_the living room, Kyran is lounging_on the couch, ready to_go.

"What took_you so long?" he complains.

I_look at his_standard jeans,_skater shoes, and_favorite Henley. Clearly, he isn't planning_anything too exciting_for tonight. "Just waiting on you,"_I_say as I_offer_him_my hand.

Kyran_rolls his eyes,_but_takes my_hand_and I pull him up. As_we're_walking back to the Jeep, he asks,_"So, after you and_Echo_go to dinner, do_I need to stay away_from the apartment...or look for a_sock on_the door_or something?"

I probably should have been prepared for that question, but_he catches me off guard and_I have to shake_myself to_jumpstart_my brain. "Uh,_no,_of course_not."

"Of course not?" Kyran asks, one eyebrow_raised.

"Dude, we_haven't known each other that long,_and besides, this whole_thing_is all kind of new for_Echo."

"New as in...she's a virgin?"

I kind_of want to punch him_right_now_for getting this personal, but_I try to be patient. "She's_never been with_a guy, at all. On a date,_kissing,_boyfriend, sex, nothing, okay? This whole_ghost_thing, it really kind of screwed_up_her_childhood. We're taking things slow."

Kyran_shrugs. "Yeah, okay, I get that._It's just..."

He doesn't finish his thought. It hate it_when he does_that. "It's just what?" I_demand.

"I_don't_know, man." He shrugs again.