The Galactic Guide to Love

The Interrogation

"Yes," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I know Eliza."

Jamal raised an eyebrow, clearly expecting more information. "Can you tell me more about her? How did you meet?"

I hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out how much to disclose. "We met online," I finally admitted.

He nodded, giving me an understanding smile. "I see. And what is your relationship with Eliza? Are you two close?"

My cheeks warmed at the thought of how close Eliza and I had become. "Yeah, we've become really good friends."

Jamal leaned back in his chair, seemingly relaxed. "That's nice. It's always good to have a close friend, especially in times like these. Can you tell me more about her, like where she's from and how long you've been talking?"

I thought for a moment, trying to recall the details. "We've been talking for a couple of months now. She said she's from... California, I think?"

Jamal nodded, scribbling something down on a notepad. "And when you two talk, do you mostly use text messages, or do you also talk on the phone or video chat?"

I shifted in my seat, feeling uneasy. "We mostly text, but sometimes we talk on the phone."

"Would you mind showing me some of your conversations?" Jamal asked gently, sensing my discomfort. "It's just a routine check, and it will help us make sure everything is okay."

I hesitated, but finally pulled out my phone and opened the messaging app. As I scrolled through our conversations, I couldn't help but feel a sense of vulnerability, exposing something so personal to a complete stranger. But if it could help clear up whatever was going on, I was willing to cooperate.

I handed my phone to Jamal, watching as he scanned through the messages between Eliza and me. The silence in the room was deafening, and I couldn't help but worry about what all this meant.

"Is everything okay with Eliza?" I asked hesitantly. "Is she in trouble?"

Jamal looked up from the phone, his expression unreadable. "I believe she's okay, but we just want to make sure everything checks out. It's a precautionary measure."

Internally, I felt some of my anxiety subside, but I was still concerned. "What does that mean, though? What's going on?"

Jamal sighed and put my phone down on the desk. "I can't go into too many details, but we received some information that prompted us to look into Eliza and her connections. It's just standard protocol when something like this happens."

"But why me?" I pressed, feeling a mix of confusion and curiosity.

Jamal gave me a sympathetic look. "Because you're connected to Eliza, and we want to make sure there's no risk to your safety or anyone else's. We're just trying to cover all our bases."

I swallowed hard, trying to process everything he was saying. It was a lot to take in, and I couldn't help but worry about Eliza and what this investigation meant for our relationship. But for now, all I could do was cooperate and hope that everything would be okay.

Jamal stood up, holding my phone in his hand. "I'm going to just step outside the room and bring your phone with me, is that okay?"

I nodded reluctantly, feeling like I didn't have much of a choice. "Sure."

"I'll just be outside the door," he assured me. "I need to call this in so we can figure out what happens next. Just sit tight, and I'll be back in a few minutes."

As the door closed behind Jamal, I was left alone in the empty classroom. The silence was deafening, and I couldn't help but feel like my entire world was spinning out of control. My thoughts raced, anxiety gnawing at me as I tried to make sense of what was happening.