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Steve was in a pretty bad mood.
He’d been trying to get the set of speakers for the living room to work and they wouldn’t budge. He’d plugged them into different outlets, read the manual twice over, and triple-checked that no wires were cut by any of the devious children he let run around his house. It didn’t help that Robin had been pissy all morning, haggling him with no explanation. She basically drove him out of the house. He was somewhat grateful he had an errand to run, he just really wished it wasn’t this one.
The little bell on the door rings as he walks into Radio Shack, his backpack weighing him down. He looks around and sees all kinds of stereos and gadgets he knows he could never afford on his shitty salary. A man with a white name badge turns to face him with a wide smile.
Steve didn’t really like Radio Shack. It made him feel out of place. He didn’t need a bunch of geeks telling him things he didn’t need to know; he already had Dustin for that. Seeing what he assumed was the new manager, made him think of Bob Newby. He’d seen him around town in the past and overheard Will’s stories about him, but he hadn’t known Bob well. He did know however, the toll his death took on the Byer’s family.
He feels his stomach knot the way it always did when reminded of the town's dreadful past but it quickly passes. He walks up to the front and drops the heavy speakers he’d been hauling around in his bag, straight onto the counter.
“Looking for help with those?” Asks the cheery voice of the older man now behind the till.
“Yeah uh,” He sighs with his hands on his hips. “I’ve been trying to get these damn things to work in my house but nothing’s coming out. Not a sound.”
They were a newer, more expensive set his parents had bought and he wasn’t exactly tech savvy. Unfortunately, he was relying on them for a party the kids threw on him last minute.
“Did you follow the manual?”
“Yes.” He answered exasperatedly.
“And did you make sure they were plugged in?”
“Yes.”
“Try turning them off and on again?”
“Yes?” He furrowed his brows in confusion. Did he look as stupid as he felt?
“I see you don’t need the rundown for dummies then.” He chuckles.
This was not helping. The smile on the man's face only grew wider as he joked. For someone that had possibly never met Bob, he sure was similar. Steve gave an uncomfortable smile back before continuing, trying to sound less irritated than he was.
“Yeah, I- I tried all those things. I think something might be wrong like inside the speakers or maybe the wires aren’t connected right. I wasn’t about to strip them myself and break them trying to find out.”
“I see,” The man's tone takes a more practical, serious tone as he clues into Steve’s irritation. He picks them up, looking them over in his hands. “How about I take these to the back for a moment and see what I can do for you.”
“Thank you.” Steve says with a relieved nod. He watches the man push the swinging door to the back room then rests his elbows on the front counter, leaning his weight on it. He looks around at the bright red walls. There were ‘for sale’ signs covering the place; seemingly on every surface, accompanied by small reduction stickers on everything from phone cords to walkie-talkies.
“Harrington,” He hears bellowed from the entryway.
Most people would greet others they know like a question, but his name was said as a statement, as if Eddie knew he was here all along. Steve hadn’t even heard the bell ring. He must have been spotted through the shop windows. He straightens himself, still startled by the other boy's sudden appearance.
Eddie walks over, wearing a leather vest Steve hadn’t seen before. His rings catch the sun and reflect little bits into the rest of the store. He waits till he’s standing right beside Steve to continue.
“What are you doing in Radio Shack? I know a certain small gremlin that would be pretty disappointed if you consulted other nerds before him.” Eddie changes from facing Steve to putting his back to the counter, leaning on his elbows behind him. He picks at his nails and the old polish residue on them.
“Yeah, well it’s for his party so I wasn’t gonna let him know I was having technical difficulties.”
“Hendersons throwing a party? Without me? With your help? I see I’m no longer wanted.” He hunches his shoulders.
Steve never fully understood Eddie’s theatrics but he appreciated how light-hearted they were.
“Well he sprung it on me just this morning. Claimed his mom wouldn’t let them host… um, whatever they’re doing at his house last minute, so my place was ‘Plan B’. How do you think I feel?”
“Ah.”
“But my place includes my stereo system, which isn’t exactly working at the moment.” He could hear the irritation in his own voice and felt his jaw going sore from clenching it. Perhaps he was more bothered than he thought.
“So you were an afterthought too. Guess we’re both being left in the dust.”
“You’ll at least get an invite in the afternoon, I’ll probably be kicked out of my own house. For the second time today.”
Eddie looks at him, face scrunched up in confusion just as the worker reappears behind the till.
“Hello,” The man greets Eddie with the same big smile as before then turns back to Steve. “Young man, do you have the receipt for these? I’m afraid you may have to get a new pair all together.”
“Oh. No, my parents bought them. Are they really broken?”
“Hey, why don’t you just borrow mine? I’ll haul them over in my van,” Eddie suggests before the older man has a chance to reply.
Eddie’s expression was casual but Steve’s was not. He didn’t take easily to favours. He didn’t like owing anybody. That was pretty out of the way for Eddie to go just for him.
“How about you take those back home, and I’ll meet you over there? You can just ask your parents for the receipt to exchange them when they get back.” Eddie adds, pointing at the speakers and fighting Steve’s reluctance.
He gives a weak nod in response. They both knew his parents weren’t going to be back in town in a predictable amount of time but he didn’t really have another choice.
“Sure. Yeah,” He picks up the mess of hi-fi and wires before thanking the old man. He glances at the name tag before heading for the door. It reads “Glen”.