Upside Down Feelings

Chapter Five: The Flea and the Acrobat

A crash from your brother's room made you jump just as you placed the final touch of gloss onto your lips. You quickly got up and ran to his room to check up on him, only to see a small mess on the ground alongside his grey tie. You looked up at the pouty boy on the bed.

"Ties are stupid."

"So you're telling me that you know how physics works but you can't tie your own tie?" You smirked.

"Yeah, yeah, you don't have to be an asshole about it," He huffed, making you laugh. "Besides, my teacher taught me about that. I never had anyone teach me how to tie a tie."

Your heart sank; his father never got the chance to.

"Give me a sec," You turned around, grabbing an old tie Eddie gave you once when he told you tying it around your head made you look cool. Newsflash: it only make you look like an idiot. A cool idiot, he'd told you. You waved Dustin into your shared bathroom. "Bring your tie. Follow my lead."

You dragged him in front of the mirror and showed him step by step how to do the Full Windsor knot. He did as told, ending up with a perfect knot. You slipped yours off and tossed it onto your bed before making your way back to his room.

"It's weird that you know how to do that," He smiled.

"What- because I'm a girl?" You rolled your eyes, loosening the tie around your neck and tossing it on his bed. He nodded. "Then by the same logic, it's weird that you don't know how to do that. I think you mean to say is thank you so much, Y/N! You're the world's best sister!"

"Thank you so much, Y/N! You're the world's okayest sister," He giggled. You laughed. throwing the sweater he laid on his bed at his face.

"That's okay. I'm cool just being Mom's favorite."

"You are so not her favorite!"

"Am too! She even told me I was," You chuckled

"You're lying!" He grabbed a nearby pillow and tossed it your way. You caught it and put it under your head as you laid back on his bed.

"Okay, fine. I'll let you have this one," Your voice came out less playful. His smile faded a bit as he put on his sweater, knowing you were only throwing the argument because of Will's funeral.

"Ready, kiddos?" Your mother asked gently. You could tell by Dustin's body language that he wanted to ask you more about the compass but followed you quietly to the car.

"Do compasses break?" He leaned forward in his seat to speak into your right ear.

"Not on their own, dumb ass," You rolled your eyes. "They don't have battery packs. It doesn't work like that."

"Watch your language," Your mother hissed through her teeth, you put your arms up in defense.

"The needle's naturally drawn to the Earth's magnetic North Pole," You explained. "You can change the direction of a compass with a magnet."

"So if there's the presence of a more powerful magnetic field, the needle deflect to that power," He muttered, leaning back.

"Ding, ding, ding," You confirmed, thinking nothing of his question. He was a smart and curious kid that took advantage of your intelligence by constantly asking you questions. Though you found it annoying at times, you always answered every question he threw at you with ease. He was convinced you knew everything.

Once you arrived at the cemetery, your mother greeted the Wheelers and you took your spot beside Nancy. You both stayed quiet throughout the ceremony, and payed your respects to the Byres' family after it ended.