"Unsettling Messages"

The doorbell had barely rung, and Emily had barely left, when Kenzy's phone buzzed on her nightstand. She hesitated for a moment, wondering who it could be. Her heart sank as she picked it up and saw Alex's name flashing on the screen. She hadn't expected to hear from him again, especially not after the confrontation earlier. As she read the text, her face flushed with embarrassment and annoyance: "so u like jake?" Kenzy's thumbs hovered over the keyboard, unsure of how to respond. She couldn't believe Alex was still dwelling on her journal entry. It was like he was taunting her, trying to get a rise out of her. Kenzy took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She didn't want to give Alex the satisfaction of getting under her skin. She thought about ignoring the text, but her curiosity got the better of her. She typed out a response, trying to keep it neutral: "what's it to you?" As she hit send, Kenzy couldn't help but wonder what Alex's intentions were. Was he genuinely interested in her feelings, or was he just trying to provoke her? She waited for what felt like an eternity for a response, her mind racing with possibilities. The minutes ticked by, and Kenzy found herself growing more and more agitated. She tried to distract herself by getting a book from her shelf, but her eyes kept drifting back to her phone. Finally, her phone buzzed again. Alex's response sent a shiver down her spine: "just wondering. u think he's out of ur league or something?" Kenzy's eyes narrowed as she read the text. What was Alex trying to do? Was he trying to get inside her head, to make her doubt her own feelings? She typed out a response, trying to keep her cool: "mind your own business, alex." As she hit send, Kenzy couldn't shake the feeling that Alex was far from done with her. She wondered what he would come up with next, and whether she was ready for it. The thought sent a wave of unease through her, and she found herself glancing around her room, feeling like she was being watched. Little did she know, this was only the beginning of a complicated dance between her, Alex, and Jake.