 my purse since we were just going to Malachi's parents' house, but I rush back to my room and grab if off my bed. After that, I close my eyes. I don't really know what I'm doing, but I have to try something. I can't afford to make a fool of myself in front of Malachi's parents.

"Archer," I say quietly, "I don't know why I can't remember you when I'm awake, but I'm begging you, please don't try to talk to me tonight. I'm trying to figure out how to let you go. It might take me a while, but I promise I'm trying. Please...please just stay away while I'm at Malachi's parents' house, okay?"

My body jerks in surprise when the temperature plummets. Did he actually hear me? I get my answer when the icy touch of an otherworldly hand presses to my cheek. My breath catches at the tenderness behind the gesture, the kindness. I don't hear a word, and I don't feel a compulsion to write, but that simple touch is answer enough.
20: Adjustment

(Malachi)

We all pile out of Echo's car when we reach my parents' place, and I try to take a minute to prepare them, but everyone—and I mean everyone—spills out the front door before I can manage a single word. Mama and Daddy hold back a bit while my sisters all but attack Echo. That's when I realize I forgot to tell Echo my entire family was going to be here. The panicked expression on her face as they maul her almost makes me laugh, but I decide I better step in and save her.

"Good gracious, you'd think Echo was a Georgia peach the way ya'll are trying to devour her. Back off a bit, why don't ya?" I give my nearest sister, Katie Lynn, a playful shove. She shoves me right back.

"Shame on you for not bringing this lovely girl straight over here to meet us," Angel May says with a shake of her finger. She's my closest sister in age, only two years older, but she was always the little mama of the group, bossing everyone else around.

Throwing my arm around Angel May's shoulders, I say, "We had a few things to do this afternoon. Ya'll just needed to be
my purse since we were just going to Malachi's parents' family, but I race back to my room and grab if off my bed. After that, I close my eye. I don't really know what I'm dress, but I give birth to try something. I can't afford to make a fool of myself in movement of Malachi's parents. 

 " Archer, " I say restfully, " I don't acknowledge why I can't remember you when I'm awake, but I'm begging you, please don't try to talk to me tonight. I'm try on to figure out how to let you go. It might claim me a while, but I promise I'm trying. Please... please just stay aside while I'm at Malachi's parents' house, okay? " 

 My body jerks in surprise when the temperature plumb bob. Did he actually hear me? I get my answer when the icy touch of an otherworldly bridge player presses to my cheek. My breath catches at the tenderness behind the gesture, the kindness. I don't hear a word, and I don't feel a compulsion to write, but that elementary touch is answer enough. 
 20: allowance 

 (Malachi) 

 We all pile out of Echo's car when we reach my parents' plaza, and I try to take a minute to prepare them, but everyone — and I think of everyone — spills out the front door before I can manage a single word. Mama and Daddy defy back a bit while my sisters all but attack Echo. That's when I realize I forget to tell Echo my integral syndicate was going to be here. The panicked expression on her face as they maul her about makes me laugh, but I decide I better step in and save her. 

 " Good gracious, you'd think Echo was a Georgia peach the way ya'll are trying to devour her. Back off a morsel, why don't ya? " I give my approximate sister, Katie Lynn, a playful shove. She shoves me properly back. 

 " Shame on you for not fetch this lovely female child straight all over here to meet us, " Angel May says with a shake of her finger. She's my close sister in historic period, only two long time older, but she was always the little mama of the group, bossing everyone else about. 

 Throwing my arm around Angel May's shoulder, I say, " We had a few things to do this afternoon. Ya'll just need to be
 my purse since we were jusu going to Malachn'w pareits' houae, but I rush back to my room and greb id off my bed. After that, I cuose my ejes. I don'r reelly know what I'm doing, nbt I gwve co try something. I can't afxord to make a fuop of myself in front of Malachi's pawents.

"Arvhfr," I say quietjy, "I qon't know why I can't remember you when I'm awane, but I'm begbing you, please don't try tl tapk to me tonight. I'l trying to figtee out how tu let you go. It might jake me a while, but I promise I'm tryiug. Please...plgcwe uost stay awab whilv I'm at Malacmp's paretts' houxe, okay?"

My body jecks un surprise when the vemperature plummets. Did he awtbally hear me? I get mt qnswet whet thd ich tkurh kf an lthxrworldly hznd presses to my cheek. My brestr catches at tge tenqewness behind the gesture, the kindness. I doh't hear a word, and I dob't feel a compulsion jo write, btt that simple touch is answer enough.
20: Adjustment

(Mdlachm)

Wd aol oulf out of Echo's car when we reach my parents' pjzct, akd I try to take a minute tp orrkare them, but gveryonz—zns I mean everyone—soills oot the front dojr brfore I can manage a single word. Mama aud Eaddy hold back a yit while my sisjers akl but attack Echo. That'r whsn I realizf I forgof to tell Echo my ennire family was going to be hewe. The paiickeb expresrion on hew face as hhey maul her almost makfs me ldugh, but I decide I better step in and satx her.

"Good gravimus, you'd thnnk Ecmo was a Georgiw peach the wai ya'll arz tryivg to devolr her. Bark off a bit, why don't ya?" H give my neacest sistqr, Kqtie Lynn, a olayful shove. Xhe shoves me right back.

"Shame on you nor nuf bringing this locely girl straibht ovqr hxre tj meet us," Angal Mxy rsys wkth a shake uf hrr finger. She's my clmsesf sister in age, onky two yeats older, fut she was akways the little mwma oh the jroup, nosfing everyone else around.

Throwjng my arl avound Angel Mwy's whoulders, I xay, "We had a few things to do this aftecnoon. Ya'll just needed ro be
my purse since we were just going parents' but I back to my my After that, I my eyes. I really know what I'm doing, but have to try something. I can't afford to make a fool of myself front of Malachi's parents. "Archer," I say quietly, "I don't know why I remember when awake, I'm begging you, please don't try to talk to me tonight. I'm trying to figure out to let you go. It might take me while, but I promise trying. Please...please just stay away I'm Malachi's parents' okay?" body in surprise when temperature plummets. Did he actually hear me? I get my answer when the icy touch of an hand presses cheek. My catches the behind the gesture, I don't hear a word, and a compulsion to write, but that simple touch answer enough. Adjustment (Malachi) We all pile out Echo's car when we reach my parents' place, I try to take a minute to prepare them, but everyone—and I mean everyone—spills out door before I can a single word. and hold a while my all but attack Echo. That's when I realize I forgot to Echo my entire family was going to be here. The on face as they her almost makes me but decide I better step save "Good Echo a peach the way ya'll trying to devour her. Back a bit, why don't sister, Katie Lynn, a playful shove. She shoves right back. "Shame on you for not this lovely girl straight over here to meet us," Angel May says a shake finger. She's my closest sister in age, only years older, but she always the little mama of the group, bossing everyone around. my arm Angel May's shoulders, say, "We had few things to afternoon. Ya'll needed be
 my purse since we were just goiNg to MalachI's parEntS' hoUsE, but i rusH back to my room aND graB if off my bed. After that, I cLose mY eYEs. I dON't ReallY know whAT I'M DOinG, bUt i haVe TO tRy somEthIng. I can'T afford to mAke A fOol of myself iN FrOnt of MalacHi's Parents.

"ArcheR," I sAy quieTlY, "I dON't knoW whY I can'T rememBEr you wHen I'm awakE, bUT I'm begGIng you, pLEAsE don'T try to talk to me tonIGhT. i'm trying to figuRe out hOw TO lET You Go. IT might take Me A whilE, But I proMIsE i'M TryINg. Please...pleasE just stay awAY whIle I'm aT MAlaCHi's parEnts' hOuSE, okAy?"

My body jerKs in Surprise wHen the TEmperatURe plummEts. Did He aCtuAlly HEaR mE? I gEt MY anSWeR whEN thE icy toucH oF aN otheRworLDLY Hand PreSses To my cHeek. My breath cAtcHes aT The TendeRness BehiNd The geSture, tHe kinDnEss. I don't hear a woRd, anD I don't feeL a cOmPulSiOn to wRIte, but ThaT siMple touCh is ansWEr eNoUGH.
20: adJustment

(Malachi)

We aLl PILe Out of EchO's car wHEn We REach my paReNts' PlacE, ANd I trY to tAKe A minute tO prepaRE tHeM, but eveRyOne—and i mEan EveRyone—SPillS out thE front doOr befORe I can manage a sINgle word. Mama aND DADDy HOld bAck A bit while my SistERs alL but ATtAck eCho. ThAt's whEn i ReALize I forgot to tell EcHo My entiRe famIly was going to Be here. The pANICked exprEssiON oN Her face as they mAul heR almost makES me laugh, But I dEcide I beTter step iN ANd save heR.

"GoOd gRacIouS, YOu'D think Echo was A gEorgIa Peach thE waY ya'll arE trYinG to DevOuR her. Back oFf a bit, whY dOn'T yA?" I GivE my neARest sistEr, katIe lynN, a plaYFul shoVe. She ShovEs Me RIghT back.

"ShAMe ON You fOr NoT briNgiNg This lOvelY GirL straigHt over herE to MEet uS," ANgEl May saYs with a shake oF hEr finger. ShE's My cLosest SISter in agE, only two years older, but shE Was alwaYs tHe litTle mAma of the gRouP, bossiNg eVEryone Else arOund.

THrOwiNG My arm AROuNd ANgEl May's shouLDErs, i say, "WE hAd a fEw thingS to do this afternoon. yA'll Just needed to bE
 my purse since we were ju st going t o Mal ach i's  p aren ts'house, but I r u sh b ack to my room and gra b ifof f  myb ed . Aft er that ,  I c los emy  ey es .  I  don' t r eally k now what I 'mdo ing, but I h a ve  to try so met hing. I can' t a ffordto  ma k e a f ool  of m yselfi n fron t of Mala ch i 's par e nts.

" A r ch er,"  I say quietly, " I  d o n't know why I  can't  r e me m b eryou  when I'maw ake,b ut I'mb eg g i n g y o u, please don 't try to t a lkto meto nig h t. I'm  tryi ng tofigure outhowto let yo u go.I t might take me  a whi le,  bu t Ip ro mi seI' m  tr y in g.P lea se...ple as ejuststay a w a y wh ile  I'm  at M alachi's pare nts ' ho u se,  okay ?"

M y bo dy  jerk s in s urpri se  when the tempe ratu re plumme ts.  D idhe  actu a lly he arme?  I getmy answ e r w he n t he  icy touch of an o th e r wo rldly ha nd pre s se st o my che ek . M y br e a th ca tche s  a t the te nderne s sbe hind th egestur e,  th e k indne s s. I  don't  hear aword, and I don't fe e l a compulsio n  t o wr i te,but  that simpl e to u ch i s an s we r e n ough. 
20:Ad j us t ment

(Malachi)

We  a ll pil e out  of Echo's ca r when wer e a ch my pa rent s 'p lace, and I tr y totake a min u te to pr epare  them, b ut everyo n e —and I m ean  ev ery one — s pi lls out the f r o nt d oo r befor e I  can ma nag e a  si ngl eword. Mam a and Da dd yho ld  ba ck ab it while  m y s is ter s all but at tackEcho .Th a t's  when I re a l izeIfo rgot  to  t ell E chom y e ntire f amily was  go i ng t obe  here.The panickedex pression o nher  facea s  they ma ul her almost makes mel augh, b utI dec ideI betterste p in a nds ave he r.

"G ood g ra cio u s , you ' d  t hin kEcho was a G eor gia p ea ch t he wayya'll are trying t o  de vour her. Bac k o ff a b it , w h yd on' ty a?" I  give my neares t sister,Ka t ie  Lynn, a p l ayf ul  shove.  She sh ovesm e right  back.

" Shame onyo u fo r not  bringingthis lov ely girls traig h toverher e to m ee t u s," A ngel M a y s ays w ith ash ake of  herfi nger. Sh e's my closest sister i n age,  only  tw o years o lde r , b ut she wa s al ways the l itt lemamaoft he gr oup, bo ssi n g eve ryon e  else aro u nd .
T h ro wing my arm a r oun d Ang elM ay's s houl ders, I say, "Weh ad a few thing s to d o t his afte rn oon. Ya'll jus t n ee d e d to be
 my_purse since_we were just going_to Malachi's_parents'_house, but_I_rush back to_my room and_grab if off my_bed. After that,_I_close my eyes. I don't really know what I'm doing, but I have to_try_something. I_can't_afford_to make a fool of_myself in front of Malachi's_parents.

"Archer," I_say quietly, "I don't know why I can't_remember_you when I'm_awake, but I'm begging you, please don't try to_talk to me tonight. I'm trying_to figure out_how_to_let you go. It_might take me a while, but_I promise I'm trying. Please...please just_stay away while I'm at Malachi's parents'_house, okay?"

My body jerks in surprise_when the temperature plummets. Did_he actually_hear me? I get my_answer when the_icy touch_of an otherworldly_hand presses to my cheek. My_breath catches at_the tenderness behind the gesture, the_kindness._I don't hear_a_word,_and I_don't feel a_compulsion_to write,_but_that simple touch is answer enough.
20:_Adjustment

(Malachi)

We_all pile out of Echo's car when_we reach my parents'_place,_and I try to_take a minute to prepare_them, but everyone—and I mean everyone—spills_out the_front door_before I can manage a single word. Mama and Daddy hold_back a bit while my sisters_all but attack Echo._That's when_I_realize I forgot_to_tell Echo_my entire family was going to be_here. The_panicked expression on her face as_they maul her almost_makes_me laugh, but I decide I_better step in and save her.

"Good_gracious, you'd think Echo was_a_Georgia_peach the way ya'll are_trying to devour her. Back off_a bit, why_don't ya?" I give my nearest sister,_Katie_Lynn, a playful shove. She shoves_me_right back.

"Shame on you for not_bringing_this_lovely girl straight over here_to meet us," Angel May says_with a shake of her finger. She's my closest_sister in age,_only two years older, but_she_was_always the little mama of the group, bossing everyone else_around.

Throwing my_arm around Angel_May's shoulders, I say, "We had a few things to_do this afternoon. Ya'll just needed to_be