Theodore, Kelly, and Casey sit at their dining room table, happy with how all was turning out so far. Casey and Kelly were playing a board game. Since Theodore hadn't bothered to listen to the instructions so he couldn't play. Plus, Ms. Joyce was coming to pick him up so he could go to the planned arcade trip with the others. It's what he had all this money for, four dollars in quarters.
Kelly moved her icon two spaces up. "You can't do that, Kelly." Casey protested. Her complaining had become a common occurrence since the two had started the game.
"Why not?" Kelly implored curiously.
"You have to roll the die first," Casey told her. Kelly forgetting to do an action was a common happening as well.
"Oh yeah," Kelly muttered. She moved the icon back and rolled the die. It displayed six, so she moved six places.
The doorbell rang, and Theodore immediately knew who it was. Will. Will always came with Joyce when she planned to drive Theodore somewhere. Today they would be hanging out at the Byers' house. Theodore stood up. "I'll see you guys later," he said.
"Yeah," Casey replied, too focused on watching the die she rolled to give him the time of day. But he only smiled even if it was slightly.
He walked to the door and opened it–and just as he expected–it was Will. "Hey," Theodore greeted.
"Hi," Will responded with a small wave. Theodore and Will had become much closer ever since Will came back from the Upside Down, despite the awkwardness they were sharing now. They hung out a lot more than they ever did before and it made Theodore happy.
Theodore walked out, making sure to shut the door behind him. Will led him to the car in silence and they both got into the back seat, sitting side by side. Once they were both buckled in, Joyce started driving to her house. "How are you and your sisters, Theodore?" Joyce asked.
"We're all good. Thank you for asking," Theodore told her.
"Of course, sweetheart." She replied. And the car ride was silent for a bit more before Joyce started to question them again. "What are you planning on doing once you get to the house?" Joyce questioned curiously. "Don't you have something to show him, Will?"
"Mom!" Will exclaimed, out of embarrassment and astonishment. "It was supposed to be a surprise." He informed her. Theodore could start to feel another smile form on his face as he looked down at the carpet of the car.
"Sorry, sorry, I didn't know," Joyce responded to his interjection.
"I just made you a drawing. It's really nothing special," Will whispered to him.
Theodore nodded, finally looking up at Will to see Will's red face. A full-fledged smile almost made it to Theodore's face. He liked seeing Will like this. "I'm sure it's great." He commented. "What's the drawing, anyway?"
A smile, much like Theodore's own, was brought to Will's face. "Like I said, it's a surprise."
Will's room looks as it always did. Will and Theodore stood in front of the desk in Will's bedroom. Will was fiddling through the papers scattered on it, looking for something. It didn't take long to find that thing. It was obvious it was for Theodore, as it had his name on the back in big, bold, black letters. Will turned to look at him, smiling profoundly, and held the paper out to him.
Theodore took it gently and flipped it to find the most beautiful drawing he had seen. It was him and Will in the little DnD world their friends had come up with. In the drawing, the two of them were laying on a hill, looking at each other. "I know. It's not very good. But I wanted to make it–"
"It's pulchritudinous," Theodore interrupted. Theodore had learned a lot of big words over the year, and he used them so he could impress Will.
Will's face heated up, and he gave Theodore an awkward smile. "You have to stop using these big words. I don't know what they mean." He advised. Theodore only gave him a smile in response.
Will looked like he was going to say something more until his supercomn went off. It was Dustin. "Will? Will, do you copy?" The boy questioned.
Will walked over to the walkie-talkie, Theodore right behind him, and picked it up. "I copy. What do you need, Dustin?" He implored.
"What's your haul?" Dustin asked.
Will looked over at Theodore for his answer. "I have four dollars," Theodore answered.
"Seven dollars," Will told him.
"Seven dollars!" Dustin repeated breathily. "How are you guys getting this money? I'll - I'll see you at the arcade."
"See you," Will responded with a slight chuckle. He closed off the walkie-talkie and turned to face Theodore. "We should start to leave now."
"Good idea."
Theodore had been to the arcade about a thousand times since he had been friends with the others. They went at least once a week, but Theodore wasn't bothered by this. It wasn't like he had much to do, anyway. When they arrived, they did what they usually did. They split the money into equal amounts, leaving them each with four dollars. Plenty of money.
While the boys went to play the arcade games, Theodore moved to the cranes. It was usually the first thing he did, even though he wasn't very good at it. But luck seemed to be on his side, as the prize he was trying to win was slowly moving with the crane. Until the prize slipped through the crane, just before it made it to the drop. Theodore wanted to punch something.
He had been trying at this crane every time they came here and this was the closest he had been to getting the prize that he wanted. But he wouldn't be giving up yet. He put another coin into the slot and began to push the crane button precisely. The crane grabbed the item, and it was brought over to the drop and made through. He had finally won it!
Theodore grabbed the pink stuffed bear and almost cried. His hard work had finally paid off. He had won two prizes today, and he still had one dollar to spare.
He walked to where the boys usually were, only to find the one boy he was looking for wasn't there. The other boys were too busy arguing with Keith, one of the employees at the arcade, to notice Will's absence. Theodore became worried and began to walk around the arcade looking for him only to find that he was in the front. Theodore promptly exited the arcade to talk to Will.
"Will?" Theodore called out. Theodore walked more into Will's line of sight. "Will," he called again. Will gasped and the two of them suddenly made eye contact. "Are you okay?"
Will's eyes shifted away from Theodore's and look at something behind him, but Theodore wasn't sure what. "Yeah," Will answered, "I needed some air."
Theodore gave Will a once-over and didn't feel like he believed him, but took Will's word for it. "If you say so," He said. They were silent for a few moments until Theodore initiated a conversation in an attempt to make Will feel better. "I won you this." He told Will, holding out the pink bear for Will to take.
It was one of the soft-to-touch bears and it was only as big a hand, so it fit perfectly in Will's. Will took the bear in both hands, rubbing at its fur. "Thanks, Theo." He muttered. Will looks down at the bear and notices something is occupying one of Theodore's hands. "Who's the spider for?" He asked.
Theodore held it up a bit to get a better look at it as if he didn't know what it was already. "Kelly." He answered. "She happens to like spiders and I don't think she has a stuffed one yet."
"Seems like her," Will remarked.
End.