Ransom At Christmas. Barb Han

limbs. Butch stopped growing just shy of six feet tall. Will had shot past him by junior year of high school. Middle school was the time Butch had peaked.

      Kelly had been beautiful even back then. Her shy smile wasn’t easy to see or coax out of her. But it brightened her face when it finally made an appearance.

      Butch had set his sights on Kelly becoming his girlfriend. Much to Will’s relief, she’d had no interest. At five feet eight inches by the fifth grade, one-hundred-sixty-pound Butch had become accustomed to taking what pleased him. That cold winter day in late February it had been Kelly.

      Will had rounded the corner of the building after school that day. He’d had to stay late because the science teacher, Mrs. Pander, had asked if he could help her to her car with a prop she’d brought to class to illustrate the solar system. The 3-D model had to be broken down and taken to her SUV in pieces.

      His helping Mrs. Pander saved Kelly from Butch, who had decided to pin her up against the wall and force her to kiss him while he touched her.

      Kelly might’ve been shy but she knew how to stand up for herself. As Will had rounded the corner she’d belted Butch, blackening his eye.

      Will chuckled at the memory of her jerking back her fist, her face wrinkled with pain from hitting such a hard skull.