Phobophobia

Chapter 1: It All Starts Here

"Right up there." Lauren said, pointing.

"Fine. Twenty bucks if I do it, right?" I dare.

"A deal's a deal, Jess." She said with a grin.

I laugh as we make our way up the escalator at our local mall. A lot of my friends describe me as fearless, and it's true. I, Jessica Woods, can do anything without getting scared. My best friend Lauren can prove it, too. When she had a C- in drama, she was too afraid to ask the drama teacher why, because he's the rudest teacher in the school. Glad to help her out, I asked him why, explaining how such a wonderful student Lauren is, and how she deserves an A. He ended up lifting both our grades to A's, because he said 'My performance was fantastic'.

Once we reach the top of the escalator, Lauren and I walk next to the railing, finding the perfect place for my dare. Once we find an almost empty area, Lauren turns to me, patting the railing.

"So if I do a handstand on the railing, you'll pay me twenty dollars?" I ask, grinning.

"I'll bump it up to thirty if you hold it for five seconds."

"Alright, deal." I say, holding out my hand to shake.

Once we shake, I hand her my phone with a grin.

"Easiest thirty dollars I've ever made." I say, trying to get good footing on the railing.

"You said that when Ethan dared you to hold that giant spider at school." Lauren replies, opening the stopwatch app on her phone as I push myself up onto the railing.

"Well, that too. Don't make me laugh, or I'll fall."

"Why, you afraid?" She asks with a grin.

"Not a bit." I reply, slowly standing on the railing. "Ready?"

"Whenever you are."

I lift my arms and place a foot in front of me, ready to do a handstand. Then, I lean forward and lift my feet above my head, pointing my toes. I close my eyes and imagine how I look to the other shopping pedestrians. Somehow, that always calms any nerves I feel.

'1...2...3...4...5' I count in my head. I lower myself back onto the railing and jump off, placing my hands on my hips.

"Ta-da!"

"I didn't think you could hold it for that long" Lauren says, taking out her wallet.

"Well, when Karlie told me to walk on my hands across a log in fourth grade, that gave me practice." I say, remembering little 10 year old me at my new school, trying to make friends. That's where I met Lauren, right after that.

"That was seven years ago." Lauren says, laughing, as she hands me my phone and the thirty dollars.

When I'm about to reply, my phone vibrates in my pocket, telling me I have a text. I take my phone from my pocket.

I read the name 'Kate' displayed on the screen, and I read her text;

"Jess, just wanted to let you know your parents just left. If you would like, Jon and I can bring you dinner when you get home?"

I smile as I read the text. Jon and Kate have always treated me like their child, which I am grateful for since my own parents are never home. They are both FBI agents, they met in training.

I still remember meeting them, when I was ten years old and we moved in next door. My mom and I went over to introduce ourselves, and I was really nervous. But of course, they were extremely nice to me, and my mom asks if they would be able to watch me, since my parents were always out of town.