Reality Check ✔️

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Charisma

Three Months Later...

It had been three months that me and Jarell were officially together. I was feeling mad accomplished that I even stayed in a relationship that long. Jarell was romantic, down to earth, honest, and just plain cute. He would text me good morning every time I woke up, he drove me to work and school, and we also hung out at lunch every day. He was perfect. The only down side was that ever since we started dating, I started seeing less and less of Devin. Honestly, he stopped talking to me. Every time I saw him, he wouldn't even look at me.  He would just continue talking to his friends, so I basically ignored his ass right back.

Trying not to think about Devin, I refocused my attention on Jarell. It was officially our third month together, and I decided to introduce him to my mother and grandmother, but it took a lot of begging.

"No," he said as I tried dragging him to the front door.

"Why?"

"I don't know how crazy your peoples is."

"They are not crazy. They are both nice ladies." He looked at me, and I gave him the puppy dog face I knew he could not refuse.

"Damn, that face always gets me," he said lightly tapping my nose and kissing me on the cheek.

I opened the door and walked in with Jarell holding my hand behind me. When we walked the living room, I saw Grandma watching Good Times like always.

"Hey, Grandma," I said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, baby girl," she said turning the volume down on the TV and staring blankly at Jarell.

"Grandma, this is Jarell, and, Jarell, this is my grandma."

"How are you doing, boo?" she asked shaking his hand.

"I'm fine," he answered nervously. I was surprised my grandma got him so nervous, but if he thought that was bad, he was going to faint when my mother came home.

"There is no need to be nervous, baby. How long you have been dating my granddaughter?"

"Three months, ma'am." I smiled as he held my hand.

It seemed like my grandma really liked Jarell, but I was anticipating my mother's arrival.

"Stand strong, son. She is one unique girl."

"I know."

Ten minutes later, I heard the clanging of keys. The door creaked open and my mother came walking in with an attitude. She stopped dead in front of me.

"What's this?" she asked dropping her things on the Lazy Boy chair.

"Um, Mom, this is..."

"Didn't I tell you any visitors?"

"But, Ma..."

"No buts, I don't care who it is."

"Mom, I'm just trying to introduce Ja..."

"Out now," she yelled. Tears started forming around my eyes, and I ran outside. I don't know why my mom always had something to say.

I sat on the swing that hang on the porch and crying. My mom thought everything had to be done the Christian way. She was always talking about dudes who sagged, wore doo rags, or just looked thuggish. She believed that they would never amount to anything.

"Your father is someone who never amounted to anything in life," she would remind me. He was something that never came to my mind only when I was pissed off my mother. She used to tell me that my dad would leave in the middle of the night and go to his other family and wouldn't come back for weeks, and when he did come back, it was only for around an hour just to try and fuck her, or at least that was her side of the story. My grandma said that my father did have another family, but when he came home, he ignored my mother and went straight into my room to hold me in his arms. He adored his little girl.

"Charisma, baby," Jarell said coming outside.

"Yeah?"

'You okay?" He asked sitting down beside me on the swing as he wiped away my tears.

"I'm fine. What did she tell you?"

"Well, first she said that we can't see each other anymore."

"What?" I asked looking at him in disbelief.

"Yeah, she said I look too thuggish, and I would..."

"Never amount to anything," we both said together.

Suddenly, I heard the window open, and all I could do was roll my eyes.

"Charisma, get him off my porch."

I just took a deep breath and got up to walk him to his car.

"So how long before we see each other again?" he asked.

"I don't know. I hope my mother is working a double-shift tomorrow, and we can spend the weekend together," I said before giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Alright, I could deal with that, mama," he said getting into his car.

I watched him drive away, and then I walked back into the house.

"Give me your phone," my mother said sticking out her hand.

"Why?"

"You think I'm stupid, don't you? I'm not going to allow you to continue talking to that hood rat. Give me your phone."

"Ugh," I said dropping my phone in her hands.

I got up and walked straight in my room and slammed the door behind me.

"Slam that door one more time, and I'm going to give you something to complain about."