ACT ONE
the snow ball.

     ARLO DRAMATICALLY SIGHED AS he stood beside Steve. His friend in his usual parenting stance as they waited for Dustin.

A lot had happened since the tunnels, For starters, he was now informed on the terrifying Upside Down that lurked under the town. He had also gotten Ida a job, the job being babysitting the Sinclair kids.

Steve and Arlo had repaired their friendship. Kinda.

Altogether, the events that came out of meeting the kids seemed to be good, a downside of the newfound knowledge being Arlo's nerves.

In fact, the boy's personality seemed to do a one-eighty.

The once calm and collected boy, now being an easily-scared, overly paranoid teenager; no amount of weed seeming to help his nerves.

While his personality flip had gone unnoticed by his father, Ida had caught on fairly soon after the event. Unaware as to why he was always so jumpy.

Not that she cared that much.

Just then, the door swung open. The teenagers being greeted by a friendly smile, one that belonged to an older woman holding a baby kitten. "He's almost ready, doing some finishing touches—Would you boys like to come in?"

Steve nodded, a forced smile on his lips as he walked past the woman. Arlo behind him as he did so. "I'll go hurry him up."

Steve then headed to Dustin's room, leaving Arlo alone with the woman. "Cute cat."

"Why, thank you." Ms. Henderson replied, still smiling as she pet the animal. "How do you two know Dusty?"

"Steve's a—babysitter—He knows all the kids.." Arlo paused, fully aware of how creepy the
sentence had sounded. "In a non-weird way."

Ms. Henderson nodded, thankfully not being able to question the anxious boy any further seeing as Dustin and Steve entered the living room. This time headed straight for the door.

While Dustin has bid his mom goodbye, Steve mumbled out a rushed. "Nice meeting you." Before pulling Arlo up, now leaving the woman alone in her quiet house.

Steve, Arlo and Dustin pulled up to the school. The car coming to a harsh halt, all three boys moving forward a bit at the action.

"All right, buddy, here we are." Steve spoke to Dustin, temporarily putting his car in park as he turned to face Dustin. Who sat in the back seat. "So, remember, when you get in there."

"—Pretend like I don't care?" Dustin finished the sentence, earning a nod from Steve.

"You don't care."

"I don't care." The boy repeated, his curls not bouncing like normal.

"There you go, you're learning, my friend. You're learning."

Arlo remained silent, glancing out of the car window. Double checking that nobody was approaching, his paranoia once again getting the best of him.

Dustin then leaned over the console, grabbing Arlo's visor and pulling it downwards. Flipping open the mirror part of it.

Steve immediately closed it at the action, shutting down any mere possibility that Dustin might feel bad about himself. "Come on. You look great, okay? You look—You look great. Now, you're gonna go in there—look like a million bucks—and you're gonna slay 'em dead."

"Like a lion."

It was these words that caught Arlo's attention, making him turn his head away from the school doors, now staring at Dustin.

Dustin then began purring, his baby teeth on full display. The action making both Steve and Arlo grimace, the two teens shared a quick look of disgust as he did so.

"Never do that shit again." Arlo finally butt in, his advice seeming harsh in comparison to Steve's advice.

"Okay.." Dustin trailed off, Steve speaking up as well.

"Good luck, Henderson." The duo then shook hands,  the handshake followed by Dustin hopping out of the car. Beginning to walk towards the building, Steve watching like a proud parent from afar.

Steve's eyes then caught on to something else. Nancy.

The girl stood inside, she was looking down at a clipboard. A smile pulled over her pink tinted lips, her hair in a beautiful updo.

To Steve's standards, she looked perfect. Which is something he claimed she had always been, even if not everyone agreed with her.

Arlo didn't notice the boys love-filled stare, focusing more on the middle school boy who had been staring at Steve's car for a second too long. Arlo assuming the worst, that being that the middle schooler was possessed.

Even if he knew deep down that was a reach.

Yet, when Steve finally cleared his throat. Arlo felt relieved, relieved to finally get out of his own mind. "You said Ida's working this thing?"

"Yeah, Lucas begged her too—said something about needing a wingman."

"Does he need two more?" Steve questioned, putting his car back in drive. This time not going far, instead pulling into a nearby parking spot. A smile placed over his lips.

"No. No—Steve, he doesn't."

"Relax a little, would you?" Steve the removed his keys from the car, turning back to Arlo with pleading eyes. "You need this—Maybe it'll make you calm down. Get rid of those nerves, I tell you what, you want to leave? We can leave. Let's just check it out, okay? Great."

"A middle school dance is gonna calm my nerves?"

Steve shrugged, flipping his keys around his hand. Creating a clicking sound before stepping out of the car. Closing his car door with a light slam.

Arlo still stayed seated his nerves piling up in his chest. Maybe Steve was right, maybe he did need to loosen up. After all, he hadn't felt truly carefree since that night in the tunnels.

His thoughts were placed on a temporary hold when Steve suddenly popped back into the drivers door window, he tapped twice before pointing his head towards the door.

"Better get inside, don't want all the good spots taken." Steve yelled through door, his voice coming out muffled due to the glass.

The words caused a smile to crack onto Arlo's face, the boy finally caving into Steve's request. Getting out of the car as well.

Steve and Arlo walked into the cafeteria with wide eyes. They felt out of place, reasonably seeing as they quite literally weren't suppose to be here.

Nonetheless, they ignored the feeling. Using their time to examine the decorations. The blue streamers and white snowflakes giving both boys a sense of nostalgia.

"Remember our middle school winter dance?" Arlo mumbled, Steve nodded a smile dancing on his lips. "Tommy spiked the punch bowl and you—you had made out with three girls that night."

"Can't believe you remember that."

Remember it? How could he not. After all, that was the year after Arlo had realized his true feelings for Steve. Which happened to be the same year Steve began his girl-magnet facade.

It was miserable.

"A Harrington record, one for the books." Arlo trailed off, wishing he had been one of those girls. Even if they had been blissfully unaware of young Steve's playboy ways.

He would kill to be used by Steve, which he knew wasn't necessarily healthy.

Thankfully his thoughts were put to a stop when Steve smiled, his ears seeming to perk at the song that had began. His smile only growing wider.

"It's your song." Steve noticed, pointing his finger towards the roof. Arlo temporarily remaining silent, listening intently to the song.

It was then that Arlo noticed the familiar tune, a smile coming onto his lips as well.

Steve had remembered the tune from the many times Arlo had sang it.

Don't stop me now was blaring through the gym, a few kids running towards the dance floor once hearing the song.

Arlo then turned to Steve expectingly, his feet had already began pulling him closer to the few kids dancing. Steve subconsciously followed him, temporarily forgetting his previous plan to talk to Nancy.

Arlo then began doing a semi-embarrassing move, his voice quietly singing along to the Queen song that had been playing.

Steve's face burned red with embarrassment, hating being a witness to his friend dancing in public. Not that it really mattered, after all, nobody around them was paying attention to the two teenagers.

When the more sped up part of the song came on, Arlo grabbed onto Steve's hands. Twirling the boy with him.

"Arlo, no—no. Absolutely not."

Arlo ignored his words, still humming along to the song.

I'm gonna go, go, go. There's no stopping me. The music sang through the speakers, Arlo still doing dramatic skips until he was physically put to a stop. This time by someone else.

The person had removed Steve's hands from Arlo's grasps, dropping Arlo's hands to his sides as they did so. The action caused both boys to seem taken back. Their eyes trailing upwards, meeting eyes with the stranger.

Ida.

"You know this is a middle school dance, right? Like.. Kids?" Ida questioned, confused why either of them were here.

Ida would've never admit it but she felt some sort of relief. After all, her brother hadn't danced with the family since his personality flipped.

So, to see her brother acting very similar to his old ways caused a certain amount of happiness in the girl's chest. Even if she refused to mention it, fear that he'd return back to his new-normal if she did.

It was then that Steve remembered his plan to talk to Nancy, putting it off for just a moment as he watched the Leone siblings interact with one another.

Steve had wanted a sibling so badly, someone to talk to when his parents had gone on long trips. He knew it was never an option, which is why he had vicariously lived through his friend's interactions with their siblings.

"Yeah, well you're here."

"I was asked to be here, I didn't do that creepy sneaking-into-middle-school shit." Ida joked, pointing an accusing finger at Arlo. Earning a deadpan in response.

The siblings were then silenced when Steve spoke, mainly directing his next words at Arlo. "I'm gonna go—Uh—say hi to Nancy. Be back."

Arlo held back a sigh, nodding his head as his previous mood dissipated. His negative mood seeming to reappear a second later.

Ida noticed this, sticking her hand out as soon as she did.

Arlo glanced at the hand, looking between his sister's face and her hand a few times before a wide smile appeared on his face.

No other words were said, neither of them needed to exchange any words. The action seeming to speak enough.

Arlo had grabbed Ida's hand beginning to twirl her just as he was twirling Steve.

    Arlo was exhausted, while he had adored dancing, somehow his sister had managed to wear him out. Making the boy force the two to take a break, unaware of Ida's plan.

Ida had been the first to notice Nancy and Steve flirting, for a long time, which is why she had wanted to keep Arlo distracted.

She had put it together a while back, Arlo had a crush on Nancy and she was sure he didn't want to see his best friend hitting on her. Which is why she danced, despite the fact that she absolutely loathed dancing. Especially in public.

The two currently sat on the bleachers, a small cup of punch in Arlo's hand. One that he had been sipping on, hoping to get his wasted energy back.

It was then that his eyes caught sight of Nancy and Steve his lips parting slightly before tightly pressing back together.

Ida caught onto this rather quickly, joining her brother in staring at the pair from afar.

She watched intently as Nancy had shook her head, obviously denying Steve's question.

Steve frowned a little, shaking it off as he nodded his head. Continuing to make conversation with the girl, the girl that he truly adored.

Ida slightly smiled at the scene, happy that Arlo had gotten to see Nancy rejecting Steve. Maybe Arlo had a chance with the girl after all.

She then looked back over at Arlo, noticing how he didn't seem any more relieved than before. Ida glanced between the duo and Arlo for a moment longer, something clicking in her brain as she did so.

Arlo didn't like Nancy.

The curly haired girl let out a quiet unwarranted gasp. Despite being almost silent, it was still enough to draw Arlo's attention away from Steve flirting with Nancy. Now his attention fully turned to his sister.

There was a brief silence between the pair, the girl examining his face for a moment longer before speaking.

"You—you don't like Nancy.. Do you?" Ida questioned quietly, attempting to insinuate the obvious. Patiently waiting on her brother's reply.

He shook his head slowly, the silence being more than enough of an answer.

Arlo did like Steve.

The realization caused Ida's jaw to turn into slack, her thoughts seeming to go a mile a minute. How could she not have known this before? It had been painfully obvious.

Arlo stared at his sister's face intently, his eyes now watering. For the first time in a long time, he had felt something other that paranoia. He felt fear.

In fact, the boy was terrified. His sister had just found out his most disgusting secret.

Boys weren't suppose to like boys. It wasn't normal, it was disgusting. Arlo felt disgusted, and he figured Ida did as well.

He couldn't make any more excuses for himself, he knew it was gross. Even though he had also felt attraction to women in the past, it didn't matter. Not now at-least.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry—" Arlo's voice was laced with shame, he felt ashamed.

Ida didn't verbally reply, her mind running through too many scenarios where she should've know.

Her silence only caused Arlo's eyes to water more, his body turning completely towards his sister now. "Ida, please—i'm sorry."

He wasn't sure what he was pleading for, he was just scared. Scared she'd tell their dad, scared of everyone's reaction.

He knew nobody would react great, after all the crush was abnormal. Gross.

Much to Arlo's disbelief, Ida then began shaking her head. A sad smile appearing on her lips. "Arlo. I love you, I don't give a shit who you love."

The words felt like a blanket over Arlo's ever-growing nerves, and for just a brief second. He felt peace, peace with himself.

Even though the disgust his sexuality came back fairly quickly, the sad smile never wiped off of his lips.

Ida then reluctantly opened her arms, while she didn't enjoy hugs, she did desperately hope that when she came out she'd get one. Which is why she had been offering.

Arlo's smile grew bigger at her offer, immediately opening his arms as well. Standing up from the bleachers to wrap them around her.

Arlo then shoved his face into his sister's shoulder. He needed this, he had been needing a hug since the tunnels. He was just glad he was finally getting one.

dedicated to  ruesbennett