"No!"

"You must... stop looking at me like that." says my mom. "Why won't you cooperate. Answer me."

Scilence.

"I said, answer me."

I look at her and see an angry red animal staring back. I quickly walk to my room and shut the door. I hear muffled screams. I sit on my unmade bed and wish there wasn't such a thing as courts.

"Knock. Knock."

I roll my eyes, "Come in."

"Can I sit down?"

"Yeah."

I scoot over and my mom sits next to me. She strokes my hair. I sigh

"Mom, I know you want the best for me but I won't--I can't talk to him.

"Why? you told me..."

"I don't want my very best friend to go to stupid, fricken, jail!" I gulp and try not to cry. "I didn't tell you all of it because... because if I do well... he will die."

I can't hold it anymore and begin to cry. Mom holds me and tells me it's the right thing to do.

"Ryan, tell me how much you love Jack."

"A lot." I say. Well it's more of a muble.

"But how much more do you love Sophie."

I look at my mom. I'm surprised. She knows I do not like talking about my girlfriend to her.

She doesn't wait for me to think of an answer, "You love her so much you'd die for her, right?"

I nod.

"She won't be safe until you testify.”

I nod, again. I know what she says is true. Jake has already threatened me with Sophie. He says if I tell he’ll do the same to her.

“Okay mom…” she smiles and hugs me. It’s the first time I’ve seen her smile in weeks. I’ll know she’ll laugh at me for what I plan to say next but I still have to say it, “I’ll do it for Sophie.”