I snapped my phone shut and threw it at the wall. The back came off and the battery flew out. I had a feeling he'd say no. I looked around and thought about my next move. I could tell the guys and go looking for her, or I could keep them in the dark and find her myself. Brian's our brother, but Courtney is practically their sister. My decision was made when the house phone rang and the caller ID said it was Zacky.

"Zack, you need to come over," I rushed out before I could change my mind about getting them involved.

"Why? Did something happen," he questioned, sounding concerned.

"Yes, but you have to get over here now."

"All right, I'll be there in a few." He hung up so I sent a text to both JC and Jimmy telling them to get here as soon as possible. Within five minutes, they were here. Once they were all sitting in the living room, I looked at them.

"Brian took Courtney," I said. They stared at me for a couple seconds.

"Where," Zack asked, confusion covering his features.

"I don't know."

"Why," Johnny asked.

"He..." I couldn't think of how to word the next part, so I just blurted out whatever came to my mind. "He's been abusing her for the past few months and I found out so when I confronted him about it he punched me and took off with her." All of their eyes widened.

"Abused her how," Jimmy asked slowly.

"Sexually." I could see their hearts break in their eyes. They were probably wondering the same thing I was when I first found out: How had I not noticed? The bruises, the scars, the fear she always had. Why didn't I see it?

"What are we gonna do," Zacky asked in a murmur.

"We have to find her," I responded. "We have to."

"But we have no idea where she is," Johnny pointed out. We all looked at each other. A lightbulb clicked.

"What about their parents' old vacation house," I suggested.

"No, Brian sold that after they died," Jimmy said.

"Plus, if he didn't, how would he have known he'd need it," Zack said. I bit my lip. They were right.

"Then where would they have gone," I said to myself. I couldn't think of anything.

Hours passed before Jimmy and Johnny went home. Zack stayed so we could think more.

"I can't think of anywhere, Shads," Zack said after a few minutes of silence.

"Me neither," I replied. "I still can't believe he took her."

"I can't believe he raped her." I cringed, and he noticed. "That's what he did, Matt."

"I know," I said quietly. "I just hate to think of what he put her through."

"All of us do." Zack got up and looked outside. "Can I stay the night?" I nodded so he went to the guest room and shut the door. He was drinking (all of us were) but he had the most. Courtney was closer to Zack and me than anyone else. Besides Brian.

I got an idea and ran to my room, seeing Court's stuff on the floor. I opened her bag and found her notebook. She's fluent in Italian, and she tended to write things in it so anyone that didn't know Italian would have know idea what it said, but only the things she didn't want anyone seeing. I flipped it open to the last written thing, and saw the date. The day Brian took her. I looked down at the writing and tried reading it best I could.

La mia anima sarà perso stasera, ma io non versare una lacrima per il tempo che si perde.

I grabbed my iPod touch out of the nightstand drawer and went to the language translation app. I typed that in and the English version of that came up.

My soul will be lost tonight, but I will not shed a tear for the time that is lost.

That didn't make any sense...

Unless she was planning on killing herself.

My heart pounded in my chest as I ran to the guest room and woke Zacky up.

"What the hell, man," he asked tiredly. I showed him the notebook and the translation. He read both of them and looked at me with wide eyes. He was thinking the same thing. He bolted up and pulled his jeans on while I grabbed the keys to the car and ran outside. Zack wasn't far behind me. I threw the notebook onto the backseat along with the iPod as Zack climbed into the passenger side. I pulled out of the driveway and sped down the road.

"Where can she be," I whispered to myself, almost as a chant.

"Where would he take her," I heard Zacky murmur. He turned to me. "What if we're too late?"

"Don't think like that, we'll find her," I assured him. I think I was assuring myself more, though. Zack pulled his phone out of his pocket. "What are you doing?"

"Calling Brian," he muttered. I heard the phone ringing on the other line and it stopped after two-and-a-half, going to Brian's voicemail. Zack gritted his teeth as he waited for the beep. "Listen, bitch, I'll fucking hang you if you touch her, got that?! You'll be fucking dead!" He snapped the phone shut and took a deep breath. I looked at him.

"Feel better?" He smirked.

"Yes." I looked back at the road, not able to focus on anything but saving Courtney.

"Where are we going," Zack sighed.

"Not sure yet." I saw him stare at me out of the corner of my eye.

"How much gas do you have?" I checked.

"Full tank." He rested his head back and relaxed. I kept driving for another hour or so before I got too tired of driving. Luckily, I found a cheap motel and drove in. I got a key for a room and woke Zack up, watching him stumble into our room and fall right back to sleep. I paced across the room for an estimated half hour before I finally sat down on the edge of the bed, not sure what to do. I hung my head in hands, feeling my heart sink.

I'm so sorry, Courtney.