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 Harringto...
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In the ethereal fog of the Upside Down, Max suddenly finds herself standing outside the familiar structure of Hawkins Middle School. The sign that usually welcomes students is unreadable, covered in a strange, twisted version of snow, akin to ashes of a world gone awry. The pseudo-snow alludes to a memory in the real world-Snowball, the winter dance.
The typically well-kept lawn is replaced by an unsettling growth of otherworldly vines and moss. Tendrils of the strange flora crawl up the walls as if trying to claim the school in the name of the Upside Down. The windows are dark, their glass warped and cloudy, not allowing her to peer inside.
Max approaches the entrance. Every step feels heavy, as if she's walking through a swamp rather than the school's front yard. Pushing open the main door, which creaks in a mournful and haunting way, she braces herself for what she might see.
The sight that greets her is the gymnasium. The snowflakes hang from the ceiling like drooping, decaying leaves, and ghastly shadows dance on the walls. The once vibrant balloons have deflated into wrinkled, sagging husks. The wooden floor is covered with the same unsettling growths that infest the outside, and the festive banners are tattered and coated in a foul, oily substance.
The place is completely silent except for the distant, indistinct whispers, remnants of laughter and music.
Max remembers her first Snowball dance, how she felt both nervous and excited. She continues to gaze at the grotesque distortion of the gym, her thoughts zeroed in on a specific, magical moment from that night-her first kiss with Lucas.
The memory unfurls in her mind like a cherished film reel. She can see Lucas, awkwardly standing across from her, both of them shy but clearly smitten. The twinkle of the fairy lights reflected in his dark eyes.
The gym was filled with laughter, chatter, and the gentle melody of a song. At first, they both hesitated, their eyes meeting and then looking away in a delightful dance of awkwardness. Finally, as if pulled by a magnetic force, they moved closer. Lucas placed his hands on her waist, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Their eyes met one last time, as if asking for unspoken permission, before they kissed. Fireworks went off, not in the sky, but in her heart.
Max returns to her grim reality. The sting of tears burns her blue eyes. The Upside-Down is a place that thrives on inverting such moments, making them into sources of pain rather than joy. Yet, her mind doesn't stop replaying memories. It shifts to a more complicated, troubling one-her mother and brother's reactions to her relationship with Lucas.
Her mum and Billy weren't against Lucas because of who he was as a person, but rather what being with him would mean in the context of their lives. They both knew the wrath that would come from Neil-Max's racist stepfather. While neither her mother nor her stepbrother shared Neil's views, they lived under the pressure of his aggression. A pressure that could become crushing with the slightest provocation.
'Max, it's not about you or Lucas. It's about my dad,' Billy's voice pulsates in her head.
'Maxine, you know I want you to be happy, but we have to think about the consequences,' her mother warns her.
The situation is a convoluted mess of emotions and societal ills. A world she lives in. As much as she cherishes the memory of that first kiss, it's also marred by the complications that followed.
In the dank, bitter version of the Snowball dance in front of her, these memories cut through her, but also embolden her.
Neil, Billy, her mum, Lucas-they all represent the multi-faceted, sometimes harsh reality waiting for her. A reality she's desperate to return to confront her challenges and live her life.
******
Nancy embarks on a scheme to unravel the mysteries surrounding Steve. Armed with a pair of oversized sunglasses, a floppy hat, and scarf, she follows Steve that afternoon. She pretends to peruse the shelves of a video rental store. Nancy struggles to find a balance between maintaining her cover and deciphering Steve's intentions. She moves and scrutinises him, her nerves getting the best of her. Once he exits the store, Nancy approaches the counter.
She clears her throat and asks the clerk, 'Excuse me, sir, could you tell me what movies my boyfriend rented? He just left right now.'
He raises an eyebrow, amused. 'Sure thing, miss.'
The clerk lists off the titles. She mentally analyses each one. Her inner dialog works overtime.
'Thank you.' She hurriedly leaves the store and walks down the street.
The movies Steve rented included "E.T." and "Ghostbusters." Nancy's mind spirals into a frenzy of over-analysis.
What does his movie choices say about him?
Lost in her own thoughts, Nancy bumps into a lamppost, jolting herself back to reality. She shakes her head, berating herself for letting her imagination run wild. Nevertheless, she can't help but laugh at her own antics.
Nancy catches sight of Steve and decides to continue to follow him, keeping a considerable while driving in her wood-panelled mercury station wagon. Half an hour later, Nancy finds herself at the edge of the school's baseball field. Without her ridiculous sunglasses, hat, and scarf, she allows herself to be seen, as Steve plays a game with Dustin, Lucas, and Mike.
She walks towards the group. 'Hey, guys!'
Dustin looks up and beams. 'Nancy! You're just in time to see Steve strike out!'
'Hey, don't jinx it!' Steve shoots back with a playful glare.
'Mind if I watch?'
'Of course not,' Dustin replies, tossing her a baseball cap.
Nancy remains on edge, eagle-eyeing Steve's every move, every word, and every interaction with the kids, searching for clues that may or may not exist. She needs answers.
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