Lethal (Harry Styles)

chapter 9

I hated heights.

It wasn't always like that. Actually, my averseness to heights started when I was about 6. My dad had built this incredibly cool treehouse and I had spent most of my summer up there reading books. It was late in the summer when my mom called for dinner. I left the treehouse, wanted to climb down the ladder and, it was bound to happen sooner or later, a step of the ladder broke. I fell down 22 feet, landed on my right arm and broke it.

Ever since then I refused to go up high and do something reckless. For example, high diving. I had to do it in gym class in grade 7 and I refused to, throwing a fit. Unsurprisingly, my teacher was mad at me. She hated me for the rest of the school year. And I hated her right back.

Most of the time, I wasn't confronted with heights. I went to school and spent my holidays with friends. Nothing too scary.

I promised myself to never risk my life like that again.
But I guessed going on a Ferris wheel wasn't really what you'd call "risking your life", was it?

Because that was exactly what I was doing.

I was on a Ferris wheel on a Saturday night with a boy I only met a few days before.

Some people would probably call it "romantic". That was what movies taught us. People kissed on Ferris wheels.

I couldn't help but wonder if that was what we could have done as well. If it wasn't for me clinging to the handle it would have been possible.

Let's just say I was occupied.

My date wasn't encouraging me either.

"Zoey, is it just me or do you see it as well?" Harry asked me.

I looked around. I didn't see anything. "What do you mean?" I cautiously asked.

"Well... that screw up there... it's loose," he answered with wide eyes.

"WHAT?" I shrieked, looking up in panic. "Oh my gosh, this is like in Final Destination!" I didn't see anything and I was too panicked, so instead I closed my eyes and hoped we would be back down rather sooner than later.

"It's okay, Zoey. If we'll fall down, we're going to die on the spot."
I closed my eyes and sent a prayer up to heaven. I wasn't the religious type but if you're face-to-face with the Grim Reaper, you'd take whatever chance you could get.

"Zoey, I'm sorry. I should have... I should have listened to you. You're still so young and now you're-" Harry's voice trailed off when the gondola swung back and forth. "It's happening," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

My grip on the handle tightened and I didn't dare to open my eyes. "Oh my God," was all I could muster.

I couldn't tell how much time passed. Maybe ten minutes, maybe only a few seconds. I just knew we were still up in the air, probably not even halfway through our ride.

Warm arms wrapped around me and it took everything in me to keep from crying.

"Zoey? Zoey?" Harry's voice was low. It seemed as if he was at the other end of a tunnel.

"Zoey!" He kept calling my name. Those strong arm around me tightened their grip and pulled me away. Away from the handle.

That was when I opened my eyes. I still wasn't back on the ground but I wasn't clinging to the handles anymore either, my hands already hurting from my tight grip.

My eyes met those familiar piercing green eyes. And those eyes looked panicked. "Zoey?" Harry asked again. This time I could hear him.

"Yes?"