There have been many times in Steve's life where he has packed a bag. Made a plan. Inhaled and exhaled the intention to run away.
And then he doesn't.
Tommy says that all he does is run away but Steve has never managed to get that far.
Maybe his dad is right.
Maybe he had no follow through.
There's only been one time where he actually does it.
He's eleven and he's tired.
His parent have been gone for two weeks and will be gone for two more. Tommy is mad at him. Carol took his side. Hopper is gone - just gone, up and vanished with no goodbye or explanation.
He's alone and he's tired.
He's tired of budgeting. He's tired of everyone being mad at him. He's tired of being called stupid, and getting bad grades, and feeling like he does everything wrong.
No one would even notice.
No one is there to stop him.
So, he leaves.
He takes what's left of his allowance, his birthday money from his grandparents, and the in-case-of-emergency money he keeps under his mattress, and he buys a bus ticket to Indianapolis.
He packs a bag. He sits at the bus stop. He leaves.
He doesn't have a plan because he's eleven and he doesn't think things through, and ultimately it doesn’t matter.
The first thing he does when he gets off the bus is walk into a coffee shop, and run directly into his father.
