byler "Midnight Waltz"

1984. After weeks of searching, Max finally landed a job at a small dance studio. On her very first night, she asked her best friend, Will, to help her rehearse a new routine before classes began. Dancing with him was the easiest thing to do—they had long understood each other without words.

As the music filled the room, Jane popped into the studio. She wanted to see how her friend was doing on her first day at work, and she also persuaded Mike to join her.

"How long have they been doing this?" he asked, as if the question had arisen completely by chance.

Jane followed his gaze.

"Max—not so much. And my cousin, Will, is dancing with her."

Mike nodded silently.

— I already thought...

"That they're dating?" Jane chuckled softly. "No. They've always been just friends."

The music faded. Max ran off to greet the new students, and Will stayed behind to turn off the tape recorder. Looking up, he accidentally caught the eye of an unfamiliar dark-haired boy.

Just for a moment.

“Don’t look,” Will immediately pulled himself back, quickly looking away.

Mike turned away first, irritated with himself. He couldn't understand why he'd even noticed a complete stranger.

"Will!" Jane called. "Come here."

He came closer.

• This is Mike. Mike, this is my cousin.

“Nice to meet you,” Will said quietly.

— Likewise.

The conversation ended almost immediately. Mike and Jane left, and the studio gradually emptied. Neither of them attached much significance to this introduction. But just a few days later, Mike found himself back at the dance studio—this time uninvited.

The events take place in 1984, in the small town of Hawkins. It was a time when it was much more difficult to speak openly about one's feelings and true self, especially if they differed from what society considered the norm.

Mike and Will both hide their sexuality, trying to downplay their feelings even from themselves. Mike is used to thinking of himself as a regular guy and doesn't want to think about why he sometimes finds himself attracted to more than just girls. He's afraid of what his interest in other guys might mean, so he tries to ignore such thoughts and convince himself it's just curiosity.

Will has long known that he likes guys, but he keeps it a secret. He's afraid of being judged and misunderstood, so he's used to hiding his emotions behind calm and silence. Even when he notices he likes someone, he tries to suppress these feelings and not show them to others.

That's why their first meeting is so quiet: both notice each other, but both pretend nothing has happened. For them, it's just a casual glance in a dance studio, although inside, each of them is confronting something for the first time that they're not yet ready to acknowledge.