To the Stars and Back

Chapter Sixteen

Turning around to get back in the car came to no avail. What is he doing out of jail? Him being at my house, I feared for Taylor. Had he done something to her?
Caleb stood up, in slow steps, coming over to me with a smirk. "The cops in the city are crap," he said with much more colorful language.
I scowled at him. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, yes. Long story short, they pulled me from my cell for an interrogation, I horse-kicked them in the stomach, and darted. It seems that the track team paid off, no?" An ugly laugh. "I jumped into a dumpster where I found a nifty little tool to uncuff me then came right back out. It was shocking to see no cops around."
None? Our little government really did suck. "I found myself in Taylor's bedroom waiting for her and tried to rekindle what we had, but she refused me. Can you believe it?"
"Yes," I replied, smugly.
Caleb rolled his eyes. "And so I came here." Oh no. Why didn't you call the cops, Taylor? I silently prayed to the Lord that Taylor was okay; that Caleb hadn't hurt her. "I figure that if I use you to make her jealous, she will come back."
I gasped. "No!" How could he think to use me as a decoy to win his ex back? I turned on my heel to get back in the car and leave, but in a sprint, Caleb had me backed up against the driver's seat door with a growl. My breathing quickened, suddenly horrified as to what he was going to do. "Get. Away." I emphasized the second word.
"It's a shame that I have to force you to obey." Goodness, his breath smelled like a skunk's bodily waste. I fought him, but he held on to me with excessive strength.
"Get awa--" I started to say again before he pressed his vile mouth to mine. I could taste the smoke from the cigarettes he'd likely smoked recently. It made me want to hurl on top of that nasty kiss. I shook my head violently and kneed him in the groin which caused him to fly back and say a stream of horrible words that should've never made it into the English dictionary.
With Caleb off of me, I was able to get into the car, turn the key, and put it in reverse, but just as I began to move, he punched his hand through the window and grabbed my neck. I retaliated by throwing my hands up to pull Caleb's grip from my neck.
Before he tightened his grip around it, I cried out for Dad several times. Usually I couldn't count on him, but I had no other option at the moment. "He won't come for you." Caleb had an extremely tight grip on my neck now. I didn't know how one person could wield so much strength. I knew that I would have a light bruise in the shape right there of his hand. "I must say that I'm surprised you won't even do this for the sake of your friend. Do you not want her to be happy?"
You could never make her happy. I tried to say it, only managing a few raspy words. Most of the words. My eyes were beginning to cross. I would pass out soon from lack of airflow.
I released his hand with one of mine to reach in front of me and press the panic button, but he grabbed my wrist with his unoccupied hand. "I don't think that's a good idea." He tightened his hand around my neck one more time with all the strength that he had left, triggering me to start kicking, fighting more than I had been before . How was Dad not out there yet?
My fighting slowed then I heard the squeaking of tired pull next to me in the driveway. A white Chevy. Sawyer.
Before Sawyer was even completely parked, he already had the door open and he climbed out. At the sight of him, Caleb panicked, releasing me and made a run for it. I gasped for breath, trying to control my breathing as I watched Sawyer chase Caleb down the street.
Sawyer caught up fast. In less than ten seconds, he'd tackled Caleb into the street and was straddling over him, punching him. I watched from where I sat, panting. "If I see you near my Atlas ever again, I will do much worse!" I heard Sawyer yell. I'd never seen him so angry or worked up.
With the strength I still had, I pulled out my flip phone and dialled the police as I watched Sawyer beat Caleb to a pulp. There was blood on his hands now and it was kind of a gory sight. The cops answered immediately. "I've just been attacked," I coughed and the receiver asked for my location, so I gave them my address. "Two-forty Tipton Lane."
"What is the name of your attacker?"
  "Caleb Reed."
The receiver gasped then I heard her call across the station, "We found the guy!" She brought the phone back to her mouth. "We are sending troops over right away." I hung up, dropping my phone.
By then, Sawyer was no longer beating Caleb; he just stayed where he was, watching Caleb and his bloodied face.
Two cop cars pulled up within the next two minutes and most, three officers climbing out with readied guns. One came right over to me and the others headed over to Caleb and Sawyer. They practically lifted up Caleb, cuffing him behind his back and they were speaking with Sawyer.
The cop that came to me opened the door. It was a lady with a black pixie cut and vibrant pink eye-makeup. I read her tag. Officer Denver. "If it isn't Atlas Greene. The last time I saw you was your mom's funeral. Where's Officer Greene?" She asked about Dad.
I shrugged. "I'm guessing that he's asleep inside."
"Hm." She turned and headed toward the front door and knocked. Meanwhile, I drew my attention back toward the two officers, Caleb and Sawyer and called Taylor to check on her. She said that she was fine and Caleb didn't hurt her.
        Sawyer and the officers were done talking and Sawyer quickened his steps over to me. My heart quickened thrice as fast as his steps seeing him come over to me. His expression was worrisome and angry.
Sawyer dropped down to my position, enveloping me, his face finding the crook of my neck. I felt his breath on my skin. I tingled from there into my toes. No words were spoken until he pulled away some and cupped my face. His eyes were firmly staring into mine. "Are you okay." I nodded. I was okay now that he was with me. "Atlas, talk to me," he begged.
"Yes, I'm okay, Sawyer."
He sighed with relief . "I came to bring you one of the books Whit got for you 'cause you dropped one on your way out. I never expected to see you being man-handled like that."
His words were jumbled. I reached up, threading my fingers in his hair. "I'm okay," I repeated, sincerely. I found that he was shaking.
"I never want to see you like that again. That scared me to death."
"Sawyer, just breathe."
He huffed. "You were just getting the life sucked out of you and you're telling me to breathe." His hands fell from my face. "You're the bravest girl I've ever met."
I smirked, tilting my head. "Am I?" I teased.
To my own relief, he played along. "Just a little bit." A whisper of a smile rose on his mouth. Officer Denver descended the porch after no answer, approaching us. Of course, Dad was blacked out. Sawyer grimaced. "Is your dad oblivious or something to what just went on."
"Something like that." He was so unaware that I felt horrible for not letting him know the lousy details.
The two others came over to Sawyer and I when they had Caleb in the back of the cruiser and began to question us. "I'll take Pornie back," Denver called. The other two cops gave her a thumbs up then she was out.
I started by sharing where I was returning home from and every detail about how everything led up to where it did. Sawyer finished the story, telling them his reasoning for coming over so late and what he saw, pulling in. Sawyer didn't get charged for anything for beating Caleb since it was for defense. In fact, they praised him for looking after me and told me that I need to marry him. We both blushed immensely at that one.
Sawyer helped me from the car when the cops left, pulling me into another, tighter embrace. This tight was comforting unlike Caleb's deadly tightness. I was glad that I had Sawyer. "You should probably go home. It's late."
He sighed. "I don't wanna leave you alone again," he complained.
I stepped back. "I'll be fine," I assured him.

"That is Perseus and that is Andromeda." I lay in Sawyer's lap, telling him the stories of the constellations as I pointed them out. Due to his relentless refusal to leave me alone, I gave in, so we climbed in the bed of his Chevy. "And over there is Pegasus, Cetus, Cepheus, and Cassiopeia. Do you see them?"
"Yep," he said, following the movement of my pointing fingers.
"So, Perseus is the son of Zeus and mortal," I started.
"Pft, I've seen Clash of the Titans. I am well aware of Perseus," He cut in.
I playfully backhanded his stomach. "Zip it." He chuckled, allowing me to continue. "And Andromeda is the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia." I paused. "When Perseus and Andromeda met, she was about to be murdered by a sea monster." I pointed back at the sky. "Cetus. The Gods wanted Andromeda dead for no reason of her own, but because they wanted to punish Cassiopeia for saying that she was more beautiful than Poseidon's daughter."
"After killing Medusa, Perseus flew above on Pegasus to see Andromeda about to be killed, so he struck a deal with her parents: 'If I save your daughter, I shall have your blessing to marry.' They agreed upon his terms, but after he killed Cetus, it was revealed that Andromeda was engaged."
"Well, that's not cool," Sawyer commented. I giggled.
"Perseus found himself caught up in a fight with Andromeda's fiance and wound up turning the unfortunate guy into stone with Medusa's head. Perseus and Andromeda married and they stayed together until they died."
Sawyer bent down and pressed a kiss to my forehead, lingering. "I'd fight for you too."
I knew that he would and I knew that he would sacrifice a good number of things to be with me and for me to not leave next month.
"Sawyer?" I reached my hand to his cheek and looked down at me laying in his lap, smiling. Admiring me. He waited. "I love you too." I knew without a doubt that I did.
His face lit up and I nearly squealed at the sight. He was just so cute!
He wrapped me in his arms, lifting me slightly, then he freckled my faces with kisses. I giggled, turning my head this way and that way to get him to stop. He didn't until my face was covered in a sufficient number of smooches.
I noticed one of my sleeves was hiking up some, so I reached over and pulled it down.
He didn't notice the scars.
Good.