I jump upon the horror-movie-like creaking noise of the gate opening.

The sight that appears behind it could also resemble a horror movie's beginning with the ropes, harnesses, karabiners, and other stuff like that Alex is holding in his hands. Though a wave of relief warms me up instantly as I cross his tenebrous gaze, and even if for me, it doesn't look frightening, the tools in his hands and the backpack on his shoulder still appear like an enigma.

"You're coming?" He pulls me out of my puzzled thoughts with a raised eyebrow.

"Er... yeah..." I join him, but I stop at the gate, narrowing my eyes to read the large sign 'Staff only'.

"Are you sure we're allowed to enter?" I question, my voice unsure even though I'm already guessing the answer.

"It's open and there's no one to stop us." He shrugs, one of his famous smirks playing on his lips.

A light laugh escapes me at the simplicity of his wicked reasoning. "You've just opened it!"

"Don't worry, no one will know." He holds his hand out, his dark gaze appearing serious and trust-worthy despite the sparkle of mischief shining there.

I must admit looking in those hypnotizing eyes gleaming with expectation is inviting, and once again I'm left biting on my lip, trying to think coherently for a decision, although it's useless because the choice is already made. Despite all the consequences and questions resonating in my head: Where is he taking me? What we're gonna do? Why does he have all this stuff?... I'm a goner, and I follow him without a second thought.

He leads the way, following the gravel path, and we disappear into the shadows of the woods.

The deeper we get into the forest, the less those shadows seem scary. Actually, I can even find light peeking through the dense foliages, and the contrast with the golden fall colors is mystical and beautiful. Gaining assurance with each step, I let my gaze wander everywhere, my head lifting up to catch every magical detail. Though all the confidence leaves my body when I glimpse a big detail.

"Zipline?!" I ask, gawking at the cables, ropes, wooden platforms... hung in the trees above our heads before focusing back on Alex with the same wide eyes.

"Surprise!" He offers me a grin.

I freeze for a second, not breathing, not moving, and blinking my eyes as the information processes through my paralyzed brain. 

When it finally sinks in, I can only shake my head frantically. "No! No! We're not doing this?!"

"What did you think we would do with ropes and karabiners? Though, I might have some ideas..." A slow smirk forms on his devious lips.

I feel my cheeks heat up slightly, but I'm more focused on the tiny cables and the height of the gigantic trees, so I repeat, still moving my head from left to right consistently. "No, I'm not doing this!"

He puts down everything he is holding and comes closer to me. "Come on! I promise you it will be fun!" He raises his right hand, like he's swearing on oath, and he looks me straight in the eyes.

Even though I fight it, a smile naturally finds its way on my lips. "Anyway, how are we gonna do? There are no instructors to help us"

"We don't need anyone." His intense eyes are boring into mine, catching my breath. "You're fine with me." He rasps and holds out his hand for me.

I stare at his strong hand open for me, unable to hear my thoughts over the loud thumps of my heart, though I guess I don't need to; I've already taken my decision before, and if I've come all the way, now I gotta trust him. So nibbling on my lower lip, I take his hand, and I immediately feel his warmth soothing my nerves.

He leads me to an enormous majestic tree. The closer we get, the bigger and taller it appears, and as we arrive at the massive trunk, I take in how small we are in front of the nature's greatness with my gaze following up the tree's height. When my eyes come back down, my head is slightly dizzy, yet I still catch sight of the signs reminding the safety instructions. This pulls my brain back straight, and I stop, my conscience catching up with me. "Isn't it forbidden to use the equipment without paying?! It's illegal?! Do you do this often?! How–"

"Believe me, the less you know, the better it is for you!" He gives me a wink.

My stomach knots with the possibilities of the 'less I know', yet something is pulling me to follow him.

We climb a spiral staircase that coils up around the big tree trunk. I don't dare to count the step or even look around, I keep my gaze on Alex's back, and I realize how much we've climbed when we get to the quite small platform, almost at the top. We're surrounded by the foliages that have been standing so far above us a few minutes ago, and I make the mistake to look down, the ground appearing at a dizzying distance. My breath gets caught in my throat, a lump forming there as I keep staring at the ground, my head spinning more and more.

"So that's why you said it has something to do with our project, because you're gonna watch me crash to the ground under the Law of attraction?!"

His laugh brings me out of my dizzy spell, turning my attention to see him shaking his head. "You're funny!"

For once, I must look as pale as a sheet in front of him, so he adds, "No! It's because the motions and the speed are direct applications of physics laws. Don't worry, you're not gonna fall. There are safeties!"

'Safeties, indeed there are the tiny cables and ropes, coming with way too thin for my liking harnesses and karabiners. I stare between them and Alex as he starts to install the gear.

He puts on his harness easily, and then, he grabs another one. My heart freezes, and I throw one more glance down as if to remind myself of the height.

"Er... no thanks... I think I'm gonna sit it out."

I offer him a small smile before turning back and heading for the stairs. However, I don't even reach the first step because he stops me, stepping in front of the stairs and grabbing my shoulders.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'm used to do zipline. It's really NOT the first time I do this. And I know how to install the gear safely." He smiles, not a smirk, a real smile soft and honest, and he looks me in the eyes reassuringly, not something I've thought I would see in his eyes.

I glance behind, still hesitating, though I'm kinda trapped. "I don't think these kinds of things are made for me..."

"Come on.... flirt a little with danger." He leans closer, and my heart starts beating again in a furious rhythm.

"You already made me play with danger..."

"Yeah, and how was it?"

I bite my lip, a little smile still appearing on my lips. "Cool... Fun... Thrilling..." I admit, my smile growing.

"So...?" He raises an eyebrow, his famous smirk coming back.

I don't know why I say this, but the words are out of my lips before I can even think. "Okay..."

I let him install me my harness, and his calloused fingers brushing my skin and creating goosebumps distract me for a few moments. His touch is so light, his movements so precise and careful. It's exactly like when he is handling the lab equipment, and I feel myself boil more than a chemical reaction.

Before even realizing it, I'm ready to slide down the ropes – well at least physically, with the gear, because in front of the tiny cables and the emptiness below, I feel everything but ready.

"Don't worry, for the first one, we'll go together." He says, sensing my nervousness.

He places himself behind me, and my nerves only skyrocket. His strong arms are wrapped firmly around my waist, our bodies glued to each other, and his hot breath fanning over my neck. I can feel the goosebumps forming on my skin, and my heart doesn't know which way to turn; I'm stuck between the precipice and Alex, my heart bouncing in every direction inside my chest.

"Tell me when you're ready." His voice is soft and patient, and echoing so close to my ear.

"And, if it's never?" I sink my teeth into my lower lip as I'm searching desperately for an ounce of courage inside me, but I only find more distressing fears.

"I'm fine here. We can stay." His arms hold me tighter.

It sends a wave of heat through my body. But I must admit: I'm fine here too. His warm body so close to mine makes me relax, and his strong arms around my waist are creating a safe shield.

Engulfed in his arms and in the silence, I try to breathe slowly. He waits patiently, letting me time to prepare. I feel his intense eyes on me, his hot breath on my neck, and his skilled fingers on my hips, but he doesn't rush me; on the contrary, all these little details are slowly soothing me.

When I feel a little bit more relaxed, I take one big breath and tell him, "I'm ready, in 3–"

I don't get the chance to finish, he pushes us off the edge. My heart leaps with us in the emptiness, and I scream at the top of my lungs, probably piercing his eardrums.

The fear progressively gives way to the excitement and awe of sliding down, almost flying above a beautiful scenery. I take in the surreal feeling of seeing the nature from another perspective. The colorful trees, the blue sky, and the earth below, it all passes so fast, yet also in a slow-motion. I can't explain it; I'm just awe-struck, yet my screams don't lessen as the speed and the height are triggering a rush of adrenaline through my veins.

When we finally arrive to the next platform, my legs are shaky, almost giving out, and I'm thankful for Alex's strong arms holding me.

"Wow!!" I exclaim, laughing.

I still feel like flying. The fear, the stress, and the adrenaline are coming back down to give way to a light euphoria as my heart is still hammering in my chest. "Thank you! And sorry if I burst your eardrums," I add, biting my lip.

He chuckles. "It's nice to see you liked it that much!" His eyes are shining at me, and I have to take a step back under their piercing intensity.

Once I get back my normal heart rate, well my normal heart rate under Alex's penetrating gaze, I ask eagerly, "So, let's do it again?!"

"Okay, but this time you do it alone."

"What?! N-no! I can't! I-I don't know how to do..." I stutter, all my nerves shriveling back in a tight knot inside my stomach.

"Don't worry, you just have to let yourself slide down the cable." He holds my gaze, once again offering me reassurance through the tenebrous shades of his eyes.

I swallow hard, the instructions still feeling hard to digest if I'm by myself. "But, we were fine together..." I try in a small voice, my hammering heart agreeing almost louder.

His lips quirk in a content smirk before quickly coming back to a serious expression. "Yeah, but I know you can do it by yourself."

My heart jumps at the way his eyes are diving so intently in mine; actually, it is soaring because in the shining darkness I find there I feel like I can do anything. The sensation is expanding from my chest, and before I even know it, I'm nodding softly.

"I let you choose: do you want to go first or I go first?" He checks the safeties once more, even though he has already done it when we've landed.

"Er... you go first." I reply quietly. That way, I will have a motivation to take the leap and slide down.

He installs our equipment, and before jumping, he looks back at me. "See you in a few Miss Clumsy Cookie!" He waves and goes down.

My heart jumps with him, and I hold my breath, only letting it out when I see his silhouette – which my eyes have watched carefully getting smaller all the way – reach the next platform.

"Your turn!" I hear his voice in the distance.

I breathe slowly, trying to relax, but it's not as easy as it has been earlier with Alex. There is only emptiness surrounding me, and instead of his strong arms, I have my fears holding me tight. In short, I miss his presence close to me, and that's what decides me as I gaze down at his figure. The pull drawing me toward him moves my feet forward, and I take the leap into the empty space. I quickly gain speed, sliding down the cable and finding back the adrenaline and euphoria in my veins. Once again, I'm screaming loudly all the way, though this time, my laugher doesn't wait for me to arrive to tickle my lips, along with a reckless sensation of feeling invincible.

It only dies down when I get to the platform with quite a high speed and realize I don't really know how to land. Though Alex is waiting for me, stopping me with his strong arms. His hands automatically find my hips, gripping firmly to keep me steady.

The adrenaline is rapidly subsiding as every part of my body becomes hyper-aware of our closeness, and it's something else that is rushing through my veins as our chests are colliding every time they rise with our heavy pants. The same attraction that has urged me to jump into the void is now tickling my skin. I'm hypnotized by the way his eyes fixed on mine are getting darker, and when my gaze flicks to his plump lips slightly parted, there is only one thought spiraling in all my body: tasting them. As if hearing this thought, they get closer.

But before I can meet them, something pulls me in the opposite direction. I can physically feel the opposing forces battling inside my body, yet it's the backward pull that is easily winning. In my dazed state, it takes me a few seconds and some glances around to comprehend that it's my harness trapping me. Our ropes are tangled together, not allowing us to get closer. I don't even know how it has happened, though with me, my clumsiness and my bad luck, it doesn't surprise me.

The heat flooding my cheeks doesn't surprise me either, but the frustration growing inside my stomach does startle me.

He's still so close that his chuckle resonates against my chest, and I fear he might hear the loud beats of my heart. So I avoid his gaze while he untangles our ropes.

"There we are Miss Clumsy," he announces once we're freed from our ropes.

I immediately take a step back, despite the pressure on my skin still pulling me toward him. Alex, he, doesn't move; he just stares intensely at me. I smile shyly, unable to read him and not daring enough to hold his gaze. Between the silence and his penetrating stare, my skin is tingling, and it is even more overwhelming than the jump I've just taken.

"Er... thank you, by the way." I break the strained silence. " I never thought I could do it."

"You already told me this!" He lifts an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but I mean for encouraging, well more like forcing me, to do the descent by myself!" I reply with a playful grin.

"I knew you could do it. You're a badass inside!" He grins back and gives me a wink.

I don't know if it's a badass inside, but I indeed feel something inside: a reckless flame lighting up.

"Let's do it again! But this time I go first!" I exclaim.

We do more descents, time passing by quickly as we're having fun, and in the end, I'm the one who begs to do one more.

***

"I should celebrate my A+ more often!" I think out loud as I'm laying down on my back on the wooden deck Alex and I are currently sitting on.

After we've finished our descents, Alex has taken me to one of the highest platforms to rest a little. It feels like such a sweet break after all the emotions from the jumps, and actually 'sweet' is really the right word because we've eaten some delicious snacks: some Kinder Buenos that Alex has brought – I can't believe he's remembered they're my favorite.

Now it still feels sweet as we're admiring the scenery. There is a soft, magical impression seeing the nature from another viewpoint. We are overlooking most of the trees, so we can see the valley in the distance and the blue sky spotted with white clouds, contrasting with all the clumps of leaves below, orange, yellow, red... like an iridescent fire. And now that I'm laying down, a gentle breeze makes this beautiful fire dance in the cerulean sky before my eyes. It's so relaxing and soothing.

"You can call me if you need ideas..." Alex glances back at me, a sparkle in the corner of his eyes.

"Do you come here often?" The question leaves my lips naturally before I can even stop myself from being indiscreet.

He seems to know this place and the tools very well, yet it doesn't resemble the spots where the bad boys are known to hang out. Though I should be used to Alex surprising me, and you can never judge a book by its cover.

He lays back beside me, and feeling him close brings me a comfortable, intimate warmth, which I wonder if he can sense it too.

"I come every once in a while with my brother." He lets out a sigh, not annoyed or stressed, but more like something between ease and nostalgia. "My Dad worked here, he took us quite often when we were little..."

I look back at him. His intense gaze is lost in the azure above, or maybe even farther.

"We came here sometimes after school and waited for him to finish his workday, and if we had a good grade, we would do some descents. Or sometimes, he took us here on days off to do zipline, and we even built houses in the trees..."

I stare at him fascinated, forgetting the beautiful landscape. Before my eyes, images of the same trees and blue sky are appearing, but I also picture a happy family, especially a little reckless boy with the same sparkle Alex has right now in his eyes as he's talking. The way he talks about it, I can almost feel like I've been there. In the back of my mind, I almost hear the innocent laughers.

"...And we've kept the tradition after his death," he adds, his tone unfazed, yet holding so many emotions at the same time.

The happy laughs in my mind vanish, replaced by the sound of my heart cracking. I still keep my eyes on Alex, whose gaze is still far away, and suddenly he doesn't seem as dangerous and impressive. He's just him, and a part of me just wants to reach out and hug him, though I don't dare to do it. Instead, I whisper, "Oh, I'm sorry... I didn't know..."

"No, it's okay." His intense gaze comes back to me, a small smile stretching his lips. "I have a lot of good memories here, and now I have one more."

My heart skips a beat, and the genuineness in his eyes makes me look down, trying miserably to hide the warm tint on my cheeks.

Just a little update to let you know I now have an Insta account!!!!! I'll share some quotes and aesthetics about my stories there, so go follow me!! And I'll follow you back ;) You can find the link in my bio or in the external link right below :)

Who wants to take the leap with Alex now? ;) I hope you like this chapter and how we got to know a lit bit more about him :)

Please let me know what you think in the comments, vote, add to your library...

I'm new here, so your help and feedbacks are more than welcome! :)