A New Life (Modern Sasuke Uchiha Love Story)

A New Life (Modern Sasuke Uchiha Love Story) Ch. 38

"And now, I want you guys to do exactly as I do. Monkey see, monkey do," our guide tells us, and we all collectively nod as she begins her trek across the wobbly bridge.

She's walking backwards, casually telling us about how she hadn't seen many teenagers given free reign like we were, as if she weren't suspended over a fatal drop were her cables to go out. She steps onto the far platform and motions us over.

She made it look easy. Well, in a way it was, but with how careful Naruto and Sasuke have been, it's seemed more difficult than it really is.

Naruto is first, and he starts to walk across, watching his feet carefully.

"That's not how I went across!" she chimes gleefully, and I see his face pale.

"You put one foot on each board!" he protests, but I know that he's trying to avoid what she truly wants him to do.

I loved our guide. She was plenty giggly and funny, and the fact that she barely cracked five foot made it all so much funnier. She could do it, but these two beside me couldn't?

"Yes, but I also was facing all of you. So turn around!" she continues, and Naruto blanches before he turns to face us, his knuckles white as he gripped the supporting ropes.

He's slower now than he was before, and it takes him nearly two minutes to cross the bridge. When he makes it to the other side, he slumps against the tree trunk, exhaling heavily.

"Next up, Miss Akemi!" our guide, Lena, calls, and I grin.

Unlike Naruto, I wasn't scared of heights. This was fun rather than nerve wracking. I practically skip across the slats, looking back at Sasuke the whole time.

I at least know that if I slip, my rope will catch me. Also, it's not like the slats were far enough that I'd fall through, so either way, I was safe.

I make it across in what Lena says is just under twenty seconds, faster even than she had made it. I look to Sasuke, who's extremely pale and clutching onto the supporting ropes.

"Come on, you big baby!" I call, and he takes a tentative step onto the slat. He's facing us, too scared to turn around. "Oh, be tough! Turn around!"

"No way in hell," he returns, and I stifle a laugh. His every step is calculated and careful, and when he's about halfway across he freezes. "How high is this?"

"You really want to know?" Lena returns, leaning onto the support rope to ogle him. I want to tell her to back off, but we weren't exclusively together yet, so I couldn't exactly claim him.

"Around sixty feet?" he guesses, looking up to me warily.

"Seventy five," Lena returns, her black hair moving with the wind as it picked up slightly.

"Feels like more," Sasuke mutters, and I grin at him as he takes a step. The wind must catch him though, because he stills, and I see his muscles tense up around the ropes. "I'm so done with this. No more."

"Come on," I call, and he sends me a glare. Suddenly I understand why he's so slow and cautious and careful and so tense. It's worse than Naruto...

He's scared of heights.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," I call, and I head out onto the bridge to meet him. I extend a hand to him, and he takes it, lacing his fingers through mine. "Come on, you're almost there."

I guess I give him some kind of confidence, because he wills up enough to make it across the bridge. He leans back against the tree, breathing heavily.

"Is the mighty Uchiha, second to none, scared of zip lining?" I tease, squeezing his hand to soften the insult.

"Heights," he corrects in a shaky breath. "I was fine until we got to that bridge... I don't know how I was able to hold it off until then, though."