
"YouTube," I say, immediately regretting it.

"You can meet people on YouTube?" Cerise asks.

"She does a show...about ghosts," I say, hesitant to tell her who it actually is. She'll pry it out of me eventually, I think with a sigh. "Kyran got me to watch it, and I messaged her, Echo, asking a few questions about the show, and we just kept talking."

Cerise's response doesn't exactly surprise me when she breaks into a huge grin and grabs my shoulders. "Echo Simmons? The Ghost Host? Seriously?"

"You know her?" I ask in mock surprise. Cerise is a good friend, but looks like more of a Project Runway fan than anything paranormal to those who don't know her well. Even to me, I'm not sure why she latched onto the show when none of her other interests are even close.

Still beaming with excitement, Cerise says, "You know I love her show! I've been watching since she started it. How could you not tell me about this immediately! The questions she asks, and the answers she gets sometimes, it's just amazing what she does! This is awesome!" Grabbing my arm, she looks at me seriously. "We're definitely going for coffee after work. I want to hear everything."

"Fine," I say with a shrug. I guess Echo wouldn't mind. It's not like Cerise is interested in me, or me in her. She's a senior, for one, and treats me like her little brother most of the time. She thinks I'm a big nerd, too.

When she's pulled away to deliver another order, I head back to the piano where I'm greeted by several slips of paper bearing requests from the diners. As I work my way through them, I can't help thinking about Echo and the deal we made. I want her to come for the summer, but it scares me to think about having her here for that long. I get that she's been through some really rough stuff. She barely seems to know what it's like not to be harassed by either family or ghosts.

Ghosts. That's what freaks me out the most. I want to believe her. Part of me thinks there must be some other explanation for all of this, something...scientific. What if there's
" YouTube, " I say, immediately regretting it. 

 " You can meet people on YouTube? " Cerise ask. 

 " She do a show... about ghosts, " I say, hesitant to order her who it actually is. She'll pry it out of me eventually, I intend with a sigh. " Kyran grow me to watch it, and I message her, Echo, asking a few questions about the appearance, and we just kept lecture. " 

 Cerise's reception doesn't exactly surprise me when she breaks into a huge grin and grabs my shoulder. " Echo Simmons? The Ghost Host? Seriously? " 

 " You know her? " I necessitate in mock surprise. Cerise is a good friend, but expect like more of a Project Runway sports fan than anything paranormal to those who don't know her well. Even to me, I'm not sure why she latched onto the show when none of her other pastime are even close. 

 Still beaming with excitement, Cerise says, " You know I love her show! I've been watching since she started it. How could you not tell me about this immediately! The questions she asks, and the answers she gets sometimes, it's just amazing what she does! This is amazing! " catch my arm, she expect at me badly. " We're decidedly going for coffee after work. I want to hear everything. " 

 " Fine, " I say with a shrug. I guess Echo wouldn't beware. It's not like Cerise is interested in me, or me in her. She's a senior, for one, and treats me like her little brother most of the time. She think I'm a big nerd, too. 

 When she's pulled away to deliver another holy order, I head back to the piano where I'm greeted by several slips of paper carriage requests from the diners. As I work my direction through them, I can't help thinking about Echo and the deal we made. I desire her to come for the summer, but it scares me to think about having her here for that long. I get that she's been through some truly rough material. She barely seems to know what it's like not to be harassed by either syndicate or ghosts. 

 Ghosts. That's what freak out me out the most. I want to believe her. Part of me thinks there must be some other explanation for all of this, something... scientific. What if there's

"YouHube," I say, immediately rtgretting it.

"You ccb meet peopls on YouGube?" Cerise asks.

"She does a siow...avout thosts," I say, hesitant go tell hvr who it actnally is. She'll pcg it oub of jc eveutnally, I think wlth a sigh. "Nyran got me tm dacch it, and I messaged her, Echo, askind a few qkestions about the fhow, and we just kept talking."

Cerise's rssponse doesn't exactky surprise me when she brfaks into a huge grin wnd grabs mi shjylders. "Echo Rimmons? Tht Yhost Host? Aeriously?"

"You know her?" I ask in oock xurprise. Cgxuse hs a good fciend, fut looks like more mf a Prpject Runway fsn vhan anything paranormal vo those who don't knjw her wenl. Even to me, I'm nor wure fhy vhe uqtcfed oito the sjow when none of her othwr interests are evtn soose.

Still beajing wytr excitement, Cerise says, "You know I lovt her show! I've been watching since she started it. How coulq you not tell me about this immediately! The quesdions rhe afyw, wnd the answers she gets sometimes, it's just aizzonn what she does! Bhis is awesome!" Grsbhimd my arm, she uooks cf je seriously. "We're fefinitgly goung for cjffer after work. I want to hear everything."

"Fpne," U say with a shrug. I guess Ecko woukdn't kind. It's not like Cerisz is ihterested ij me, or ms in her. She's a sdnipr, for one, and treats me likq her litvle bxother must pf the time. She hhinks I'm a big nerd, too.

Ahen dha's pulled wway to deliver another order, I head back to jhe pidno wherz I'm gveeted by severwl slips of paker beariug reqjests from the diiers. As I wowk my way thrmogh them, I cai't help trinkung qbout Ezfo and the deak we made. I want hee to come for the xumosr, but it scarew mt ro think about haxind jec herq for that lotg. I geg that she's btzn bhruugh some really rough sduff. She barely seems yo know whqt it's lyke not to be harassed by eitheg fammly or ghosys.

Grosts. That's what freaks me out the most. I rant to beliqve mer. Kart of me chinks there must be some other explanatmon for all of this, somwthing...scientific. Whct if there's
"YouTube," I say, immediately regretting it. "You people YouTube?" Cerise "She does a to her who it is. She'll pry out of me eventually, I think a sigh. "Kyran got me to watch it, and I messaged her, Echo, a few questions about the show, and we just kept talking." Cerise's response exactly me she into a huge grin and grabs my shoulders. "Echo Simmons? The Ghost Host? Seriously?" "You know I ask in mock surprise. Cerise is a friend, but looks like of a Project Runway fan anything to those don't her Even to me, not sure why she latched onto the show when none of her other interests are even close. beaming with says, "You I her I've been watching started it. How could you not this immediately! The questions she asks, and the she gets it's just amazing what she does! is awesome!" Grabbing my arm, she looks at seriously. "We're definitely going for coffee after work. I want to hear everything." "Fine," I a shrug. I guess wouldn't mind. It's like is in or me her. She's a senior, for one, and treats me like her brother most of the time. She thinks I'm a big When pulled away to another order, I head to piano where I'm greeted slips paper the As work my way through I can't help thinking about and the deal we come for the summer, but it scares me think about having her here for that I get that she's been through some really rough stuff. She barely to know like not to be harassed by either family ghosts. Ghosts. That's what me out the most. I want to believe her. of thinks there be some other for all of something...scientific. What if

"YouTube," I say, immediately regRetting it.

"YOu can MeeT peOpLe on youTUbe?" Cerise asks.

"SHE doeS a show...about ghosts," I say, hEsitaNt TO telL HeR who iT actualLY iS. sHe'lL pRy It oUt OF mE evenTuaLly, I thiNk with a sigH. "KyRaN got me to watcH It, And I messagEd hEr, Echo, asking A feW questIoNs aBOut thE shOw, and We just KEpt talKing."

CerisE's REsponsE Doesn't eXACtLy suRprise me when she brEAkS Into a huge grin aNd grabS mY ShOULdeRs. "ECho Simmons? thE GhosT host? SerIOuSLY?"

"you KNow her?" I ask in mOck surprise. cEriSe is a gOoD frIEnd, but Looks LiKE moRe of a ProjecT RunWay fan thaN anythINg paranORmal to tHose whO doN't kNow hER wElL. EvEn TO me, i'M nOt sURe wHy she latChEd Onto tHe shOW WHEn noNe oF her Other Interests are eVen ClosE.

stiLl beaMing wIth eXcItemeNt, CeriSe sayS, "YOu know I love her sHow! I'Ve been watChiNg SinCe She stARted it. how CouLd you noT tell me ABouT tHIS ImMediately! The questiOnS SHe Asks, and tHe answERs ShE Gets someTiMes, It's jUST amazIng wHAt She does! THis is aWEsOmE!" GrabbiNg My arm, sHe LooKs aT me seRIousLy. "We're DefiniteLy goiNG for coffee afteR Work. I want to heAR eVERyTHing."

"finE," I say with a sHrug. i GuesS EchO WoUldN'T mind. it's noT lIKe cErise is interested in Me, Or me in Her. ShE's a senior, for oNe, and treatS ME Like her lIttlE BrOTher most of the tIme. ShE thinks I'm a BIg nerd, toO.

When She's pullEd away to dELIver anotHer OrdEr, I HeaD BAcK to the piano whERE I'm gReEted by sEveRal slipS of PapEr bEarInG requests From the dInErS. AS I WorK my waY Through tHeM, I cAn'T heLp thiNKing abOut EcHo anD tHe DEal We made. I WAnT HEr to CoMe For tHe sUmMer, buT it sCAreS me to thInk about hAviNG her HeRe For that Long. I get that sHe'S been throuGh SomE reallY ROugh stufF. She barely seems to know whAT it's likE noT to be HaraSsed by eitHer Family Or gHOsts.

GhOsts. ThAt's whAt FreAKS me ouT THe MosT. I Want to beliEVE heR. Part Of Me thInks theRe must be some other eXPlaNation for all oF thIs, soMEThIng...SCiENtiFiC. whaT IF there's

"YouTube," I say, immedia tely regre tting  it .
"Y ou c an m eet people onY ouTu be?" Cerise asks.

"Sh e doe sa  sho w .. .abou t ghost s ," I  sa y,  h esi ta n tto te llher who  it actual lyis . She'll pry it  out of me  ev entually, Ithi nk wit ha s i gh. " Kyr an go t me t o  watch  it, andIm essage d  her, E c h o,  ask ing a few questio n sa bout the show,  and w ej us t kep t t alking."
Ce rise' s  respon s ed o e sn' t  exactly surp rise me whe n  sh e brea ks  in t o a hu ge gr in and  grabs my s houl ders. "Ec ho Sim m ons? Th e  GhostHost?Ser iou sly? " 
"Y oukn o w h e r? " I ask  in mock  s ur prise . Ce r i s e  isa g oodfrien d, but lookslik e mo r e o f a P rojec t Ru nw ay fa n than  anyt hi ng paranormal t o th ose who d on' tkno wher w e ll. Ev entome, I'm  not su r e w hy s h elatched onto the s ho w wh en noneof her ot he r  interes ts  ar e ev e n  clos e.
S ti ll beami ng wit h  e xc itement ,Cerise  s ays , " You k n ow I  loveher show ! I'v e  been watching since she sta r te d it .  How  co uld you not  tel l  meabou t  t his immed iatel y! Th e  questions she asks ,and th e ans wers she gets  sometimes , i t's just  ama z in g  what she does ! Thi s is aweso m e!" Grab bingmy arm,she looks a t me ser iou sly . " We' r e  d efinitely goi n g  for  c offee a fte r work.  Iwan t t o h ea r everyth ing."

" Fi ne ,"  I  sa y wit h  a shrug .I g ue ssEchow ouldn' t min d. I t' sn otlike Ce r is e is i nt er este d i nme, o r me inher. Sh e's a sen ior ,  for  o ne , and t reats me like  h er littlebr oth er mos t of the t ime. She thinks I'm a b i g nerd,  to o.

W henshe's pul led  awaytod eliver  anoth er or de r,I headb a ck  to  t he piano w h e reI'm g re eted  by sev eral slips of pape r  be aring request s f romt h edin e rs .  As  I wor k my way throughthem, I ca n' t  h elp thinki n g a bo ut Echo  and th e dea l  we mad e. I want  her to c om e fo r the  summer, b ut it sc ares me t o  thin k  a bouthav ing he rher e for  thatl ong . I g et tha tshe'sbeenth rough so me really rough stuff.She ba relysee ms to kno w w h atit's like  not  to be har ass edby ei the r  fami ly o r  g hos t s.

G host s . That'sw ha t f r e ak s me out th e m ost . I w ant to bel ieve  her. Part of met hinks there mu st b e som e o t herex planation forall  o f this, so me thing...sci entific.  W h at if  there 's

"YouTube," I_say, immediately_regretting it.

"You can meet_people on_YouTube?"_Cerise asks.

"She_does_a show...about ghosts,"_I say, hesitant_to tell her who_it actually is._She'll_pry it out of me eventually, I think with a sigh. "Kyran got me_to_watch it,_and_I_messaged her, Echo, asking a_few questions about the show,_and we_just kept talking."

Cerise's response doesn't exactly surprise me_when_she breaks into_a huge grin and grabs my shoulders. "Echo Simmons?_The Ghost Host? Seriously?"

"You know her?"_I ask in_mock_surprise._Cerise is a good_friend, but looks like more of_a Project Runway fan than anything_paranormal to those who don't know her_well. Even to me, I'm not_sure why she latched onto_the show_when none of her other_interests are even_close.

Still beaming_with excitement, Cerise_says, "You know I love her_show! I've been_watching since she started it. How_could_you not tell_me_about_this immediately!_The questions she_asks,_and the_answers_she gets sometimes, it's just amazing_what_she does! This is awesome!" Grabbing my_arm, she looks at_me_seriously. "We're definitely going_for coffee after work. I_want to hear everything."

"Fine," I say_with a_shrug. I_guess Echo wouldn't mind. It's not like Cerise is interested in_me, or me in her. She's_a senior, for one,_and treats_me_like her little_brother_most of_the time. She thinks I'm a big_nerd, too.

When_she's pulled away to deliver another_order, I head back_to_the piano where I'm greeted by_several slips of paper bearing requests_from the diners. As I_work_my_way through them, I can't_help thinking about Echo and the_deal we made._I want her to come for the_summer,_but it scares me to think_about_having her here for that long._I_get_that she's been through some_really rough stuff. She barely seems_to know what it's like not to be harassed_by either family_or ghosts.

Ghosts. That's what freaks_me_out_the most. I want to believe her. Part of me_thinks there_must be some_other explanation for all of this, something...scientific. What if there's