Chapter 1

It was my boyfriend’s birthday, and he insisted on going rock climbing—even though he knew I was terrified of heights.

I was dangling halfway up the sheer climbing wall. The cheers below were sparse, replaced instead by a chorus of snickers.

"Told you she couldn’t make it to the top. Send me that two hundred bucks."

Then came the voice of his childhood best friend and "first love," Natalie:

"You're terrible, Brad. You knew she had vertigo, yet you made her pick the most dangerous route. Of course she couldn't do it."

Brad’s voice drifted up, completely dismissive.

"Who cares? There’s a crash pad down there. She’s always a coward anyway, never dares to do anything exciting."

The wind was sharp, making my eyes sting.

I looked down and saw those familiar faces.

My heart went entirely cold.

I had forced myself up this wall just for his birthday, just to not be a buzzkill.

Turns out, my terror was nothing more than a two-hundred-dollar bet to them.

How ridiculous.

I unclipped the safety carabiner from my harness and rappelled straight down to the mat.

"Have fun, you guys. I'm done."

"Why are you making a scene? It was just a joke. Don't be such a sore loser."

Brad’s voice came from behind me, carrying his usual patronizing indifference.

I stopped. The wind was still roaring in my ears.

The dizzying sensation from clinging to the wall hadn't fully faded, and my palms were slick with cold sweat.

I turned around to face his self-righteous expression.

"Yeah. I guess I am a sore loser."

Brad blinked, clearly caught off guard by how bluntly I admitted it.

"You—"

"Go have fun with her. I'm leaving."

I turned on my heel, but my wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Brad pulled so hard that I stumbled before catching my balance.

"Can you stop acting like this? It’s my damn birthday. Do you have to ruin everything?"

He scowled, his tone dripping with irritation.

I looked down at my reddening wrist, then slowly met his gaze.

"I ruined everything?"

"Do I need to fall from that wall and crack my skull open for you to consider it a good time?"

Brad froze for a split second.

"What are you even saying? Don't be so dramatic. There's a safety pad down there."

"Brad!"

I cut him off, violently wrenching my wrist free from his grip.

"Whether it’s dramatic or not isn't my problem anymore."

"Chloe, wait..."

A soft, timid voice chimed in.

Natalie jogged over, wearing a look of perfectly crafted concern.

"Chloe, don't get the wrong idea. Brad just wanted you to have a good time, that's why he brought you climbing. If you really hate it, just forget it. Please don't be mad at him, okay?"

Looking at her innocent face made my stomach churn.

"A good time?"

"He knows I have a severe phobia of heights. He pushed me onto the hardest wall, then placed a bet on whether I’d freeze up halfway."

"And you call that wanting me to have a good time?"

Natalie bit her lower lip, looking torn and vulnerable.

"I only found out about the bet later. Brad probably just wanted you to challenge yourself..."

"Challenge myself?"

I let out a dry laugh that cut sharper than the cold wind.

"You're so sweet, Natalie. Everything sounds like a compliment when it comes out of your mouth."

"That's enough."

Brad stepped between us, utterly annoyed.

"Chloe, can you stop being so hostile toward Natalie? She's just trying to be nice."

"Look at yourself right now. You look like a psycho."

I stared into his eyes.

"Fine."

"Enjoy yourselves. I’m out."

This time, Brad didn't try to stop me.

He probably assumed I would do what I always did—throw a little tantrum, then come crawling back.

Not this time.

The rock climbing gym was way out in the outskirts, nearly thirty miles from downtown.

Brad had driven us here. I had spent the entire ride in the backseat, pale and motion-sick.

He wouldn't let me sit in the passenger seat because Natalie wanted to sit in the front.

The parking lot was barren. My phone showed barely a single bar of service.

I opened Uber, only to see that there were dozens of riders ahead in the queue.

The wind picked up. I curled behind a concrete pillar at the parking lot exit, wrapping my arms around myself and shivering.

My legs were still trembling from the residual adrenaline of hanging off that wall.

Before coming here, Brad had promised that since it was his birthday, he just wanted a fun day together.

I had told myself it was only once a year; I could bear it.

Then he picked this climbing gym, thirty miles away.

He knew I got carsick.

He knew I was terrified of heights.

Yet he chose this place anyway.

Because Natalie loved rock climbing.