STALKER x STALKER (Kentell)

"Secrets and Shallow"

As the three days at Ken's house passed, we said our goodbyes and returned to our work. Despite being CEOs of successful companies, we always found time to spend together. Justin, however, couldn’t shake off his concern about Pablo's mysterious disappearance and subsequent reappearance. He felt there was something peculiar about Ken’s house, especially the off-limits room. While Ken wasn’t usually secretive, he was adamant about keeping us out of that one room.

In Pablo's point of view, something about that day felt off, like he had forgotten something crucial but couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The persistent stalkers continued sending pictures to Stell and Ken, but by now, they had grown used to the intrusion and tried to ignore it.

It was a weekend, and we had a party to attend, an event for CEOs where our group of friends would be present. Justin and Josh arrived together, while Stell, Ken, and Pablo made their solo entrances. The party was filled with expensive drinks and foods, typical of such high-profile gatherings.

As we mingled, the topic of Pablo’s sudden departure from Ken’s house came up. Pablo claimed he didn’t remember leaving, which left everyone confused. The mystery of that night hung over us, but the lively atmosphere of the party helped distract us for a while.

When the party ended, Josh and Justin decided to head home together, planning to sleep at Josh's place. Stell was about to leave when Ken approached him, asking if he could sleep over at Stell’s place because he felt lonely in his big house.

"Hey Stell, can I crash at your place tonight?" Ken asked, looking a bit uneasy.

Stell raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Sure, Ken. Everything okay?"

Ken shrugged. "Yeah, just don't feel like being alone tonight."

"Of course, you're always welcome," Stell replied with a reassuring smile.

As they were about to get into Stell's car, Pablo saw them and hurried over. "Hey, are you guys heading home?"

"Yeah, Ken's going to crash at my place," Stell replied.

Pablo hesitated for a moment. "Mind if I join you guys? My place feels a bit lonely tonight too."

Stell smiled warmly. "Of course, Pablo, you can join us."

Ken, however, was unusually quiet, which didn't go unnoticed by Stell.

"Ken, you okay with Pablo coming?" Stell asked gently.

Ken forced a smile. "Yeah, it's fine. Let's go."

As they drove, Stell played "She Knows" on the car stereo. The lyrics made Ken nervous, wondering if Stell might know his secret. The tension in the car was palpable, but Stell and Pablo seemed unaware, chatting and laughing. Their closeness was evident, and it irked Ken, making him increasingly jealous.

When they arrived at Stell's house, they settled in and continued their conversation from the car. Stell and Pablo's camaraderie was almost couple-like, which only fueled Ken’s jealousy further. Stell's phone lit up with a notification from the stalker. Assuming it was another picture, Stell ignored it, but then another message came through: "Stay away from Pablo or Pablo will stay away from you." The threatening tone of the message was unsettling.

Pablo saw the message and suggested to Stell that they should distance themselves for a bit, fearing for his safety. Stell reluctantly agreed, and they both turned to see Ken sitting quietly in a corner, looking annoyed.

"Ken, what's wrong?" Stell asked.

"Nothing," Ken replied tersely, his tone betraying his annoyance.

The tension hung in the air as the trio decided to call it a night. Stell and Ken went to their respective rooms to sleep, but Pablo couldn’t shake off the events of the evening. Ken's irritation, the stalker's threatening message, and the uneasy feeling that something was off all swirled in his mind.

He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to piece together the fragments of his thoughts. The stalker’s warning replayed in his head, and he couldn’t help but wonder why Ken had been so upset. Despite his exhaustion, sleep eluded him as he mulled over the strange occurrences.

Eventually, the day’s fatigue caught up with him, and Pablo's thoughts began to blur. His eyelids grew heavy, and he finally drifted off to sleep, the unanswered questions lingering in the back of his mind. The night passed with an uneasy peace, leaving the friends to face another day of secrets and hidden tensions.