Character: Danny Cooper

The night I left Greylock, I had a fight with my mother. The quarrel was just awful. She ... She hit me in the face, insulted and ... And for the first time in my life, I raised my hand to fight back. But before I hit, I stopped, saw my reflection in the glass over her shoulder. I saw that I was ready to hit, ready to hit her, kick her. And then I realized that my mother's cruelty is also in me. I packed my backpack and left then. And I didn’t call, knowing that I’ll call and you want to go with me, but I couldn’t allow it, I had to protect you from myself. I'm sorry to hurt you, but I did it to protect you, just as you protected me.