(Madison's POV)

I know that he has to be up here. It’s where he always is when we’re done with trials and he’s not wanting to go home yet. I make my way up the steps and try hard not to think about how high I am getting. I don’t like heights. Something about them sort of makes my stomach feel all twisted even simply thinking about the fact that I’m not on the ground.

Sure enough, when I step out to the roof, I see who I know has to be Liam right now sitting on the edge of the building because Alder would think that’s careless, Connor wouldn’t be so still, and Jackson is plain out as afraid of heights as much as I am. But ironically enough, something about them seems to lure Liam to them.

“There you are.” I say and he turns around looking at me seemingly sad for a moment before that usual smile is on his face.

“And there you are.” He looks at me in a way that has been making my stomach act weird, but in more of a pleasant way.

I step close to the edge, but not enough to see over it, and make sure to look at him to keep my mind off of how high up we are.

“So, uh, what are you doing?”

He laughs before answering.

“Just hanging out, and what are you doing?”

I realize how dumb the question was and look at my feet to still keep my eyes away from the edge, but now off of him.

“I just wanted to see you.”

“Oh, you did, did you? And which one of us where you hoping to see?” Liam says teasing in the way he seems to enjoy to do. I don’t mind it from him the same way I do from others.

I find myself wanting to tease back as I look back up at him with a playful gaze.

“I was coming up here hoping that I’d find Jackson because I wanted to tell him something that I’m hoping he’ll keep from Liam. He does this thing sometimes where he tries to play all cool, but I think that I’m on to him.”

I step closer to him not thinking about the edge as I feel myself drawn to him.

“Oh, really? You don’t think he’s all that cool? But what if I told you that he doesn’t think he’s cool either, and just pretends to be so you'll like him?”

“Then I'd say that I'll only impressed if he showed up at school wearing those pretty cool shoes that I know he loves with the wheels in them and just skated everywhere all day because walking is too overrated.”

“Hey, those shoes are pretty cool because walking is overrated!” he laughs while acting offended.

“Uh, yeah, I agree, that's what I just said. Didn't you just hear me?” I add more sarcasm in my tone as I bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing.

“OH, we're playing it like that, huh? Get over here.” He gently grabs my arm and pulls me to him before tickling my side.

I start laughing before I notice the edge and my stomach drops which makes me jump back.

“Hey, hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah, uh, I’m just… not that great at heights, remember?” I'm not sure if he was there when I told them, or if he can remember their memories.

He tightens his eyes at me as he thinks for a moment and smiles.

“Do you trust me?”

My eyes pull a little as I show that whatever he’s thinking, I’m not stoked about.

“What is it?” I ask skeptical before he steps towards me.

“I would never put you in danger, okay? Do you trust me, Mads?”

I’m hesitant because the last time I had someone convincing me of that was someone I should have never trusted. But…

It’s Liam.

So, of course I trust him. Even if only knowing him for a few months, he’s the one I trust the most now.

I can’t bring myself to say as such, so I just nod slowly.

“Okay, we’ll take it slow.”

He grabs my hand as we slowly walk to the edge.

“I know Jackson’s afraid of heights, and that’s why we’ve been coming up here. In a way, it’s my attempt to show him that fears aren’t something that should control us. If you focus on the part that you're scared of as something to encourage you instead of the thoughts that make you feel like you could get hurt, then you can use that to push against what you're afraid of. Like when you're afraid of the dark, so you sit in it kind of daring it to do something, and it only shows you that nothing is going to happen, so instead you get used to it.”

I wouldn't say I willing have done that, but close enough to get his point. There's only so many times you can be forced to spend the night in the dark before you become numb to it and realize that the monsters in it are nothing compared to the ones who put you in it. He steps onto the ledge, and my eyes widen as my breath gets short, and I feel a little dizzy as I see over the edge out of the corner of my eye.

“It’s okay, just look at me.”

I look at Liam’s warm brown eyes and let them settle me as they are what I desperately cling to as I step carefully onto the edge. His smile grows when I have both of my feet on the edge barely wide enough to have them side by side. I stand in front of him with his hands still holding both of mine as I grip them tightly.

“See, I knew you could do it. Now, do you want to get down?”

I nod again as I feel like I’m about to cry at this point. We get down, safely, and I find myself rushing into his arms as I hold him tight and he holds me.

“I’m proud of you, Mads. I knew you could do it. It’s not so scary once you face your fears.”

I pull away from him almost laughing as the mix of emotions swirl around in my stomach, and I’m not even thinking about how close I am to the edge.

“Yeah, but never again.” I say before we start heading to the stairs back down.

“Okay.” He smirks like he doesn’t believe me.