CONFLICT
MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK
The Same Day
After getting off the phone with Jazmine, Layla noticed that she missed a text from Daniel. He was again telling her to enjoy her day and inquiring about her well-being. When she looked at the text, Layla was upset. She felt that Daniel was now becoming pushy. Daily texts used to be encouraging to her because it gave Layla a sense that Daniel desired her and longed to be with her. Now she felt like he was not respecting her privacy and not waiting until she responded to his message before texting again. She knew that Daniel lived alone. Perhaps his loneliness encouraged him to reach out to her when he should have been reaching out to family and friends.
“I’m not his crutch,” she thought with a hint of dismay.
A part of her regretted respondin
