₩ON

          as soon as the male got into her car, she couldn’t help but notice that they’re actually wearing the exact same shirt. she wasn’t surprised, knowing that she actually got this in simon’s favorite apparel store. “aww, twinning!” she cooed, then rolled her eyes at his next comment. “just be glad i’m back in town and i got you some burgers and fries!”

looking the other up and down, she responds, “ given my lack of entourage tonight – ” – a raised eyebrow – “ – i suppose i can vouch, so long as you agree to pay me back with a drink. ”

   simon realizes that he’s been talking to fleur a second too late, and by the time his brain catches up to his mouth --- she already agrees to his request and is demanding a drink from him in compensation. he probably could back away and ask someone else, but he doesn’t know if anyone else would agree to his request. as a producer he doesn’t have a face that is as recognizable as some of the other celebrities lined up outside the door to the club, but the flashes of cameras promises that the paparazzi will at least be able to identify who he is and sell viral gossip a story about how he was turned away at a los angeles club for a-lister.  ❝ sounds good — ❞ he agrees with a small but easy smile, refusing to let anything external give away his internal turmoil.

“ guitar, ” aaliyah replied. “ i mean i do some backing vocals sometimes but i’m mainly just the guitar player. ”

“ prodigy’s a fitting word, ” she replied, raising an eyebrow. his following question was one that she recognized, especially from her early years, but it had become increasingly difficult to pick an answer. having spent half of her life in the public eye, she figured what so many people found ‘surreal’, she found normal. “ hmm… ” ugh, her mind. “ well, i mean my answer used to always be all the free stuff. i guess that’s still pretty strange, y’know ?? people giving you stuff just because they can. ” good enough. “ what do you think ?? ”

    “ is it impressive or sad if i say that they recognize me on sight at more clubs than just this one, too? i could probably get us into half the city if you were interested. ” her nose crinkles but she snatches simon’s hand into her own as the bouncer easily ushered her in. “ he’s with me, ” she beams charmingly, tugging him along behind her. “ to answer your question, you have to be seen more nights a week than you stay in. there were some weeks i would hardly get to see the inside of my own apartment. ” 

“I mean, I’ll do just about anything for a free drink.” She winked. She led him to the table and took a seat. 

    he orders a drink for himself and then tells the bartender that eve can order anything she wishes on his tab. ❝ the correct answer would be that you’d do just about anything in the name of roommate bonding but that’s clearly not the case. ❞ he teases.

  “yeah, yeah, of course.” he nods head as they’re walking through the door. “i’ve been pretty good. how about you?”

               “ that’s not as fun. ” arie replied with a frown, but tossing a hand around simon’s shoulder anyway. he nodded knowingly at the bouncer. “ he’s with me, man. make way, bitches, arie and won coming through !! ” arie hollered, clearly making their presence known.

❛ maybe. ❜ she teasingly muses, a hand raising as her nimble fingers reach to wind her chocolate tousles behind her ear. ❛ or maybe i have no idea who you are & you just look like someone i’m quite familiar with. ❜

   ❝ who ? ❞ simon asks, skeptical but slightly curious. ❝ if they’re any cute, i might be willing to assume their identity for the night if it’ll make you feel any better about letting a stranger into a club. ❞

“pfft,” chris snorted a laugh. “the concern was for you,” he tacked on. “you have a point but why would rumors even circulate?? ” he asks, but before he can give simon a chance to answer he laughs. “–oh my god, i didn’t mean that people would talk about us like going out. i like you, simon, but not like that. at least, i’m pretty sure i don’t.”

    ❝ it would have been a fair point to make in any case. ❞ he says, refusing to be embarrassed but somewhat failing. ❝ — so,  that’s a no ? ❞ 

    this newfound truce between herself and simon has brought a kind of peace to rini’s life ( her personal life, anyways ) and it’s put her in higher spirits. her smile comes easily, no alcohol required, and she playfully nudges his shoulder as she steps up to stand next to him. “ you mean they don’t recognize you by face alone here? ” she supposes her prolific partying has served her well in some ways.

   maxi turns his head at the sound of a voice, seeing simon standing near him. he nods his head as he listened to him speak, “oh, yeah, of course.” he tells him, smiling for a smile moment. “come on.”

“ i’ll have to think about it. ” kailani put her fingers on her chin, to indicate that she was thinking. “ of course you can be my plus one. ” she pulled him to the club door. “ did you forget it again ? ”

   ❝ you say again like this is a regular occurrence, ❞ he says, almost sulking.

ROXY: but if you got mixed up with scientology you could do what leah remini did and have a groundbreaking documentary exposing the corruption in the bullshit that is the church of scientology

SIMON: yes i'd be like leah remini but even better since i don't know who leah remini is but everyone will know who i am.