Page 59 of Faking Ties

And just like that, we start over, but this time without any secrets between us.

HUNTER

Jake got it into his head that our team building should be Ted Lasso-fied. Specifically, that the offensive team had to write down our fears and every week we’re picking one out of a hat and tackling it together.

Last week, we went to an arachnid museum since someone wrote they’re afraid of spiders. Today? We’re at Skyrise skyscraper, next to the glass floor lookout since someone wrote they’re afraid of heights.

I’m not sure what Jake would do for mine—fear of failure—but I’m scared to find out. All eleven of us crowd around the glass lookout.

“Listen up,” Jake says. “We’re all going to need to take turns stepping on the glass as a team of two. So we can support each other through this.”

“That isn’t natural,” Trey says, tentatively peeking over the edge.

“Yeah, Cap,” Marcus says, backing away slowly. “I don’t need to be floating over our fine city.”

“Aww, are you scared, Marcus?” I taunt. “Do you need me to hold your hand?”

“Fuck off,” Marcus says. “Just wait until we get toyourfear.”

“I’m not scared of anything,” I lie.

“Liar.” Jake smirks as if he knows what I wrote on the paper even though it was supposed to be anonymous. “We’ll get to yours soon. In the meantime, you can be paired up with Marcus.”

Shit. I guess I walked myself into that one. I was Googling how to be a good teammate just before this, and all it spit back at me was communication, having a positive attitude, and putting in the effort. I guess this is the time to put in the effort.

“Fine,” I say.

“Or how about not,” Marcus says.

“Well,” Jake says. “You’ve got a choice. You can do this or not, that’s up to you. But just so everyone’s clear, I have a debrief with Coach about each of these sessions and highlight who does and doesn’t participate.”

He says it easily, as if he’s talking about the weather and not telling Coach about our performance. Coach who has the power to bench any one of us. If we don’t attend these events, our chances of getting cut increase dramatically.

“Shit,” I mutter at the same time as Marcus. I glance at him in surprise.

“What?” he asks. “This is way more difficult for me than you.”

“Let’s just get this over with.”

“Don’t forget to hold his hand,” D-Rock teases.

“You might want to invite him to dinner after this,” Trey says.

I ignore their teasing and eye the glass. “Jake, you sure it can carry both of us?”

Quincy chuckles. “You sure you didn’t write down that you’re scared of heights too?”

“Fuck off.” I slap my hand in Marcus’s. “Come on.”

“I’m sure it’ll hold,” Jake says. “You’ll be there for one minute. Ready?”

“No,” Marcus says, at the same time I say, “Yes.”

“Perfect,” Jake says. “Time starts now.”

I take a step onto the glass, forcing Marcus to come with me.

“Holy shit,” I whisper, looking down and being struck by vertigo. “This is fucked up. No one should be a thousand feet in the air.”

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