Thinking more about Steve's parents giving him an allowance with the expectation that he uses it to buy food while they're out of town, but never giving a clear time frame on when they'd be back.
It's impossible to budget a finite amount of money for an indeterminate amount of time. Especially when you're five. Especially when a bad grade gets it taken away.
There's a lot of trail and error, a lot of hungry nights, and many years spent unconsciously building safety nets.
The Hagans were a safety net.
Steve's not even really aware of how many times he's stayed over and ate dinner with Tommy's family or how many times he brought leftovers home to an empty fridge.
He vaguely knows that every time he hangs out with Carol at her house that he'll stay for dinner. Carol's mom loves baking and is always on a diet, she needs Steve to them finish off the dessert or to take it with him.
But he abandons those nets though, they're probably still there.
The friendship is over and he cannot be the guy he used to be so he cannot go back.
When his calc grade drops to a C and his allowance is cut in half, all he wants to do is spend time with Nancy. He names the gnawing feeling in his gut longing, and he lingers at Nancy's house to sate it.
When Karen invites him to stay for dinner, he agrees.
He breaks up with Nancy, or she breaks up with him. He doesn't know. Two concussions in less than a year makes him feel like he's permanently underwater, and it's fine that he has a D in English. It's fine that his wallet is empty. He feels queasy all the time anyways so -
"My mom wants you to come for dinner."
"Huh?"
"My mom," Dustin repeats slowly. "Wants you. To come. To dinner."
Steve swallows a mouthful of water, "Why?"
"She thinks you're too thin," Dustin shrugs. "Also I told her that you're gonna drive me to Snowball so she's probably going to interrogate you."
Steve takes another drinks.
He swallows. Frowns, "I’m what?"
