Echo

12. Git

I am so excited the next day. I got asked on a real date.

After lunch, Eriska and I get into the suppra's, then I drag her to my car. She has a fit about me being too excited and drives us instead.

I nearly bounce down the sidewalk to his house.

"Slow down. I know you're excited, but damn."

"We're going to plan a date."

"I've heard, 84 times now. But really, you 2 are going to kiss a lot, and I'm going to plan it."

"He likes me. EEEEE."

"Ugh."

We get to the steps and I freeze.

"I am going to smack you." She knocks on the door and sits on the steps.

His mom opens it. "Can I help you?"

"Is Scotch here?"

"Yea, I'll send him out."

"Thank you."

He comes out a minute later with his dad. Eriska does a double take over her phone. Then she tilts her head.

"Echo?"

"Yes, sir."

"Kinnik?"

"Yes."

"I work for Echo's dad, Braxtin Kinnik. I was at Echo's celebration at Frostford. You are not Echo Kinnik."

"But I am."

"No. Stop the lies."

"She really is." Eriska stands up.

"No. You need to stop trying to impersonate her. You don't look anything like her. You think you can use her middle name and get away with it?"

This guy is pissing me off. "Would you like it if I made you call me Octavia instead?"

"You are not a Kinnik. Stop pretending."

"What's your name?" Eriska is typing something.

"Azo Vinsor. Why?"

"Seeing if you really work there."

"Both of you leave."

My eyes fill with tears and I look at Scotch. He tilts his head. "Go on. Git."

Eriska puts her arm around me, and we go back the way we came from.

I lay my head on her shoulder. "I liked him."

"I know."

"I thought I was getting a real date."

"Your mom is inviting them to dinner on Tuesday. It's kind of like a date."

I shake my head. "I'm going to be busy that day. It doesn't matter. I hated the way he told me to leave. It was cold."

"Yea, it was. We can think about it until Tuesday. His dad was an asshole too."

"I kind of understand it. If someone was pretending to be me, I wouldn't expect him to play along."

"Yea, it's a lot. We can calm down and think about it before Tuesday. Maybe he'll apologize 84 times and ask you out again."

"Probably, but he'll know who I am."

"You told him who you were."

"I'm going to make up a name. I don't want to be called a liar anymore."

"Keep Echo. At least we won't get confused."

"Yea... Echo... Hectrr."

"We're going to keep thinking about it."

I laugh as we get back in the car. We shop for the rest of the day and make it home for dinner. Eriska goes home for dinner too.

I give my mom a box. "I think you'll like that perfume."

"Thank you, baby. That does smell good."

"I smelled it and thought of you. You like the floral kind."

"What's wrong?"

"I liked a boy. That was a dumb idea."

Daddy jumps up. "WHAT DID HE DO?"

"BRAXTIN. SIT."

"He called me a liar and told me to leave."

"What did he say you lied about, baby?"

"My name. I was on the suppra. Told him my name was Echo Kinnik. He told me to leave. I tried to say I really am her. But he didn't care."

Daddy sits back down. "That's fine."

Momma nods. "People are in shock when they meet you, baby. You can't expect them to believe someone who looks nothing like you, is you. I think he should have asked for proof instead of telling you to leave. But I'm not sure. We do get impersonated. I don't think he's in the wrong here. He has to protect himself."

"I agree. There was a man going around pretending to be me for a while. He would go to businesses and ask for funding for something or other. He got caught and went to jail. It does happen. Were you asking him for anything?"

"No. He asked me on a date. We were going to plan something. I've never been on a real date."

"It'll happen, baby. Relax and enjoy your summer break. After that, concentrate on school. The right man will scoop you up when it's time and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Everyone else has dates." I shrug my shoulders. "I guess I'll be happy I got asked. That's something. Someone finally saw me. Even if it was the suppra."

"Boys see you, baby. But then they see your father and run the hell away."

"Maybe school will be different."

"I'm sure it will."

Daddy chuckles. "I'll make sure to visit often."

I roll my eyes and finish eating.

The next day, I'm at work. Malax spends all morning getting the suppras shipped to Cru. N. They make it into the air. 3 more days and I can see it.

"What's wrong, sweetie? You are so quiet today." Kai smiles.

"I liked a boy. He only saw me as the suppra. He asked me on a date. I told him who I was. He said I was lying and to leave."

"That would be kind of hard to believe."

"I understand that. But it was supposed to be my first date. A boy actually wanted to spend time with me. It was so different. Then he told me to git." I shake my head. "I wasn't lying though."

"This has to be confusing for you. I'm sorry he didn't believe you. Someday someone will ask you out for real. They'll see the real you through everything."

"Maybe. I always watch everyone else get asked out and go on fun dates. Then the boys look at me and ask Eriska. I've always missed out on so much. I only went to 1 school dance. Eriska turned down 3 boys, so I wouldn't be the only single person there. There was nothing left to do but study while everyone else had fun. I grew to love books. They made me feel not alone, somehow."

"Is it better on the suppra?"

"Yes. I love it. I can go out and have fun. I can go to parties. I can dance. I can do anything. And people jump right in and have fun with me. My name doesn't matter. I went to a dance club over the weekend. I danced for hours. I never knew how much I love being around people."

"Seems like you're getting a lot of new freedoms with the suppra."

"Yea, I just wish it was me. Or wish I could tell people who I am. Not get called a liar."

"Thank you, sir." Kai carries a box into Malax's office. She sits back down and Eriska comes in the elevator.

"I didn't know you were working today."

"I'm not. I'm bored. Figured I would see if Rye needed anything. I also realized something."

"What?"

"I think Malax might like you."

"I don't think so."

"Why?"

"He never said anything and I think he's married or has a girlfriend. He's a friend. My boss. He's never tried to kiss me or ask me out or anything."

"You're probably right. I think you should ask him though."

"I don't want to make things weird between us. I'm going to leave him alone."

"Yea, you're leaving for 5 years anyway. Not like it would work out."

"True."

"I'm checking on Rye now." She walks into the office.

Malax yells, "ECHO. COME HERE."

"What do you need?"

"Your school books are here."

I tear into the box. I get the first one out and read it.

"Sit down."

I sit on the floor and keep reading. He puts me on the couch eventually.

"DRINK THIS."

I chug a cup of water and hand it back to him. I didn't lose my place, it's ok.

Then he takes my book and marks my page. "I'm reading that."

"It's been 3 and a half hours. You need a break. Are you thirsty or anything?"

"I HAVE TO PEE." I run for it. I get back and pick up my book. "I feel better. Thank you, sir."

"No. Take a break. You don't have to read it in 1 day."

I give him a dirty look. "Do you like me?"

"I think you're very sweet. You're too young for me to like you more than that."

"That's what I thought. Eriska said, you like me. I told her she was wrong." I grab my box. "Thank you for the books. I'll get the receipt from Kai."

I read most of the day on Tuesday. Kai makes me take him his coffee to prove I exist. I remember to get the receipt from her too. I get that fixed, so he gets his money back. Then I go home.