Billy Hargrove might rule the corridors of Hawkins High as the bully. Yet, behind closed doors at home, he's the victim, tormented by his own father. His mother abandoned him, so he has no defender against his abuser.
But at school, Steve Harrington...
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The Harrington household sits under the warm glow of the setting sun. Its manicured lawns and blossoming flower beds display the meticulous care of its occupants, and the water in the backyard swimming pool stays undisturbed.
Inside, the living-room furniture creates an environment of comfort and cosiness. The splendour of the room is evident in the high-quality leather couches, the exquisite Persian rug, and the polished mahogany coffee table.
At one corner of the room, on a plush leather couch, is Steve. He's flicking through channels. The vibrant colours and sounds from the television set go unnoticed. The sitcoms and news stories that follow fail to garner his attention.
On the other side of the room, seated in his favourite armchair, is Mr Harrington, a successful businessman. He exudes an aura of quiet authority. His glasses are perched on the bridge of his nose, and he's immersed in reading the newspaper. The subtle scent of the newspaper pages mingles with the rich aroma of the coffee brewing in the next room.
His father flips through the comic strips, and his occasional chuckles fill the room, until he sets aside the newspaper and turns towards Steve. 'I haven't seen your friends around. Tommy and Carol, was it?'
Steve shifts in his seat. 'Yeah, Dad. I've kind of distanced myself from them.'
'I'm glad to hear that, son. They weren't exactly the best influences.' His father nods, a pleased smile touching his lips. 'How's that ice-cream parlour job going, by the way? The one at the Starcourt Mall?'
Steve shrugs. 'It's okay, I guess. A lot of kids demanding extra toppings.'
'And what about girls, Steve?' He scrutinises him. 'You've been surprisingly single after ... what was her name again? Nancy?'
Steve stiffens slightly. 'Not really interested in dating right now, Dad,' he replies, trying to keep his tone casual.
Mr Harrington raises a brow, but he doesn't push the topic further. Instead, he leans back in his chair and retrieves his discarded newspaper. 'Well, as long as you're happy, son. That's what matters.' His father returns to his reading.
The television flickers with images, and the news anchor cycles through new stories. First is a news report about a minor fire downtown, but what comes after makes Steve wish he had changed the channel. The headline reads: "Local Teen Brutally Attacked in Suspected Homophobic Assault." The victim is in critical condition in the hospital.
Steve's stomach churns at the news, and his heart aches for the boy he doesn't even know.
'Those damned gays, always causing trouble. Don't they know their behaviour isn't normal?' Mr Harrington's nose wrinkles in disgust, as if the very thought is repulsive.
His father's snort of derision and words punch Steve's gut.
'It's like they're spreading, cropping up, everywhere you look, like a disease. It's unsettling.' Mr Harrington folds the newspaper and sets it aside.
Steve clenches his fists in his lap, his nails digging into his palms. He wants to protest, to defend the boy on the news, to defend himself ... but he doesn't.
His father glances over at Steve and sighs. 'Thank God, you're not one of them. I couldn't bear the thought of my own son turning out like that.' His gaze wanders back to the television screen.
Steve swallows a lump in his throat, unable to respond. He'd known for a while about his father's views. He'd been subjected to them in his early teenage years when he found himself drawn to only boys.
It was those views, the disgust in his father's voice whenever the subject arose, that caused Steve to deny a part of himself. He's been donning a mask of heterosexuality, feigning an attraction to girls that simply doesn't exist.
Steve's popularity landed him many girlfriends: Laurie, Amy, Becky, and others. Every time he kissed them, he tried but, he couldn't feel something that just wasn't there. Every time they hooked up, he had to imagine being with guys he felt attracted to, so he could climax. When it didn't work, he had to pretend he finished and quickly dispose of the empty condom.
Often, he left his girlfriends without an explanation, and the fallout was messy. He was living in constant fear of the repercussions of his secret coming out. He couldn't shatter his own world, his own safety, so he trapped himself in a suffocating cage.
When Nancy dumped him for acting like a Grade-A arsehole and the King Bee, and she started dating Jonathan, many people believed that she broke his heart, when in reality ... a wave of relief had washed through him.
Now, the silence in the living room is only punctuated by the ongoing television and his father's occasional derogatory comments. Each word feels like a lash against Steve's already bruised soul.
You have no idea, Dad. You don't know how much your words hurt. How they've forced me into this ... this lie. He swallows the words that he wishes he could say but buries under the façade of a carefree, straight teen. It's his shield, while he's drowning under the weight of his hidden truth. The desire for acceptance and understanding flow within him, but his father reminds him of the dire reality he lives in. He must continue hiding, for his own safety if nothing else.
Despite himself, his thoughts drift to Billy, with his devil-may-care attitude and magnetic charm. Maybe he understands the unspoken struggle, the constant fear of being found out, rejected, and ridiculed.
The world is a cruel place for people like them, and Steve is reminded of this harsh reality every time he looks into his father's eyes.
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