Page 87 of Why Not Us?

Now that I’m off the edge, I can breathe again. Derek is standing next to us, watching me with concern.

Do I want to do this? That’s the question, isn’t it? While I was about to jump, to trust the Whistler Bungee crew and one long red cord to keep me alive, I couldn’t remember why I’d wanted to do it. Now that I can think again, I take a breath and remind myself why I wanted to come here.

I want to get out of my comfort zone. This one last thing is like a graduation. If I can jump off this bridge, I can do anything.

“I want to,” I say, at last. “I just froze.”

“Hey, Adalie!” Spencer calls and I turn to see he’s on the edge now, strapped into his harness. “If all your friends jump off a bridge, are you going to do it, too?” Then he jumps.

My heart leaps to my throat as I watch Spencer fall to the water below. His yell is one of excitement and thrill. He bounces up, nearly all the way to the bridge like the person we’d watched from below.

I close my eyes and moan. “I could have gone to the spa with Vic, Lis, and Ava.”

Derek chuckles as he moves away from us, getting ready in his harness since he’ll be next. More people have arrived, coming back onto the bridge after being checked in.

“If you’re going to do it,” Max says after Derek is ready, “you need to go soon. We have others booked today.”

Nate nods. “Give her until after Derek?”

Max agrees and goes to collect the receipts from the new people. Spencer is pulled up. When he gets back onto the bridge, he’s laughing. “That was amazing. You have to try it, Adalie.”

“I want to. I’m not sure I can.”

Derek is on the edge now. Spencer jumped backward, but Derek is going forward, looking out over the canyon. He takes one step back then forward again, launching himself away from the bridge when the countdown reaches one. He falls through the air until the bungee stretches to its full length and shoots him back up. I can hear his shouts of excitement and laughter. Apparently, my friends are daredevils. Who knew?

“I want to jump,” I repeat, a little more sure.

“You want to go with me?” Nate asks, and my gaze shoots to him.

“Really?” I ask. “We can do that?”

Max checks our receipts and nods. “You guys can jump tandem. You’ll drop like a fucking rock, but it’ll be something.”

I’m not sure how falling like a rock would be different with Nate versus by myself, but I agree, and we get strapped in. Derek returns to the bridge, slapping hands with the guy who pulled him up, then Spencer, then Max.

“That was awesome!”

The next thing I know, Nate and I stand, facing each other as they connect us to the bungee cord. This one is purple instead of the red one I’d been strapped to before or the blue one Derek and Spencer used.

“It still counts if I need some help, right?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper as I stare at the purple cord.

“Absolutely,” Nate says.

“Why did they change the cord?”

“It’s based on weight. We weigh a hell of a lot more together than you by yourself.”

I don’t take my eyes off the cord as they perform their checks, pulling on the harness straps and reminding us not to touch the stuff beneath the funny pillow thing.

“What are you thinking?” Nate asks.

I glance up at him.

“Purple is my favourite colour.”

He drops his head back and laughs.

“Okay, Nate,” Max says. “Pick her up.”

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