WIFEABLE :: ORIGINAL

exes & oscars

Jelisa was scanning an aisle of canned goods as her godson Maleek munched on grapes from the fruit and vegetable section. Maybe she was a bad influence, but they often did that as they walked around then discarded the evidence down the toilet of a family bathroom. Cody would never find out.

"Don't eat as many this time because I actually plan on buying them, okay?" she said, squatting down to read the types of soup available.

"M'kay," he muttered, looking around, "what are we getting?"

"You know those cans of fruit, Leek? Like, um...it says fruit cocktail, or like, peaches or something? I don't see it."

"Next aisle," he said casually, closing the bag and looking down at her, "there's more cans."

"You're totally right," Jelisa stood and walked further down, turning into the next, "ah, you're a smart kid, huh?"

"Yup," he smiled, swinging his feet and trying to read a few cans, "what is...lope?"

"Where?"

"There," he pointed to a can that contained melon like fruits, mainly cantaloupes.

"Cantaloupes," she read aloud, "you've had them before. It's good."

"I have?"

"Yeah, uh...you know the big circle fruit that's orange. Not oranges, but the other thing that granny likes to eat."

"Oh Antelopes? Can I have some?"

"I'll get you a big one," she chuckled, pulling at his bouncy curls and setting her peaches in the basket, "your grandpa wants me to make peach cobbler for this party, but I think it's just for him."

"Papaw is funny," he giggled, sitting up more and looking at her as they kept walking, "he has a lot of jokes."

"He does," she smiled, moving to the frozen section for pie crusts. She routinely made them from scratch but she didn't feel like it this time around.

"When is the party, Lisa?"

"Tomorrow," she replied gently, "are you excited to surprise granny?"

"Yes!" he chirped, "granny is nice. I love granny."

"I love granny, too. And granny loves you."

"That rhymed," he pointed out happily, "you're a rapper."

"Definitely." Jelisa looked ahead just as she saw her ex-boyfriend, Bryan, walking towards her. "Oh my God," she rolled her eyes and put one of the items she was holding back. She saw him sometimes nowadays because he also lived around the city, and she hated each time because he always had something to say.

"Jelisa Harris," he dragged, "how are you?"

Jelisa walked past him, turning down another aisle. Bryan followed of course, probably staring at her backside and imagining what he would do with it.

"Baby--"

"Don't call me that," she turned around and frowned, "why are you even speaking to me?"

"Because," he licked his lip the proceeded to bite it. Any other time she'd find that attractive, but after how he treated her the last few weeks before they broken up really made her think differently about him. "You still look great."

"Okay," she turned back around and kept walking.

"Wait, babe--"

"Shut up, please," Jelisa was usually indifferent but seeing him always made her upset.

"You got a new guy or what?"

Jelisa didn't answer, because it wasn't his business.

"Figures," Bryan scoffed, walking beside her, "I mean, I told you you'd never find another guy like me. If you were smart, you would have kept me."

"I didn't want to keep you, remember? Because you weren't anything to me after you did what you did. Now get out of my face, and never talk to me again."

"Please, please, please!" Jelisa screeched, holding his leg and following him around the apartment, "William, seriously."

"What do you want?" he groaned, sitting down on a stool and looking at her. His roommate Alex just stared in amusement before walking back upstairs. "Jelisa, why are you doing this in the first place?"

"Because he said--"

"Who cares? He's an ex for a reason, and you should have more respect for yourself than trying to please a man who doesn't give a fuck about you except for your ass."

He was totally right, but Jelisa didn't have time to admit it. "William, he's going to be at the party, the same one I invited you to regardless if you act like--"

"But..." he huffed and looked up at the ceiling in boredom, "fine, fine--"

"Yay!" she went to hug him but he made a face.

"I still don't feel right being your fake boyfriend, but if it's to prove an irrelevant point, then fine."

"Thank you," she said sincerely, hugging him tightly and leaning on his shoulder.

"You're welcome," he smiled and hugged back before pulling away, "anyway, why are you so bent on this? What did he do?"

Jelisa sighed, sitting beside him and putting a hand under her chin. "I just...he...he was really abusive, okay? Not physically, but the things he said used to tick me off or I'd feel like shit after," she rolled her eyes, "I think I loved him or something. But I couldn't take it anymore one day and I threw something. He got a concussion or whatever, but he didn't remember what happened so no one pressed charges."

"Lisa."

"What!" she laughed, "it wasn't me, according to him. But yeah, and some other stuff, like we always fought...especially because I knew after we had sex the first time he was looking for a reason to break up with me."

"But why does he want you back?" Will asked in confusion.

"Look, when you find out let me know."

William raised his brows and nodded, looking at their hands intertwined -- how did that happen while she was talking? -- and pouted. So cute. "You deserved better, and...you don't need to prove yourself anymore. I'll be your fake boyfriend or whatever, just know that, you don't need to try to impress someone who didn't like you in the first place."

"Thank you, William," Jelisa smiled, truly appreciating him, "thank you, really. Not even just for pretending, but for dealing with me in general."

He grinned lopsidedly. "Come here."

Jelisa pursed her lips to keep from giggling, stepping closer and standing between his legs. William rubbed up and down her arms before smirking and kissing her cheek.

"You. Are. Gorgeous," he said between small kisses on her lips. Jelisa ended up giggling, feeling his lips on hers really made her feel some type of way. "Hear me?"

"Mhm," she hummed, wrapping her hands around his shoulders.

"And best believe I'll get an Oscar for this performance, because I plan on not only being your boyfriend, but your favorite boyfriend."

"What does that mean?"

He raised his thick brows. "It means, I'm going to kiss you a lot."

"I guess I won't mind," she grimaced and acted like she didn't like it, but he knew. They both knew.

akekeke what do you think is gonna happen ooooouuuuuu

I'm childish bye