**The Unblinking Gaze**

As the days went by, Andrew couldn't shake the feeling that Judd was still watching him. He would catch glimpses of Judd out of the corner of his eye, only to turn and find him staring intently at him. It was as if Judd had become fixated on him, and Andrew couldn't understand why. One evening, Andrew and Nick decided to attend a dinner party at Judd's house. Judd's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Birch, were hosting a gathering for some of their friends and acquaintances. Andrew had been hesitant to come, but Nick had convinced him that it would be a good opportunity to see Judd in a different setting. As they arrived at the Birch's house, Andrew was immediately struck by the warm and welcoming atmosphere. The dinner table was set with fine china and crystal glasses, and the aroma of roasting meat filled the air. Judd's parents greeted them warmly, but Andrew's attention was quickly drawn to Judd, who was standing by the fireplace, his eyes fixed intently on him. Throughout the evening, Andrew couldn't help but feel like he was being watched. Every time he glanced over at Judd, he found him staring at him, his expression unreadable. It was as if Judd was trying to bore into Andrew's soul with his gaze. As they sat down to dinner, Judd's parents tried to engage Andrew and Nick in conversation, but Judd's presence was palpable. He sat across from Andrew, his eyes never leaving his face, even as he responded to his parents' questions. Andrew tried to focus on the conversation, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Judd was trying to communicate with him in some way. He glanced over at Nick, who seemed oblivious to Judd's behavior, but Andrew knew that he was the only one who truly understood what was going on. As the evening wore on, Judd's parents began to discuss their son's recent activities. "Judd's been doing a lot of hiking in the woods lately," Mrs. Birch said, smiling proudly at her son. "He's always been so adventurous." Judd's eyes never left Andrew's face as he responded, "Yeah, I love getting out into nature. It's really inspiring." His gaze seemed to bore into Andrew's skin, making him feel like he was being stripped bare. Andrew felt a shiver run down his spine as Judd's parents continued to talk about their son's interests. It was as if Judd was trying to convey a message to him, but in front of his parents, he couldn't be overt. As the evening drew to a close, Andrew was relieved to hear that it was time to leave. As they said their goodbyes, Judd's parents thanked them for coming, but Judd's eyes never left Andrew's face. "See you later, Andrew," Judd said, his voice low and even. "Take care." Andrew nodded, feeling a sense of unease as he turned to leave. As they walked out of the house, Nick turned to him and asked, "Hey, what's wrong? You seemed a bit off back there." Andrew hesitated, unsure of how to explain the feeling of being watched that had settled over him. "I don't know, it's just...Judd's been really weird lately," he said finally. Nick nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean. Let's just stay away from him, okay?" But Andrew knew that it was too late for that. Judd had already made it clear that he was not going to let Andrew go. The question was, what did Judd plan to do with him?