Closeted

He’d been closeted for the last eight years. Unable to live the life he’d wanted. The toxic environment he’d been living in was taking its toll on him. An area that would never change. An area filled with people who’d never once practiced what they’d preached. Nor would they ever do so. Ari had been able to live as an openly Gay Man. People had told him far too much that he needed to pray it away. It was just a phase that would pass. Two things that hit him hard when it came from people he’d grown up around. 

The toxic living environment he’d been forced to live in didn’t help. Ben had been visibly uncomfortable when anything LGBTQ+ was mentioned. Ari couldn’t even talk about Riley’s now ex boyfriend without Ben becoming visibly uncomfortable. Ari no longer cared. He’d known Ben would never love him, or Riley, for who they are. He’d come to terms with that. His unsupportive relatives were just as homophobic. Despite the fact a cousin in his mother’s generation was openly Gay. He kept reminding himself he was the Black Sheep. Their actions had spoken far louder than anything they’d ever tell him. Not once had they bothered to be in his life after Harper died. It’d been something others had noticed over time. 

The confrontational argument with his relatives was the nail in the coffin. Ben had spoken up at one point as well. Ari had shamed him as well. That Harper would’ve divorced him. That she’d be ashamed of all of them for loving Owen for who he is while not loving him wasn’t fair. That others noticed. He walked out after an Aunt began making ignorant comments. Ari had called her out on it. He’d left everyone thinking when he asked her to explain what she said. An explanation he knew she’d not have. 

He moved to Miami Beach over the next few days. Riley helped Ari get his things out before Ben had gotten home. He’d packed everything that he never used. It’d left him with few things to pack. He left two boxes with Riley to hold onto until he had an apartment of his own. He didn’t care that he was going to be homeless for a while. He’d already applied everywhere he could before he’d even left for Miami Beach. He wasn’t sure what lay ahead. He knew he’d be okay though. 

Riley had come down for a weekend visit a year later. A year that had changed them both. For the better. He’d brought the boxes Ari had left behind. Ari had moved into a spacious studio. His job in Marketing paid well. It didn’t feel real to him some days. He played Tour Guide the entire weekend. He’d planned on taking Riley everywhere he knew Riley would love. He knew Riley was going to have a fun time. Riley considered moving to Miami Beach as well. Ari knew it’d be a good day if that happened.