That’s when I see it.
At the end of the dock, illuminated in soft blues and golds, the Seattle Great Wheel towers in the dreary sky. The lights flicker across the top of the glassy water of Elliott Bay, and in the distance, ferry boats sound their horns. I stop in my tracks, just staring at the sight, wondering why on Earth it took me this long to explore the city. The next thing I know, Darcy’s fingers are wrapping around my wrist, and tugging me forward.
My heart thunders in my chest as I trail a few paces behind her, eyes locked on the top of the towering ride. By the time I manage to tear my gaze away, Darcy’s already bought the tickets, pressing one into my hand with a triumphant grin.
“Are you excited?” she asks, her evergreen eyes scanning my face.
There’s one minor detail I may have “forgotten” to mention when I first brought up the Ferris wheel all those months ago.
I’m absolutely terrified of heights.
“Super,” I lie, my smile tugging a little too tight at the corners of my mouth.
My heart’s pounding faster with every step as we join the short line. I take a shaky breath, then another, wiping my sweaty palms down the front of my jeans.
Darcy’s brow creases. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head. “Nothing.” But my eyes flick up to the top of the now-slowly-turning wheel, and I gulp.
Darcy gasps. “Oh my god,” she whispers. “You’rescared of heights!”
“I’m notscared,” I defend. The line shrinks as group after group loads into the cabins, the wheel creaking softly as it rotates. We inch closer to the operator, and panic begins to set in.
“Okay,” I blurt, turning toward her. “Yes.Fine.I’m scared of heights.Terrified, actually.”
Darcy throws a hand up. “Then why did you say you wanted to go?”
“I did!” I insist. “I mean—Ido.But…” My voice trails off as I glance back up. The top of the wheel looks even higher now, and I swear, my ribcage is rattling from the intensity of my palpitating heart.
“Tickets, please,” the operator says, motioning us forward.
Darcy hands hers over, then turns to me. I don’t move.
I’m frozen.
Darcy looks down at my hand, threading her fingers between mine. “Where I go, you go.”
Despite the tremble in my chest, a soft smile tugs at the corners of my mouth at the reference. “Where I go, you go.”
She steps into the cabin first, sliding into the corner by the back window. I put one foot in at a time, prying them from the pier like they’ve been cemented down. I’m pretty sure I’m imagining the shake of the gondola as I step, but it doesn’t help solidify the muscles in my legs. I quickly collapse onto the seat beside her, fingers clutching the edge of the bench.
“Hey,” she says, and my eyes flick up to meet hers. “It’s okay. You’re doing good.”
I nod, exhaling another shaky breath. When the wheel jerks to life, an embarrassing sound slips out of me, and my fingers sink deeper into the bench.
“Oh my god,” I whimper, watching the ground shrink beneath me. Darcy places her hand over mine again, squeezing.
“We’re okay,” she repeats. I nod again, like the more I do it, the more I’ll believe it. It starts slow at first, just moving a few feet to funnel in the last of the line. But once everyone is on board, it speeds up, and before I know it, I’m a hundred feet off the ground, breathing like I’m in dire need of a paper bag.
Darcy doesn’t let go of my hand the entire time.
After a few minutes, going round and round, the wheel jerks to a stop. My grip tightens, and my eyes squeeze shut.
“Peyton,” Darcy says. Hearing her say my name, myrealname, does something indescribable to the inside of my body. Every organ, every nerve, perks up.“Look.”
I’m truthfully terrified, but my eyes flutter open anyway. Through the crystal-clear gondola window, the water stretches out forever. As the sun breaks through the heavy clouds, streaks of gold illuminate the waves, ant-sized ferries drifting in the distance.
“Woah,” I murmur.
