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growled.
    “That bastard can’t do anything to me!” Jack son screamed, his face twisted in rage. “He’ll never come near me and mine again! You hear me, boy?” My mind tried to register the fury in his voice when he said ‘again’. When had John Paul ever been around them? Libby told me her momma had never called the cops on Jackson before. My mind forgot it as Jackson scrambled up off the floor.
    “I’m gonna kill you, boy,” he growled, his lips sneering. He was on the floor again in seconds, his nose cocked at an odd angle.
    “Never…” I growled , all my rage focused into that moment. “Ever touch her again.” My fists shook at my side, begging to be set loose. I wanted to kill him.
    Libby came up beside me, her hand resting lightly on my arm. My mind screamed to threaten him, beat him to a bloody pulp, to leave him as marked as he had left Libby so many times. Instead, I took Libby’s hand in mine and walked out of the school.
    I drove her home and stood in the living room as she threw all her clothes into some garbage bags. Her momma was there, shrunk into a ball on the couch. She sat silently when Libby had told her what had happened. Carol Ann’s eyes widened in shock when Libby told her that I had probably broken Jackson’s nose.
    “Come with me, Momma,” Libby begged, ben ding down in front of Carol Ann.
    “I can’t, Libby,” she answered, her voice shaking. “He’ll kill us both if I leave with you.” Libby st arted to protest, but Carol Ann pressed a thin finger to her lips. “If I stay, I might be able to stop him from coming after you,” she whispered, tears running down her face. “I tried to protect you from this Libby, but I couldn’t. I’m so sorry.”
    “I love you, Momma,” Libby cried, wra pping her arms around Carol Ann.
    “I love you too,” Carol Ann turned to me, holding my face in her trembling hands. “Take care of my little girl, Cole,” she whispered. “I know you’ll protect her.”
    “I will. Always,” I answered, fighting back my own tears.
    Libby hugged her again before taking my hand and walking out the door. She didn’t look back as we drove away from the house she had grown up in. I looked into the rearview mirror, watching the house get smaller and smaller until it was swallowed by the darkness.

Chapter 7
     
     
    Libby found someone from school to rent an apartment with. I went over the day before I left for basic with a handful of bluebells for her. I made sure that all of her locks on the doors and windows were working before I was even remotely satisfied with leaving her alone.
    “Don’t worry, Cole,” she told me, seeing the worry in my eyes. “I feel like a different person now that I’m out of that house. I’m just so worried about Momma.”
    “She’ll leave him one of these days,” I whispered, hugging her. “She just wants to make sure your Pa doesn’t come after you.” Libby sighed and hugged me tighter. We both knew what that meant. Jackson would be beating Carol Ann instead of Libby.
    I left the next day for twelve weeks of training in California. During the long nights, I often thought of Libby, focusing on her smile as I struggled through training. I called her every weekend, hiding the pain and exhaustion from my voice. During the Crucible, when we were only allowed four hours of sleep a night, my memories of Libby were the only thing that kept me from collapsing with sheer exhaustion.
    At graduation, I found my parents quickly after the ceremony was over. Much to my surprise, Libby stepped out from behind them. Overjoyed, I spun her around in a hug before asking how she’d made it to California.
    “I had an extra ticket and asked if she wanted to fly on an airplane for the first time,” a familiar voice chuckled from behind me. Sheriff Gellars was standing there with a big smile on his face.
    “Sheriff,” I greeted him, holding out my hand.
    “You can call me John Paul now, don’t you think, Private Andrews?”