Kid checked the lock on his harness then turned to me and double-checked my figure eight knot. He held out his fist when he was done and I bumped it with my own, then turned to the wall.

"Girl on rock?" I called over my shoulder.

"Rock on, girl," he called back, and I felt the rope tighten as he pulled in the slack. I grinned to myself. The technical climbing commands sound so uptight, so I taught Kid the fun ones. It still made me giggle a little to hear him say "rock on, girl".

I stepped onto the first foothold and reached up to grab the handle above me. I scaled the first few feet of the wall easily, reminding myself to use my legs as much as possible and keep my arms straight and my hips in close to the wall so I didn't tire myself out. The next handhold was shaped in a way so that my fingers couldn't find purchase on it, and I slipped and fell a few feet before the rope tightened and my harness caught me.

"Stretchy rope," Kid said from below me, somewhat apologetically.

"'S okay," I called back down. I shook my arms out for a second, then reached behind me into my chalk bag, powdering up my hands before I started climbing again. I had to retrace a few of my steps to get back up to where I was, but it wasn't difficult. I eyed the awkward hold I had to reach, wondering if there was another foothold I had missed.

Take is slow, I told myself. I stretched my legs as much as I could and reached up with my left hand, brushing the hold with my fingertips. I swore and tried my other hand. I could reach, but only barely. Already my arm was aching with the strain of holding on. Without looking where I was stepping, I moved my foot up and searched for a new hold to set it on. I found one and tapped it with my toe.

"That's off," I heard Kid call from below me. "There's one a foot to your left."

I moved my foot where he directed and found another hold. It was really more than a nub than a hold, about half the size of a baby's fist, but it was good enough. I hoisted myself onto it and quickly reached up with my free hand to grab onto a wide, deep hold that was much more comfortable. I pulled my self up a little higher and reached a ledge in the wall. It was just wide enough for my to sit on, so I did, looking back down to Kid who was taking up the slack in the rope.

He smirked at me. "I don't think that's what that's for," he said.

"It's a feature," I called back. "Features are fair game."

"Yeah, to use as holds, not to sit on."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm resting."

"Rest in the harness, not on the wall."

"This makes me feel more badass."

"Whatever," Kid said, laughing.

I looked up at the rest of the wall. I was about halfway up the course, and the rest of it had a lot of shallow overhangs.

"Can you get me my water?" I asked.

Kid just stared at me.

"I'm kidding," I said after a moment.

"Good, because I was actually considering climbing up after you."

"I think that's dangerous."

"Yes, yes it is."

"Alright," I called, standing back up on the ledge. I surveyed the next few hold on the course. They looked easy enough. "Climbing," I called, reaching for the first hold.

"Rock on, girl. I mean, wait. What?"

"Oh, fine, girl on rock."

"Climb on."

"You're a dork, Kid."

"You said 'climbing'; I had to say 'climb on' to even it out."

"But you don't have to even out 'girl on rock'?"

"No, because I said 'rock on, girl' first."

"But it went out of order."

"Are you going to climb or should I just let you down?"

"Seven," I said, and Kid cringed. "Girl on rock."

"Rock on, girl."

The rest of the climb was pretty straightforward, but I got stuck a few times at the overhangs. I struggled past the last one and I could see the end of the course, a big rock marked with two pieces of tape. I brought my feet up so I was crouching like a frog, then practically leapt off the footholds, grabbing the last rock with both hands. I held it for a moment, making sure I was steady, then leaned back and let the harness catch my weight.

"Got it?" Kid called, and I flashed him a thumbs up. He began to let out the slack and I began to descend back towards the floor. I kept my feet to the wall, bracing them on rocks to steady myself so I didn't spin in circles and get the rope twisted up. Kid stopped lowering me when I was about two feet off the ground. I struggled for a moment before I shot him a mock evil glare.

He chucked and dropped me the rest of the way, so I landed unceremoniously on my back.

"Thanks," I muttered.

As I untied the rope from my harness, Kid got my water bottle and brought it over to me, offering me a sip. I took it gratefully, then I stood up.

"Your turn," I said, taking the belay device from him and clipping myself in.

He tied in and I double-checked his lock before backing up and taking up the slack.

"Dude on rock," Kid called over his shoulder.

"Rock on, dude."

A.N. I wrote this for fun, but someone asked me when I would be posting again, so I decided to stick it up. Hope you liked it!