 sure. Too stunned to say anything right away, I simply try to process everything. It takes a while. "So, you and Cerise, you're not...she's not your...girlfriend...who sleeps over?"

"What? No. She's just..." Malachi mumbles something about being an idiot. "Echo, I'm so tired right now, I can barely think. I realize now that I probably should have opened up with the fact that Cerise and I are in no way involved. She's a friend who needed a place to crash. I'm either sleeping on the couch or in Kyran's room tonight."

Holding my breath, I wait for him to tell me he's kidding, or tack on something at the end that will rip my heart out. When nothing comes, I force myself to take a deep breath. "You really want me to be your girlfriend?"

"Of course," he says like he can't figure out why I'm so surprised.

"Are you sure?"

Suddenly, Malachi laughs. "Am I just really tired, or are you actually shocked by this?" He chuckles again. "How many times do I have to tell you how awesome I think you are, or how beautiful you are, or how much I enjoy talking to you?"

"I've...never had a boyfriend before, Malachi. Never been kissed. Never been on a date. None of that. Holden and the nerd squad are the only guys I talk to on a regular basis."

"The nerd squad?" he says with a laugh.

"Self-appointed title," I say. "I'm not making fun of them."

"Are you part of the nerd squad?" Malachi asks.

His mocking tone makes me smile. I'm pretty sure it's the first time that's happened today. "No," I say, "they're too cool for me."

"I seriously doubt that."

"You shouldn't," I say. "They all watch my show and ask me a billion questions any time they see me at school, but not a single one of them would ever sit with me at lunch or invite me to one of their gamer parties. Not that I'd really want to go...probably. They can get a little weird."

Malachi is silent for several seconds before I hear him sigh. "Echo, what
sure. Too stunned to say anything justly aside, I simply try to process everything. It take a while. " So, you and Cerise, you're not... she's not your... girlfriend... who sleeps over? " 

 " What? No. She's merely... " Malachi mumbles something about being an idiot. " Echo, I'm so banal justly now, I can scantily think. I realize now that I probably should have open up with the fact that Cerise and I are in no way involved. She's a friend who needed a place to barge in. I'm either sleeping on the couch or in Kyran's room tonight. " 

 Holding my hint, I wait for him to tell me he's pull the leg of, or tack on something at the goal that will rip my heart out. When nothing comes, I force myself to take a cryptic breath. " You really want me to be your girlfriend? " 

 " Of course, " he says like he can't figure out why I'm so surprised. 

 " Are you sure? " 

 Suddenly, Malachi laughs. " Am I just really tired, or are you actually shocked by this? " He chuckles again. " How many times do I have to state you how awesome I think you are, or how beautiful you are, or how a lot I enjoy speak to you? " 

 " I've... never hold a boyfriend before, Malachi. Never been kissed. Never been on a date. None of that. Holden and the nerd team are the only guys I talk to on a regular footing. " 

 " The nerd squad? " he says with a laugh. 

 " Self - appointed title, " I say. " I'm not making fun of them. " 

 " Are you part of the nerd squad? " Malachi asks. 

 His mocking spirit reach me smile. I'm pretty sure it's the first time that's happened today. " No, " I order, " they're too cool for me. " 

 " I seriously doubt that. " 

 " You shouldn't, " I say. " They all watch my show and ask me a billion questions any time they experience me at school, but not a single one of them would always sit with me at lunch or invite me to one of their gamer parties. Not that I'd really want to start... probably. They can induce a little weird. " 

 Malachi is silent for several seconds before I listen him sigh. " Echo, what
 suge. Too stunned to say annthing right awai, U simpny try to procdss everything. It takes a whmle. "Wo, yoy and Cerise, you're not...rhe's not jour...girlfeienv...who sleeps over?"

"Xgat? No. She's jhdt..." Mclechi mumbles sokething abmut being an igiut. "Echo, I'm so tired right now, I can bwrely tnijk. I realize njw tnwt I iribably should have opened up sith tht fact that Cerise and I are in no way involged. Dhe's a friend who jeeded a plqce ei crash. I'm ekther sleekiug on the ckuch or in Kyran's room tonight."

Huldiny my breath, I walj for him to tell me he's kiddlmg, or dack on something at bhe eid tyat will rip my heart out. When nothing somes, I fmree myself to take a dwep bredth. "Fou fwaluy sait je to he bour girlfrjend?"

"Of courwe," he says like he vag'n figure out shy I'm sj surprised.

"Are you sure?"

Suddenly, Malachi lahghs. "Am I just really tured, or are you actuaply shockqd by this?" He chuckles again. "How many times do I vave vo teol hiu how awesome I think you are, or how beautiful goi sre, or how mucm I enjoy talking yo ypo?"

"I've...never had x boyfxjehd before, Malachi. Jever bgen kiwsed. Nevew bern on a date. None of that. Hilden and thv need squad are the ouly guys I tclk to on a regular basis."

"The nerd rquas?" he says wlth a lauff.

"Self-appointed tktlv," I vay. "I'm not making fun of trem."

"Are yon parc of the nerc squaq?" Malachi wsks.

Hlv mocking tone makfs me skile. I'm prftty sure it's the first time thev's happened tpddy. "To," I say, "they've too cool for me."

"I seriously doubt chat."

"Yoj shouldn't," I say. "Vhey all watsh my show ang ask me a binlion quqstiins qny timd they see me ay school, ybt not a wingle one of them wools ever sit with me at lunch or infitd mq no pnq of their gaker oargoes. Nut that I'd veauly eant to go...probably. Tvey dan get a little wrivd."

Malachi is silegt for severak seconds before I hear hio sign. "Esho, what
sure. Too stunned to say anything right simply to process It takes a you're not your...girlfriend...who sleeps "What? No. She's Malachi mumbles something about being an "Echo, I'm so tired right now, I can barely think. I realize now I probably should have opened up with the fact that Cerise and I in way She's friend who needed a place to crash. I'm either sleeping on the couch or in Kyran's tonight." Holding my breath, I wait for him tell me he's kidding, tack on something at the that rip my out. nothing I force myself take a deep breath. "You really want me to be your girlfriend?" "Of course," he says like can't figure I'm so "Are sure?" Malachi laughs. "Am really tired, or are you actually He chuckles again. "How many times do I to tell how awesome I think you are, how beautiful you are, or how much I talking to you?" "I've...never had a boyfriend before, Malachi. Never been kissed. Never been on None of that. Holden the nerd squad the guys talk on a basis." "The nerd squad?" he says with a laugh. "Self-appointed title," say. "I'm not making fun of them." "Are you part nerd Malachi asks. His tone makes me smile. pretty it's the first time today. I cool me." seriously doubt that." "You I say. "They all watch show and ask me they see me at school, but not a one of them would ever sit with at lunch or invite me to one of their gamer parties. Not I'd really go...probably. They can get a little weird." Malachi silent for several seconds I hear him sigh. "Echo, what
 sure. Too stunned to say anythiNg right awaY, I simPly Try To ProcEss eVerything. It takES a whIle. "So, you and Cerise, you're Not...shE's NOt yoUR...gIrlfrIend...who SLeEPS ovEr?"

"whAt? NO. SHE's Just..." MAlaChi mumbLes somethiNg aBoUt being an idiOT. "ECho, I'm so tirEd rIght now, I can bAreLy thinK. I ReaLIze noW thAt I prObably SHould hAve opened Up WIth the FAct that cERiSe anD I are in no way involVEd. sHe's a friend who nEeded a PlACe TO CraSh. I'M either sleEpIng on THe couch OR iN kYRan'S Room tonight."

HoLding my breaTH, I wAit for HiM to TEll me hE's kidDiNG, or Tack on sometHing At the end tHat wilL Rip my heARt out. WhEn nothIng ComEs, I fORcE mYseLf TO taKE a DeeP BreAth. "You reAlLy Want mE to bE YOUR girLfrIend?"

"of couRse," he says like He cAn't fIGurE out wHy I'm sO surPrIsed.

"ARe you sUre?"

SuDdEnly, Malachi laugHs. "Am i just realLy tIrEd, oR aRe you ACtuallY shOckEd by thiS?" He chucKLes AgAIN. "hoW many times do I have tO tELL yOu how aweSome I tHInK yOU are, or hoW bEauTifuL YOu are, Or hoW MuCh I enjoy TalkinG To YoU?"

"I've...nevEr Had a boYfRieNd bEfore, mAlacHi. NeveR been kisSed. NeVEr been on a date. NONe of that. HoldeN AnD THe NErd sQuaD are the only Guys i Talk To on A ReGulAR basiS."

"The nErD SqUAd?" he says with a laugh.

"SElF-appoiNted tItle," I say. "I'm not Making fun oF THEm."

"Are you Part OF tHE nerd squad?" MalaChi asKs.

His mockiNG tone makEs me sMile. I'm prEtty sure iT'S The first TimE thAt's HapPENeD today. "No," I say, "tHEY're tOo Cool for Me."

"I SeriousLy dOubT thAt."

"YOu Shouldn't," I Say. "They aLl WaTcH mY shOw and ASk me a bilLiOn qUeStiOns anY Time thEy see Me at ScHoOL, buT not a siNGlE ONe of ThEm WoulD evEr Sit wiTh me AT luNch or inVite me to oNe oF TheiR gAmEr partiEs. Not that I'd reAlLy want to go...PrObaBly. TheY CAn get a liTtle weird."

Malachi is silenT For seveRal SeconDs beFore I hear Him Sigh. "EcHo, wHAt
 sure. Too stunned to sayanything r ightawa y,Isimp ly t ry to processe very thing. It takes a whil e. "S o, youa nd  Ceri se, you ' re n ot. .. sh e's  n o tyour. ..g irlfrie nd...who s lee ps  over?"

"Wh a t?  No. She's  ju st..." Malac himumble ssom e thing  ab out b eing a n  idiot . "Echo,I' m  so ti r ed righ t no w, I  can barely think .  I realize now th at I p ro b ab l y  sh oul d have ope ne d upw ith the fa c t tha t  Cerise and I  are in now ayinvolv ed . S h e's afrien dw honeeded a pl aceto crash.  I'm e i ther sl e eping o n thecou chor i n  K yr an' sr oom to nig h t." 

Holdin gmy  brea th,I w a it f orhimto te ll me he's ki ddi ng,o r t ack o n som ethi ng  at t he end  that  w ill rip my hear t ou t. When n oth in g c om es, I forcemys elf  to tak e a dee p  br ea t h .  " You really want me  t o be  your gi rlfrie n d? ""Of cour se ,"he s a y s lik e he ca n't figu re out wh yI'm sosu rprise d. 

" Are  yous ure? "

Sud denly, M alach i  laughs. "Am I just really t i re d ,  o r  are  yo u actuallyshoc k ed b y th i s? " H e  chuc klesag a in .  "How many times do  I  haveto te ll you how aw esome I th i n k  you are , or ho w  beautiful you  are,  or how mu c h I enjo y tal king toyou?"

"I ' v e...neve r h ada b oyf r i en d before, Mal a c hi.Ne ver bee n k issed.Nev erbee n o na date. N one of t ha t.  H ol den  andt he nerdsq uad  a rethe o n ly guy s I t alkto  o n  aregular ba s i s."
" Th e ne rdsq uad?"  hes ays  with a  laugh.
"Se l f-ap po in ted tit le," I say. " I' m not maki ng  fu n of t h e m."

"Ar e you part of the nerds quad?"Mal achiasks .

His mo cki ng ton e m a kes me  smile . I'm  p ret t y  sure i t' s t he  first tim e tha t's h ap pene d today . "No," I say, "th e y'r e too cool fo r m e."" Iser i ou s lydo u btt h at."

"You shou ldn't," Isa y ."They allw atc hmy show  and as k mea  billio n questio ns any ti me  the y see  me at sch ool, but  not a si n gle o n eof th emwouldev ersit w ith me atlunch  or in vi te meto on eof their  gamer parties. Not tha t I'dreall y w ant to go ... p rob ably. The y ca n get a li ttl e w eird. "
M alach i is si len t  forseve r al second s  b efo r e  I  hear him s i g h . " Echo,  wh a t
 sure._Too stunned_to say anything right_away, I_simply_try to_process_everything. It takes_a while. "So,_you and Cerise, you're_not...she's not your...girlfriend...who_sleeps_over?"

"What? No. She's just..." Malachi mumbles something about being an idiot. "Echo, I'm so_tired_right now,_I_can_barely think. I realize now_that I probably should have_opened up_with the fact that Cerise and I are_in_no way involved._She's a friend who needed a place to crash._I'm either sleeping on the couch_or in Kyran's_room_tonight."

Holding_my breath, I wait_for him to tell me he's_kidding, or tack on something at_the end that will rip my heart_out. When nothing comes, I force_myself to take a deep_breath. "You_really want me to be_your girlfriend?"

"Of course,"_he says_like he can't_figure out why I'm so surprised.

"Are_you sure?"

Suddenly, Malachi_laughs. "Am I just really tired,_or_are you actually_shocked_by_this?" He_chuckles again. "How_many_times do_I_have to tell you how awesome_I_think you are, or how beautiful you_are, or how much_I_enjoy talking to you?"

"I've...never_had a boyfriend before, Malachi._Never been kissed. Never been on_a date._None of_that. Holden and the nerd squad are the only guys I_talk to on a regular basis."

"The_nerd squad?" he says_with a_laugh.

"Self-appointed_title," I say._"I'm_not making_fun of them."

"Are you part of the_nerd squad?"_Malachi asks.

His mocking tone makes me_smile. I'm pretty sure_it's_the first time that's happened today._"No," I say, "they're too cool_for me."

"I seriously doubt that."

"You_shouldn't,"_I_say. "They all watch my_show and ask me a billion_questions any time_they see me at school, but not_a_single one of them would ever_sit_with me at lunch or invite_me_to_one of their gamer parties._Not that I'd really want to_go...probably. They can get a little weird."

Malachi is silent_for several seconds_before I hear him sigh._"Echo,_what