The Questioning

Lights flickered. 

“Questioning is in session.”

Blinking rapidly, I glanced upwards to the man I loved. His ice-blue eyes studied me, not a single ounce of affection, worry, anxiousness or love reflected in his dark irises. 

“Why?” I cried. “Why would you do this to me, Zenith? You know that I’m innocent, right? You know I’m being framed right?”

“Ms Gray, I suggest you refrain from being personal while I’m working.” He bluntly replied, taking off his round spectacles and placing them in his dirt-blonde hair, ice-cold words stabbing through my interior and resting in the depths of my brain. 

I processed what he said. How could I be in this position? He proposed to me just yesterday didn’t he? He wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, didnt he? He said that, didn’t he?

So why...?

“This doesn’t make sense, Zen!” I pleaded. “We love each other, why would you stab me in the back like that?”

His handsome face looked down at me, a scrunched-up face of disgust. He had never looked at me this way before. 

“Zen, help me.” I begged, tears beginning to flow as I attempted to reach for his hand across the table. “You loved me. We were meant to be married! You proposed to me, remember?”

“I don’t recall anything you’re saying, Ms Gray.” He moved back, sheer uncomfort flitting across his face. Why was he so afraid of me? He was holding me so close to him just yesterday!

I looked into his blue eyes once again, trying to desperately find what I was missing. Was his memory wiped? Had he found someone better than me that he decided to pretend I never existed all together?

All that we’ve been through, the memories we made, the kisses and hugs we shared. Were they all really nothing to him? Was I just one of the girls he would toy with and ruin in the end?

His eyes were unfamiliar with me, no sign of the friendly glint I remembered, no sign of love, no sign of anything.

He looked professional.

I felt betrayed.

“So I was just nothing to you! All those years of dating! All the trouble we went through to be together. I left home for you, Zen!”

Zen was quiet. He leaned back in his seat, unmoved by my words, as he pondered over what to do with me. Shuffling through some paperwork, he finally made eye-contact once again.

His blue eyes really were empty.

“Please, Zen?” I whispered. “Let’s go back to how we were. Let’s put this behind us, okay? I’ll forgive you if you stop this act and come home with me.”

He paused. “Ms Gray. You’re making this worse for yourself. I gave you a moment to calm down and collect your thoughts but we are running out of time. I’m going to begin the questioning now.”

Wait! 

He forgot something important.

“My ring!” I cried. “Zen, you’ll believe me if you see my ring, right? I’ll show you! Give me a second.”

In a hurry, I fumbled through my handbag, opening the zip to the smallest pocket. There it was, my gold ring, in all it’s glory. He couldn’t deny it now. I had solid proof of our love.

“Ms Gray, you are wasting your own time.”

“Here!” I grinned triumphantly, pulling it out of my bag and showing him. “See, Zen? You gave me this ring yesterday, remember?”

“I’m sorry...you must be mistaken but that’s...nevermind.” Zen sighed, rubbing at his temple. He would always do this when he was growing impatient and angry. “Listen, I don’t know what game you’re playing but maybe it would be better if I got someone else in the dept. to question you.”

Was this all just a joke to him? Was I really that insignificant?

It didn’t take too long for Zen to leave the room. He packed up his things, glanced back at me without emotion, and exited the room without another word. 

It was eerily silent when he left, and I kicked the table leg in upset. How could he betray me like that? Treating me like a fool as if we had never been? I looked around the room before glancing down at my gold ring, holding it close.

This was proof of Zen and I. The fear finally started leaving my body. I had nothing to fear, I had proof and allabies.

Finally, another interviewer walked into the room, his expression dark and unwelcoming and his eyes focused and ready to face me. Like I was some caged animal.

“You don’t have to be so weirded out by me.” I told him, annoyed by the treatment I was recieving. “I’m not a criminal.”

“Ms Gray. I would like to begin questioning now.” He went straight to business, sorting papers out in his briefcase and bringing out some files. I watched him, in silence.

“Look.” I began. “I have proof of my innocence. Zenith is pretending not to know me. Here’s my engagement ring. He proposed to me yesterday in Northsea park at 7pm in the evening.”

“He proposed to you with a plastic doll ring, now did he?” The interviewer watched me, his emotions hidden beneath his straight-forward question.

“It’s real gold! Why are you accusing me of lying when the proof is right here before you?”

“Jennifer Gray. You aren’t making this easy for yourself.” The man sighed. “Lying will just make your sentence worse for you. Just come clean.”

“Why would I stalk someone that has just proposed to me and who has dated me for years! You think I’d make this stuff up on purpose?”

“Mr Zenith Jones, is currently married with a son.” The interviewer hid behind his papers, as he continued shuffling through his files. “We have gathered enough evidence of your stalking him to lock you up. Like I said, lying will not get you anywhere.”

“That’s impossible, Zen proposed to me yesterday.” I stated, indignantly.

“Here are the photos we gathered from your phone.” He threw onto the table a few dozen pictures of Zen. 

Zen walking home from his local café shop.

We went on our first date there! I was supposed to be in this picture!

Zen buying ice-cream.

We shared a vanilla cone! We were always arguing who would treat who!

Zen brushing his beautiful blonde hair, Zen driving home from work, Zen smiling...

The list when on and on.

I remembered all of these pictures. These were all our memories! 

“And we’ve infiltrated your apartment, where Mr Jones’ pictures are plastered everywhere on the walls.

“You have it all wrong! Just give me a chance to explain! I love Zen! With all my heart! I never intended to hurt him at all!”

“We’ve investigated this from every angle, Ms Gray.” The investigated took off his glasses, with a wry smile. “The choice is yours. Accept defeat here, or at court? Or would you prefer not to speak until your lawyer comes?”