M I N A -

I drove two hours to a discreet restaurant that was always empty on Thursday. I had felt a growing paranoia every time I was in town, the possibility of running into Zayn kept me on my toes.

Jacob was already there when I arrived, drinking coffee as he usually did. It had been awhile since we had spoken, since the interrogation, and that was almost a month ago.

I sat across from him and watched him look around, eyes dodging left and right, his own anxiety surfacing.

"I need you to tell me everything about the party," he demanded in a soft voice, "there is so much I don't know. Any little detail, anything that you forgot, I need to know. I can protect you and Alycia if you're afraid. This won't come back to hurt you later on."

I sighed, "It was a long night, Jake. I don't know where to begin."

It was a strange night. Emily Merrick was leaving to bootcamp soon and she wanted to have a good time with her childhood friends before she left.

It was always weird to me how Zayn got invited everywhere. He wasn't really friendly with Emily and they hadn't grown up together. When he moved here, everyone wanted to be friends with him, as if his friendship was some elite club only few were accepted in.

Still, to me he was so out of place. It was unnerving how easily everyone overlooked his odd qualities.

I suspect he was invited everywhere because of Elena. She had been Emily's best friend too, the three of us were inseparable Junior year. But then Zayn took Lena away and she didn't talk to us.

Or anyone, really.

I saw them arrive. Lena looked out of it, like she hadn't slept and she looked drunk. She disappeared upstairs and Zayn kept making jokes to Mark, his gym rat friend, about loosening her up.

I don't know if he drugged her. Elena doesn't take drugs, especially if she's pregnant, like Anne said. She looked terrified every time Zayn tried to grab her. Did anyone ever notice how scared she always looked?

I remember the old Elena, before Zayn. She brought so much peace to everyone, she was so chilled out too. Like, she was always happy, always smiling. But then she started being so jumpy. The worst part was seeing her change into that. It hurt when I noticed how we went from talking everyday to not talking at all.

Harry and Elena are - were - involved. They were having an affair. But I don't know if they broke it off or not. I don't know much about it, Harry and I are just dating because I can't come out to my parents yet, not until I figure it out myself. You can't tell anyone, Jake, no one. Harry didn't do anything to Elena, I was with him and Alycia when Elena disappeared.

The thing is, I don't think Elena would leave Zayn. They have a really weird connection. If you ever saw her with Harry, you'd see it. She is always so absent and quiet when she's with Harry. I used to think she was just acting like he was Zayn. Even at the party, she was all over him. Like something about Zayn makes her desperate.

I remember once I went to dinner at their house. She was so keen on everything being perfect for Zayn, down to the way she set the table. They're so... I don't know. Elena is like a child with him and he treats her that way, too.

"My brother and Elena?" His face was full of bewilderment. "Are you serious?"

"I know you like her, Jake. That's why Harry didn't say anything," I replied, "please don't tell anyone."

"How long has this been going on for?"

I bit my lip, "A while."

Jacob sighed deeply, "You think Zayn has something to do with this?"

I nod. "Yes. Almost positive. He had Elena captive in that house and what a surprise that it burnt down right after she disappeared. Everyone saw her at that party with him, she was not herself."

He took in my words with a thoughtful look on his face. His features grew solemn and he looked me in the eyes. "Do you think Elena loves Zayn?"

"Maybe, who knows really. I don't know."

"If she has any kind of feelings for him, you know she'd never say anything against him."

"Do you think she's alive, honestly?"

Jacob closed his eyes for a second. "I sure hope she is. What a mess this has all turned out to be. The worst part is that it happened to her."

He takes a sip of coffee. "I know what you mean about how weird they are with each other. I've seen it, too."

"I just feel terrible about her being pregnant with his kid. I want her to come back and take her from him."