xxvii. LATE-NIGHT SHENANIGANS.
January 26, 2018. | Third Person POV.
New York City, New York.

Sedona stepped into the grand lobby of the Ritz-Carlton, the soft hum of jazz music filling the air as she adjusted the zipper of her cropped purple velour jacket. The matching low-rise pants hugged her curves perfectly, and the cross necklace glinting at her neck caught the light as she walked. The day had been long—an endless cycle of fittings and rehearsals—but she still moved with a casual confidence that turned heads. She had just finished a marathon fitting session with Jules and his team, and the weight of the day was starting to settle into her shoulders.

She adjusted the strap of her bag and glanced at her phone, reading through Jules' final notes on her outfit before shoving it into her pocket. She was halfway to the elevator when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Did they bury you in rhinestones, or are you just avoiding me?"

She turned to see Kendrick leaning against a column, dressed down in a fitted hoodie and black sweatpants. His hood was up, casting a shadow over his face, but his smirk was unmistakable.

Sedona grinned, brushing a hand through her sleek hair. "You wish you could pull this off."

"I'm not sure if you're going for streetwear or early-2000s pop star," He teased, stepping closer.

"Both. And succeeding," Sedona shot back. "What's your excuse for lurking in hotel lobbies like a TMZ target?"

Kendrick chuckled, his hands sliding into his pockets. "Came down for some air. Didn't expect to catch you channeling your inner Y2K queen."

"Now," She said, smirking. "I thought you had soundcheck."

"Wrapped early," He shrugged, pushing off the column and walking toward her. "I figured you'd be passed out by now. Didn't expect to catch you sneaking in like a thief."

Sedona rolled her eyes. "First of all, it's called working. Second, don't act like you're not lurking down here waiting for me."

Kendrick laughed, that deep, rich sound that always seemed to unsettle her in the best way. "Alright, you caught me. I needed to see how bad Jules tortured you today."

Sedona tilted her head, her smirk widening. "And what if I say she had me shining like a disco-ball?"

Kendrick crossed his arms, pretending to consider it. "Then I'd say you'll still pull it off and have half the world jealous."

She felt her cheeks warm but quickly covered them with a scoff. "Smooth, Lamar. Real smooth."

Kendrick grinned, leaning closer. "I try."

Before Sedona could come up with a retort, her stomach growled loud enough to fill the space between them.

"You hungry again?" He teased, raising a brow.

"Listen," Sedona began, holding up a hand. "I've been running around all day. The only thing I've eaten is a croissant I grabbed on the way out of breakfast. Don't judge me."

"I'm not judging. I'm concerned," Kendrick quipped, then his tone softened. "Come on. Let's get out of here. I'm starving too."

She blinked, surprised. "Out? In New York? You sure?"

"Why not?" He said, shrugging. "We've got security. Plus, it's late, and the city's quieter now. Unless you're scared to hit the streets."

Sedona snorted. "Scared? Please. I'll go if Monica comes. Let her babysit us."

"She'll love that," Kendrick said, pulling out his phone.

—

Within twenty minutes, the four of them—Sedona, Kendrick, Monica, and, Dave—piled into a black SUV. Monica ever the voice of reason, was skeptical about the impromptu of their impromptu outing. "This better not turn into a fiasco," She warned, eyeing Sedona's bright purple outfit. "You might as well carry a neon sign that says, 'Follow me.'"

"Relax," Sedona said, tugging her cap lower. "We'll keep it low-key."

Kendrick smirked, shaking his head. "Low-key and Sedona in the same sentence? That's a first."

"You two better not get us mobbed," Monica muttered as they pulled onto the bustling streets.

"It's going to be as lowkey as ever," Sedona assured once again, tugging her cap lower over her eyes.

"Define low-key," Dave said, side-eying Kendrick.

—

Their destination turned out to be a tucked-away arcade in SoHo that was blissfully quiet at this hour. The neon sign flickered faintly, and the inside was only half full, with a mix of college students and night owls playing classic games.

"This," Sedona said as they walked in, "Was a genius idea."

"Told you," Kendrick said, flashing a grin.

They split up almost immediately. Monica found a seat in the lounge area with her phone, muttering something about supervising from a distance. Dave grabbed a handful of tokens and headed for the skeeball machines, while Sedona and Kendrick wandered toward the retro section.

Sedona stopped in front of a vintage Street Fighter II cabinet, her eyes lighting up. "Oh, it's on. You're about to get schooled."

Kendrick raised a brow. "You think you can beat me?"

"Think? I know." She cracked her knuckles for dramatic effect, sliding a token into the machine.

Kendrick smirked, taking the spot next to her. "Let's see what you've got."

The match was intense. Sedona furiously pressed the buttons, her Chun-Li landing kick after kick, while Kendrick's Ryu countered with fireballs. By the end of the round, Sedona's character was knocked out, and Kendrick leaned back, looking smug.

"Beginner's luck," She muttered, inserting another token.

"Beginner?" He repeated, laughing. "I've been playing this since I was a kid."

"That explains your outdated moves," Sedona shot back, earning a mock-offended look from him.

They played match after match, trash-talking the entire time. By the third round, Sedona managed to claim a victory, throwing her arms in the air.

"Boom!" She shouted, doing a small victory dance.

Kendrick shook his head, grinning. "Alright, superstar. You got me."

—

Meanwhile, Dave and Monica had somehow gotten roped into a basketball shootout game. Monica was surprisingly competitive, and Dave was dramatically pretending to be bad to throw her off.

"Monica, you're scaring the kids," Sedona teased, walking over to watch.

Monica glanced at her, not missing a beat as she sank another shot. "Don't distract me. I'm on a roll."

By the time they left the arcade, the group was laughing so hard they could barely breathe. Monica even admitted—grudgingly—that the night hadn't been a total disaster.

But as they piled back into the SUV, Sedona noticed something out of the corner of her eye: a camera flash. She turned her head just in time to see a figure ducking behind a parked car.

"Great," She muttered, sliding into her seat.

"What?" Kendrick asked, his voice low.

"TMZ, probably," She said, adjusting her hoodie. "They got me for sure, but you're safe. Your face was turned."

"Guess I'll leave you to handle the headlines," Kendrick teased, though his tone was soft.

Sedona rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood, Lamar."

"Always," He replied, smirking as he climbed into the SUV.

The photo hit the gossip blogs the next morning: Sedona stepping out of the arcade, her purple outfit glowing under the neon lights, while an unidentified man with his back turned walked beside her. Speculation ran wild, but for now, the night belonged only to them.

—

©kashdemi
Volume I- Redamancy.
Chapter Twenty-seven.
— ０１／１７／２５
———————
Filler.

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

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