Dustin sat on the bleachers, eyes red from crying. Why could everyone else get someone to dance with, but not him? Will, Lucas, Mike, El... even Max. It didn't seem fair to him.

Even after dancing with Nancy, he still felt empty. He needed somebody that actually liked him and didn't dance with him out of pity.

But, there was no one.

Dustin's tears fell faster, and he soon became a sobbing mess. A shift in weight on the bleachers alerted him to another's presence.

"This dance sucks."

He looked over to find none other that Steve Harrington sitting next to him, a look of relative disgust on his face. "There used to be much more going on when I went here. Kids making out in the bathroom, teachers making out in plain sight..."

Dustin snorted, quickly wiping his tears away on his sleeve. "Sounds fun."

"Oh it was. Considering the fact the someone like me was on the receiving end of one of those kisses."

Dustin laughed, and looked at his friends out on the dance floor. "No one wanted to dance with me," he said quietly, and Steve looked at him as though hurt.

"Seriously? Well, they don't know what they're missing out on."

"Nancy told me that, too. I just wish... I wish I was more..."

"No. Do NOT do that to yourself. You can't be any more awesome, Dustin. You're only thirteen, for the love of god!"

The song ended, quickly picking up into a more upbeat song. Steve began to bob his head to the music and sing loudly, grinning like an idiot.

"I wear my sunglasses at night, so I can, so I can..."

Dustin laughed, singing along. Eventually, Will came and sat beside them.

"I thought you had a girl to dance with," said Dustin bitterly.

The smaller boy shrugged. "She wasn't that into me."

Steve reached out and gave the boy's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "It's all good, kid. There will be other fish in the sea."

Soon after, Max walked over and plopped herself down on the bench beside Steve. "Hey."

"Where's Lucas? " Will asked.

"Meh, getting punch. I couldn't wait for him." A sly grin made its way across the redhead's face. "What can I say? I'm a Zoomer."

Steve made a face of confusion. "What's a Zoomer?"

Dustin broke in; obviously, Steve needed some D&D education. "It's a class in Dungeons and Dragons. Well, it should be, but Max just made it up. Anyway, she's our Zoomer. Will's our cleric," at this Will nodded proudly, "Lucas is our Ranger, Mike's the paladin, El's our Mage and I'm the bard. Our party is a democracy."

Max snickered. "Presumptuous, too."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Well, then what does that make me?"

Lucas burst through the crowd, looking highly distressed. "Too... many... people...."

The redhead snorted. "See why I didn't go with you?"

A shout erupted from the dance floor. "Mike? MIKE! MIKE!"

The small group glanced at each other, than ran off to find Eleven.

She was sitting in the middle of the dance floor, eyes wide with terror. El was close to tears, and cried for Mike. Dustin was the first to find her, and her grabbed her in a hug. "It's okay... he's around here somewhere... calm down, El..."

Sobbing, El clutched his shirt. Mike raced over, joining the inevitable hug. "El, I'm here! We're fine... we're okay."

Slowly, the rest of the party joined the hug. Steve was the last to join, but hugged the tightest. "C'mere, you little sh*ts."

They sat there, embracing one another on the floor, not caring if they got in the way. They hugged, knowing that this was the sanctuary that they all needed.

They sat there as family.

A/N:

LONGEST CHAPTER I'VE WRITTEN YET

I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT AND I HOPE YOU ARE ALL HAVING AN AMAZING DAY

-Runaway