xxii. LIKE?
January 23, 2018. | Third Person POV.
Los Angeles, California.

It was a quiet, chilled-out evening at Schoolboy Q's house—a rare occasion where the TDE crew could kick back and just be. Q's place had that lived-in vibe, messy but comfortable, with a mix of sneakers, vinyls, and trophies scattered across the shelves. The faint aroma of incense lingered in the air, competing with the smell of takeout on the coffee table.

Kendrick sat on the couch, dressed in a simple hoodie and jeans, a beanie pulled low over his braids. Across from him, Q lounged in his recliner, a joint dangling lazily between his fingers, dressed in basketball shorts and a TDE hoodie. Ab-Soul, the last to arrive, was stretched out on the opposite couch, his trademark sunglasses on even though it was nighttime.

The PS4 was on, the FIFA menu glowing on the flat-screen, but no one had picked up a controller yet. Instead, they were just catching up—laughing, talking about everything and nothing, and cracking jokes like no time had passed.

"Man, I missed this," Ab said, leaning back and sipping his drink. "Feels like it's been years since we all just chilled like this."

"That's 'cause it has been years," Q said, chuckling. "Everybody got busy as hell. Kids, albums, tours. You know how it goes."

Kendrick nodded, taking a sip of water. "Yeah. Life moves fast, man. Gotta make time for this, though. Helps remain aware."

Q smirked. "Look at you. Always tryna be like a philosopher, you sure Jasmine ain't lent you one of her books?"

Kendrick laughed, shaking his head. "Nah, for real. Y'all know how it is. This industry will swallow you whole if you don't have people to keep you real."

They all nodded in agreement, the moment of reflection hanging in the air for a beat before Q broke it. "Speaking of real, I gotta tell y'all—Jasmine brought some of Sedona's mango chutney over the other day? Bruh. That shit is different. She might need to start selling it on the side. I'd buy."

Ab-Soul perked up, raising an eyebrow. "Sedona? Wait—Solana's homegirl, right? I keep forgetting everybody in this business knows everybody."

"Yeah, her, she was at the party man. You ain't seen her?" Q said, sitting up a little. "She was kicking it with Jasmine, Solange, and SZA the other night. Apparently, they had a whole girls' night—wine, weed, and whatever. Jasmine came home with leftovers, and let me tell you, that chutney changed my life."

Kendrick stayed quiet, his lips twitching into a small smile as he listened.

"Sedona," Ab repeated, letting the name roll off his tongue. "She's dope, man. Talented as hell. Heard she's been making some moves lately, too. That Instagram post of hers is going mad viral."

"She's always been solid," Kendrick said finally, his voice steady but a little softer than usual.

Q caught the shift in his tone immediately, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Oh, yeah? You sound like you like her or something."

Kendrick shrugged, keeping his face neutral. "We cool. She's good people."

Ab leaned forward, grinning like he smelled drama. "Hold up. What's this? Kenny got a lil' soft spot for Sedona?"

"Relax," Kendrick said, shaking his head. "Ain't even like that. We just... we vibe. That's all."

Q wasn't letting it slide, though. "Nah, nah, don't play it down. You're talking about her like she's special. Like you're willing to stop time for her. Speak now or forever hold your peace."

Kendrick hesitated for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. He wasn't the type to put his business out there, especially when he wasn't even sure what this was. But these were his brothers, and sometimes, you just had to let it out.

"She's... different," he admitted finally, his voice low. "Every time I'm around her, it's like. . . everything just slows down. She's real. Grounded. And I ain't gon' lie, I feel something when we're together. But I don't know, man. I don't wanna mess up what we already got."

Q sat up, his expression serious now. "Bro, listen to me. If you feel like that? You gotta do something about it. Don't be that nigga sitting on the sidelines while somebody else swoops in. You Kendrick Lamar. You're him. Don't overthink it—make a move before another dude does."

Ab nodded in agreement. "Facts. Life's too short for all that hesitation, man. If she's the type of woman who makes you feel like that, you owe it to yourself to see where it goes."

Kendrick leaned back, his gaze distant for a moment as he thought about their words. He knew they were right, but fear had a way of making even the simplest things feel complicated.

"I hear y'all," He said finally, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I'll think about it."

Q smirked, picking up a controller and tossing one to Kendrick. "Don't think about it, be about it. But for now? Let's run this FIFA. I'm about to remind y'all why they call me the king."

"Boy, ain't nobody calling you that," Ab shot back, grabbing a controller of his own.

The mood shifted back to playful banter as the game loaded up, the earlier conversation left to linger in the back of Kendrick's mind. As they played, laughing and talking trash, he couldn't help but think about what Q had said.

"Make a move before another nigga does."

The thought stuck with him, even as he scored the winning goal and Q groaned dramatically. Somewhere in the haze of laughter and competition, Kendrick made a quiet promise to himself: if the moment felt right, he wouldn't let fear hold him back.

But for now, it was just him and the homies—playing FIFA, talking life, and finding sense in the most unexpected places.

—

©kashdemi
Volume I- Redamancy.
Chapter Twenty-two.
— ０１／１４／２５
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Fillers until the big moment you've been waiting for is here.

Thoughts on the chapter? And what do you expect for the next one?

Stay tuned for the next chapter, & til next time!
- shea