"Guilty". Libby's knees buckled under her, and she collapsed. She would have hit the floor had it not been for the strong arms of her best friend holding onto to her as the verdict was read out.

Months of court, testimonies, and horrible re-accounts had finally paid off. The physical scars were slowly healing, but the real scars ran far deeper. Months, maybe years of therapy could never erase or ease the memories of that dreadful night.

Every time Libby closed her eyes, she could see his face. The menacing look in his eyes penetrated into her soul. Knowing he would be behind bars did little to comfort her. She wanted the pain to go; she wanted to be that happy, cheerful girl she had been before meeting him.

Seeing the smirk on her attacker's face for the last time just brought the memories flooding back. She wanted to throw up, but most of all, she wanted to crawl away into a tiny hole and disappear from the world.

Libby had never been too sociable. Painfully shy, she preferred her books rather than clubbing like some of her friends. Her looks were never a priority either. She believed a woman had to be intellectual rather than beautiful. An opinion which always got debated when she would watch her friends get dressed to go out on the town.

Now that she had turned 21, something inside of her had changed slightly. Although conservative in her thoughts, she had begun to climb out of the little shell she used to shield herself from the world.

The way she dressed had become more daring she experimented with colours and styles which a few months ago would have laughed at. Maybe the reason behind this change had been the relationship she had embarked upon.

She had met a guy at her uni, and things had moved very fast for her. Before she knew what had happened, she found herself in his bed week after week practicing the arts of love-making.

At first is had been exciting. The secret rendezvous', phone calls late at night, and the hot steamy sex had somehow liberated Libby from her former self. However she began to feel that this guy didn't want emotions to interfere with their fun.

As much as she wanted her head to take control, her heart always won. After months of booty calls and guilt she ended the relationship. That's when the nights of tears began, a realisation that he had meant more to her, than she to him.

However she had to be strong, there was so much for her to live for. She had her life planned out before she'd met him. All she could do was to put him down as life's little experience that got thrown to her. She had enjoyed their time together, but it could never be anything more. She had decided after giving him her most treasured possession that she would tell no-one, and she never did.

Her friends had noticed a slight change in their friend, and assumed that she had finally realised that life meant more than books and good grades. They liked the new Libby. She was fun and full of life.

After begging and pleading with her, Libby finally agreed to go out to a club since she was 18. After many hours of deliberating on what to wear, she decided to go for the black dress which was simple yet sexy, moulding itself to the curves of her body. She resolved to smoke her eyes with black pencil. For some reason tonight she felt daring. Who knew what fate had in store for her.

As usual her friends met up with her fashionably late outside the club. As they walked into the club, nearly every guy turned and looked at Libby. She was looking incredibly beautiful tonight, yet she was totally unaware. Every woman envied her, and every guy wanted to be by her side.

He started at her feet and moved his eyes slowly up the shapely flesh of her naked legs and his eyes moved up past her waist to the tight fitting, low cut dress. Her firm breasts swelled against the material. His eyes lingered on the visible cleavage and tops of her tits. Finally, her drew his eyes higher and swept up across her chest to her cute face. Framed by her long brown hair. God she was to die for.

They walked over to the bar, and began to order drinks. The music was soothing, and all around her people were swaying to its rhythm. She didn't notice the dark eyes watching her from across the room nor the evil smile that curled around his lips.

He walked up to her and asked for a dance, but she rejected him flatly. She didn't trust him, and she was right. There was something eerie about him, and she didn't like the way his eyes turned dark with anger and lust at her refusal.

Libby did her best to have a good time with her friends. She had many dance partners and wasn't short of attention, nor the odd cheeky grope of her ass. However as time wore on, she became tired and told her friends that she would start to head off for home.

Saying her goodbyes, she exited the club and headed for her car. She could have sworn she heard footsteps behind her and normally she didn't mind walking by herself, but something just didn't feel right in the pit of her stomach. Shuddering with unexplained uneasiness she began to walk faster imagining the nice hot bath she would have when she got home.

She could just see her car in view when she felt rough hands grip her shoulders and spin her around. "What the... ?!" She cried out but she was pushed up hard against a car where the breath was knocked out of her. The dark figure from the club loomed in front of her. Libby drew in a breath to scream but his hand clapped over her mouth.

He grabbed her by her shoulders and pushed her down onto the cold hard ground. Moving quickly, he forced her on her back and climbed on top, pinning her smaller frame beneath him. She squirmed against him and pushed at his chest, trying to push him away.