Falling From His Heights, Rising In Yours

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.