IMAGINES ▹ ROSS BUTLER

you can tell me

( YOU CAN TELL ME ) 
by archiefics

Ever since you were younger, you had idolized your parent's relationship. Everything had seemed so perfect. They were a picture perfect couple, both of them being high school sweethearts, getting married after a rough college life without each other, having two kids, and living in the wealthy part of Riverdale. But as you grew older, the cracks in the facade started to peak through. You witnessed more fights than you would care to admit and you knew that things were becoming very rocky between them. Your older brother, Dean, told you that things would all work themselves out for the better, but you were hesitant.

With five months of endless bickering, your mother and father had filed their divorce papers. It was crazy to think that after twenty five years of marriage, they were so insistent on giving it up just like that. They didn't even try to work out a solution.

You sat in your room, wiping away your tears before Dean knocked on your door. Dean was always there for you regardless of the situation; he was the best older brother a girl could ask for. "Hey," he calls into your room as you scoot over in your bed, making room for him. "How you holdin' up?" he asks, rubbing your back.

"How does it look?" you lightly laugh as he gives you a sad smile. "Mom and Dad are getting a divorce...I can't wrap my head around it," you shake your head. You lean into Dean's body as he engulfs you in a hug.

He sighs, kissing the top of your head. "I know, bud, I know. But we're gonna get through it. It's gonna be hard, but we have our friends. You have Reggie. And most importantly, we have each other," he tells you as you smile. Dean was always an amazing companion, but since dating Reggie, he has almost replaced him. You and Reggie have been dating for almost six months and you couldn't be happier with him. Before you went out on your first date, Reggie had been pursing you for the whole year, but you had always said no because of the reputation he has had and the fact that he was your brother's best friend and team mate. The thought of dating him was weird. But Reggie wasn't giving up on you two and after a long time of asking and flirting, you had said yes.

But this was some new information in your life that you didn't want to tell Reggie just yet because you needed time to process it. You didn't think you were going to tell your friends until a little later to make sure you had enough time to come to terms with the new change. "Thanks, Dean," you sigh before he gets up. "I'll let you know if I need anything."

The next day at school was rough to say the least. You couldn't focus on your schoolwork and your teachers noticed. Thankfully, your guidance counselor was able to contact them about the news and your teachers gave you sad smiles and some gave you uncomfortable hugs with the It'll get better phrase. You thanked them as they gave you a free pass for as long as you needed it. Of course, you'd make that the excuse for not doing your homework or bombing a few tests.

Keeping this secret from your friends, but keeping it from Reggie was harder. Reggie knew you like the back of his hand and he could tell that something was wrong with you. You didn't want to tell him because it would just drag him into the drama. That was the last thing you wanted to do. As you walked down the hallway, he had his arm wrapped around your waist as you leaned into him. His touch was soothing and help your worries melt away in almost an instant. "You alright today, baby? You seem off," he kisses your temple.

You look up at him, trying to make up your mind about what you should tell him. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, I'm all good," you lie, squeeze the hand that rested on your hip.

"Y/N, I can't not worry about you," he laughs as he leans against the lockers as you open yours. "That's like asking me not to breathe." You laugh at his comment and he smiles at the sound. Your laughter was like music to his ears. "You can tell me if something is bugging you," he leans forward.

Sighing, you look at him, biting your lip. You wanted to tell him your home life was falling apart. Both of your parents were fighting for custody–your mom wanted majority custody, but your father was fighting for joint custody. It was a mess. But instead, you stroked his cheek gently before connecting your lips with his sweetly to calm his fears. The two of you relax into the kiss, fears and qualms melting away before you pull away. "I'm okay, Reg. I promise," you tell before kissing him again quickly. The bell rings and you say, "I gotta get to math. I'll text you after." He kisses your cheek before you part, "I love you!"

Reggie smiles before waving and walking away. The fact that you had to lie to his face then and there made your heart break, but you know you were doing it to save yourself from excess drama.

The day progressed and it got harder to do through the daily motions. Texts and calls from your mother shot your anxiety levels through the roof that you had to excuse yourself during math to go to the bathroom. You completely got sick in the toilet and took another ten minutes to yourself to pull yourself together. This was crazy to you–you shouldn't let this stuff affect your schoolwork, but you couldn't help it.

At the end of the day, Reggie met you at your locker with a smile on his face. You tried to give him the same smile, but it ended up looking like a sad smile. "What's wrong?" he immediately asks. You shake your head, sighing. "Come on, I know something is bothering you, baby. Tell me," he pleads. His eyes are begging to know what is happening in your life, but you shut him out yet again.

"I've just had a long day and I got no sleep last night. Don't worry, I'm going home and taking a long nap," you grab his shoulder walking closer to him as he sighs, wrapping an arm around your waist. "I'm fine, Reg."

Reggie shakes his head, "Alright. I won't bombard you. Let me know if you need anything," he tells you, kissing you sweetly. You smile into the kiss, cupping his face gently. God, you loved him so much and it hurt so much to hide this from him. "I love you," he tells you.

"I love you, too," you repeat before he winks, smacking your butt lightly.

But Reggie wasn't giving up this soon. He knew something was bothering his girl and he was going to get to the bottom of it no matter what he had to do. At basketball practice as they were doing lay-up cool down drills, he spotted Dean on the bench drinking from his water bottle, packing up his stuff. "Yo, Dean!" Reg calls as Dean smiles.

Dean fist bumps his best friend with a smile, "Sup?" he asks.

Reggie sat next to him, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a fresh towel. He didn't know how to say this without sounding invasive. "Y/N. Something has been bothering her. Do you know what? She hasn't been telling me and I know that she's hiding something," he tells his friend. Dean's smile disappears from his face and he becomes a little more serious. "Is it bad? What happened?"

"Reg, stop being so paranoid," Dean pats Reggie's back. Dean clears his throat, "Things at home are a little rough. It's taken a toll on Y/N."

The boy furrows his eyebrows a little confused. "Is everything okay? Are you okay?" Reggie asks now, concerned for both his friend and his girlfriend.

Dean shakes his head, "Yeah, I'm fine. I saw things a little differently than Y/N with this current situation...Our parents are getting divorced." Reggie's eyes widen, now everything makes sense. "Everything is okay. Things are being worked through. Y/N is just taking it a little rough because she always saw our parent's relationship was this picture perfect relationship. But I always saw right through their facade." Reggie slumps over, questioning why you weren't telling him the truth. He thought he was a good boyfriend. Why would you keep this from him? "It's not you, Reg," Dean consoles him. "Y/N probably didn't want to drag you into this...But know that you know, she needs you."

With that, Reggie knew exactly what he had to do.

You had been in your pajamas and a large sweatshirt of Reggie's, curled up in your room as you watched a movie on your laptop. There was ring at your doorbell as you remained confused. Both of your parents were out with their lawyers and Dean wasn't due back for another hour.

Opening up the door, you revealed Reggie who had a bouquet of tulips, a teddy bear, and a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream in his hands. You asked him what he was doing and he responded, "Dean told me everything." Of course, he did. "Baby, I know this is taking its toll on you and I'm here to ease some of the pain. Now, you better eat this ice cream before it melts," he jokes as you smile.

Laughing, you take the items from his hands. "Thank you, Reg," you smile as he kisses you tenderly.

"Of course. I love you, babe."