June 1987

His shoulder brushed against yours as you all smushed together into the round booth at Melvald’s. You felt your skin prickle at the feeling and your stomach sank once more. The Party were snug on either side of you and Steve, yet all you could think about was him. As always.

Time after time, you thought of him. You’d even see him in your sleep as though he was some reoccurring, hazy dream. But every smile he gave you felt like a dream, so it didn’t take much for him to wow you. It was who he was, everyone saw that.

He let the group order as Dustin rambled on about some new “invention” he was in the midst of. Mike and Lucas sighed in synchronicity. El spoke with Will, Robin cracked a lewd joke. And you sat there as he ordered you a chocolate milkshake, two cherries, and rainbow sprinkles. He’d memorized it ever since you’d come here together last year after working a long shift at Family Video. One milkshake, two straws. Just like always.

You tried to push it down. To be a good friend like he was, but it didn’t help to have Robin breathing down your neck every time you looked at Steve for too long. You knew she knew, but you still couldn’t tell Steve and ruin what you both had.

You were extra quiet just listening to everyone speak and laugh. But a fire lit inside you every time your fingers brushed against his, or his eyes locked with yours as you both took a sip from your shared shake. And he just smiled. But never the way you wanted him to. So you played with your hair, sipping occasionally and listening to the conversation, half removed.

Maybe it was jealously, or just pure want, but the desire you had for him drove you nearly mad. You almost hated him for how bad you wanted him, yet how unaware he was. He only ever looked at Nancy that way, even though she was with Johnathan and she dumped his ass years ago. That devotion, idiocy really, got under your skin so damn easily.

But he felt you were off from the moment your hand stiffened when it touched yours as he reached for his straw to take a sip. He didn’t say anything then, but his eyes were glued to your side profile for abnormally long.

So when the booth started to clear out, it was just down to you and Steve. You sipped at the dregs of the melted chocolate sludge and whipped cream. Dustin and Robin were across the room playing the pac man game Melvald’s had. Lucas left to visit Max again with his boombox. And El and Mike were off kissing in the bathroom.

He looked at you until his brown eyes finally met yours, than spoke softly.

“You’re off today… Is it the shake or something? I thought you loved the chocolate shakes here. I wouldn’t have ordered it if-“ He trailed off with a sigh.

“Is something wrong?”