Since Forever

Chapter 14

Archie's POV

I groan up at the rock climbing wall. It's tall and I do not relish the thought of having to belay someone up it. I don't have a specific problem with heights or climbing, but it's too early for this. It's 9 am which I guess isn't that early, but still. Eleventh and twelfth graders have the first slot to climb the wall and it goes down by year level after that. We'll still have to wait a while since there are a lot of us so I'm hoping I can get in a few more hours of sleep.

Thomas and Bailey are standing toward the front of the group and they look very happy to be up this early to climb a fricking wall. They seem to be over what they were fighting about yesterday. I still don't completely understand what happened or how they made up. I sort of want to ask Thomas whether he's going to ask out the girl or not, but it's none of my business. It's even less of my business who he dates than who Zac dates.

I am pulled from my thoughts when Zac nudges me. "Do you want to be partners?"

"Huh?"

"For rock climbing."

My gaze flicks to the climbing wall and then to the people around us who have already started finding partners. I quickly grab Freddie's arm. "Actually, Freddie and I are going to be partners."

Zac covers up his surprise with a smile. "Okay...Cool." 

He goes to find a partner and Freddie raises a questioning eyebrow. 

"Do you mind?" I ask apologetically.

He shrugs. "No. I'll live."

We collect our harnesses from Gabe. I can't help but notice that Zac has ended up partnered with Alice. I look away as he helps her tighten her harness. For the first time, I consider the possibility that I like Alice. Maybe that's why I don't want Zac to date her. It would explain that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that bears a striking resemblance to jealousy. Except that doesn't make any sense. Because I kind of hate Alice.

Freddie is looking at me expectantly and I have absolutely no idea what he just asked.

"Um, what?"

"I just asked if you wanted to climb first," he repeats patiently.

I shrug. "Not particularly."

"I'll go then." Freddie attaches his carabiner to the rope and holds up the end. I don't make any move to take it. Freddie sighs and attaches it to my harness. "You ready?"

I nod, even though I wasn't paying that much attention when Gabe was explaining it. Freddie starts climbing and I hold the rope uncertainly.

Zac smirks next to me where he's belaying Alice. "You need to feed the rope through," he says with a laugh. "Like this. Pull down hard between when you're feeding to lock the mechanism so that if Fred falls it will catch him."

I try and clearly do it wrong because Zac, while still holding Alice's rope with one hand, reaches over to help me. He puts his hand over mine and demonstrates pulling down on the rope. My face heats up. It's because I'm practically holding hands with a guy, not because it's Zac. Obviously. 

"Got it?" He asks.

I nod slowly, still blushing. "T-thanks."

Zac smiles and turns back to his rope. 

Freddie looks down from the wall not long after I've mastered the art of belaying. He seems comforted by my confidence and keeps climbing. He's almost at the top when there's a squeal from the wall next to him.

I look over to see Alice clinging to the rope and hanging almost a foot from the wall. Zac is pulling the rope down uncertainly, not sure what to do.

"Hang on," Finn calls, climbing sideways from Alice's other side. "It's okay." He reaches for her and she grabs his hand, letting him pull her back to the wall.