Chapter 1

Right before the drop tower launched, my best friend gave my boyfriend a quick look. In perfect sync, he unbuckled his safety harness and ran off with her.

I was left sitting on the ride, completely frozen.

My boyfriend stood in the safe zone, smiling.

"Serena said you’re too chicken. She said the only way to cure your phobia is to face it head-on, so have fun riding it alone!"

The ride shot up. As Serena watched my terrified, ridiculous expression, she burst into hysterical laughter, snapping photos of me with her phone.

My boyfriend said something to her, a helpless smile on his face, before picking her up and hoisting her onto his shoulders so she could get a better angle for her photos.

I couldn't hear his words over the wind, but I could easily guess what he was saying.

"Alright, once you've had your laugh, don't tease her anymore. Chloe is sensitive, she's pathetic enough as it is."

I have always been a coward. We grew up together for twenty years, and this was always their way of "helping me build courage."

When we were kids, Serena purposely threw rocks to attract a stray dog. Ethan carried Serena on his back and climbed up a wall, leaving me to be chased around the yard, sobbing in terror.

In high school, Serena locked me in a room with two creepy older guys who started groping me. She and Ethan stood outside the door, giggling.

...

Every time I shook with fear, it was just entertainment for Serena.

And Ethan would always stand behind her, lazily saying, "Don't do it again next time."

But his "next time" was always just a green light for Serena to find a new way to torment me.

As the drop tower climbed sixty feet into the air, the stomach-churning weightlessness hit me.

But suddenly, I realized I wasn't scared anymore.

When the ride finally hit the ground, two pairs of hands reached out to help me up.

I pushed them both away.

"From now on, I don't need either of you to help me build courage."