CLOSETS (REWRITING) RIVERDALE

I

☆

"ARE YOU EXCITED? NERVOUS?"
Kevin gushed, sprawled across Betty's pink floral bedspread.

Rowan looked up from his cellphone, closing out his Grindr tabs.  He looked over at his female blonde friend, smiling at the sparkle in her eyes. Betty confessing her feelings to the ginger stallion Archie Andrews, was seemingly inevitable.

Betty grinned sweetly, ear to ear, "Both."

Kevin stood up, stretching as he spoke. "Which is why nerves are acceptable but, we agreed, Betty. He likes you, you like him-"

Betty turned away from her vanity mirror, facing Kevin and Rowan. "Then why, Kevin, hasn't he ever said or down anything about it?"

Rowan let out a sigh, staring downwards, at his black vans. "Because like every other male, he's fifty percent testosterone, fifty percent imbecile. Quit waiting for him to take the bait. He's the bass, you're the fisherman. Reel him in, Betty Cooper."

Betty laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. "Yeah okay. And who are you trying to reel in?"

The blonde boy shrugged, swallowing down his confidence. "Nobody. No females are worth my time."

Kevin rolled his eyes at the blonde. "I'm so tired of you straight boys."

Rowan bit his lower lip, swallowing down his pride. "Yeah..."

After all this time, alongside crabs, small spaces and dying, coming out was one of Rowan's greatest fears.

Betty turned to face her best friend, sending him a sympathetic smile. "You'll find someone Ro."

Rowan nodded, not really meeting her eyes. He felt a sudden wave of guilt wash over him for keeping something like this from Betty.  Ever since he officially identified his sexuality to himself, around the age of thirteen, he has never found the courage to tell anyone, not even Betty or Cheryl.

"Oh my god," Kevin gasped from Betty's window, breaking Rowan away from his own thoughts.

Rowan stood up, joining Kevin and Betty at the window. "What?"

Kevin let out a breath. "Archie got hot! He has abs now!"

Rowan looked down at his own stomach, suddenly feeling a bit more conscious of his own lack of muscle.  He was lean, and skinny. His pale belly was flat but lacking both abs or a normal amount of stomach fat. Rowan couldn't help but wonder if he would get more action if he had some abs. 

Kevin practically stared holes through Archie's toned body through Betty's window. "Six more reasons for you to take that ginger bull by the horns tonight."

First republished chapter! Sorry I know it's short but I'm really trying to split it up more to redevelop Rowan's character.

smiles and love : )