Emma sighed as she walked home. She was very tired,and irritable right now.Manny had stayed late at school for cheerleading practice. Normally,Emma would've stayed to watch her best friend,but right now she just wanted to get home and go to bed.She pulled her coat closer to her as a cool breeze hit her.

"Hey,sweetie, what are you dong by yourself?"

A voice took her by surprise. A man,probably in his early 20's ,ran up,and walked next to Emma.She quickened her pace,but he sped to keep up with her.

"How'd you like to go home with me,sweetie?" he asked in a suggestive tone,"I'm in a hotel downtown. You could...spend the night."

Emma tried her best to remain calm as she ignored the stranger.

"Hey,I'm talking to you!" he said.

Emma ignored him. She felt a pair of hands grab her arms.

"Let me go!" she protested,struggling to break loose. He swung her around,and slammed her into the brick wall of the building,her back against the wall so she was facing him.

She looked into his cold eyes in sheer terror.

"When I say something,you will answer,do you understand?" he growled.

"DO YOU!" he shook her,and she let out a frightened whimper.

He leaned in to try to kiss her,and his tingue touched her lips for a split second. But she broke free of his grasp and slapped him sharply across the face,and broke out into a sprint. But once again,he caught her.He grabbed her wrist.

"Let me go!" she screamed.

"Hey,now.I'm not here to hurt you."he gently touched her cheek,and she shuddered,disgusted, under his touch.

"I believe she said to leave her alone."

Emma and the stranger both looked up in surprise,and saw a boy,about Emma's age,standing on the sidewalk.

"Hey,back off,Kid." the stranger warned,"this doesn't concern you."

"Oh,but it does."he dared to take another step closer."Because,you see,when your dad is a police officer,any crime concerns me." he smirked.

The stranger whiped out his arm in an attempt to hit the boy,but he dodged it,and returned the favor with a swing of his own,punching him right in the certain spot that hurts most. The man kneeled over,gasping in pain at the strenghth that the boy had.

"Come on," he grabbed Emmas wrist," My dad's a police."

Emma nodded,and ran behind him,to his car,parked one street away. They climbed in,and the boy started the car,and called his dad on his cell phone.

"Hello...can I talk to my dad?...Yeah,I'll hold."he turned to Emma,"Where do you live?I'll drive you home."

"Glenshire Road." she said.

After a moment of silence,Emma finally spoke.

"You saved my life." she said.

He looked at her,a modest look on his face."Yeah,well,it was nothing.I mean..."

Emma stared down at her hands."I'm Emma."

"Jack." he said.He spoke into his cell phone."Dad? Hi. We had a stranger attacking...Emma.. down on Miston Rd...I dunno.I'm guessing probably for rape..."

The word sent chills through her spine. Rape? That man could've raped her if Jack hadn't come along.She shivered.

"Are you cold?I could turn up the heat." he asked.

"No,I'm good.Thanks."

"Oh,no problem."

"No,I mean...thanks for saving me."

"You're welcome."

Emma looked at Jack,and studied him.He had green eyes,and dark brown hair,which was neatly cut,and had little spikes gelled up at the top.But then...who didn't wear their hair like that? She had to admit,Jack was pretty hot.

She shook her head.She just met him!How could she already be looking at him in that way?

"Oh,no. She's having seizures now!" he joked.

"Oh,yeah.Call 911." she laughed back.

After ten more minutes of joking around,they pulled into Emma's driveway.

"Well,here we are." he said. He got out of the car and opened her door.Then,he helped her out,and walked her to the door.

Emma pulled the key from her pocket and opened the door.

"Thanks a lot,Jack."she smiled at him.

He smiled back."Don't mention it. I just did what I felt was right."

With that,he walked back to his car,and climbed in.

She waved as he pulled out of the driveway,and drove away.

She shut the door and sighed a sigh of relief. Relief that she hadn't been raped.Relief that Jack had saved her.And relief that Jack had somehow managed to stumble into her life,even if it was only for twenty minutes.