GAY PANIC (STRANGER THINGS!) [✓]

CHAPTER TWELVE : HEART EYES HAYWOOD (PART ONE)

CHAPTER TWELVE
HEART EYES
HAYWOOD (PART ONE)

OCTOBER 7TH, 1983

Tonight was the night. . .

It was the night that he was going to the Queen concert tonight with Link. Angelo was super excited for tonight. He had been talking to his mom about it ever since the day was asked to go with him, and he didn't stop now. In fact, he didn't think he'd be going to her for advice.

His mother was sitting on his bed, while the boy was still looking for something to wear. Of course, he knew he was wearing his favorite Queen shirt and his leather jacket, but didn't know black ripped jeans, or the regular black jeans.

He then turned to his mother. "Which ones?" He asked his mother, "The ripped ones, or the non ripped ones?"

"The non ripped ones," Alessandra answered, "I don't want Link gettin' any ideas. . ."

"Ma, you know he's not gonna do that. . ." Angelo replied, rolling his eyes as he hung up the ripped jeans.

"Well, I don't know. I just don't want him making moves on my boy," His mother responded, looking up at her son.

"I wouldn't let him, mama, you know that," Angelo reassured her, "I'm not ready for that kind of move."

"I know, Ang. . ." His mother replied, "But at the same time, I think you are."

Angelo looked at his mother with a confused expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" He questioned.

"I think that you like him. I think that you wanna be in a relationship with him," Alessandra explained, "You're just scared that things are gonna turn out the way you and Theo did."

What his mother said had clicked in his brain. He had a feeling that she was right. No, he knew that she was right.

"I think you're right, ma," Angelo said quietly, "I think I am too scared because of the way Theo and I turned out. . ."

"I don't think Link would ever hurt you," She told him, "Link's a good boy. And he really wants to be with you."

"Why do you think that?" The raven-haired boy asked, fixing his hair in the mirror.

"I see the way he looks at you," His mother answered, "Please tell me you've noticed."

The boy just shook his head. He had no idea what his mom was talking about at all.

"Are you kidding? God, you're just like your father sometimes!" Alessandra muttered, "Link looks at you like you're an innocent angel."

"I still don't understand," Angelo responded, which made his mother groan.

"He has that lovestruck look in his eyes! C'mon Angie! He loves you! And you love him, too! And you know it!" His mother blurted out.

This scared Angelo. His mom might be spot on. What if Link was in love with him? How was he supposed to deal with this right now? But he tried to shake this off.

"Ma? Can you. . . Can you give me a moment?" He asked her.

His mother nodded, and headed downstairs so he could think.

Things were just scrabbled into his brain now. His feelings, and what his mother had said to him were clicking together. But he thought about him and Theodore and how it didn't work out.

It was heartbreaking, seeing his best friend and ex lover transform into somebody so cruel and brutal. How could someone do something like that to the people they love? He just didn't understand that. Theodore when from sweet to mean in a quick matter of time.

His thoughts were interrupted by a tiny knock at his bedroom door. "Angie?"

He turned around to see Donna, standing at the doorway. "Yeah Don? What's up?" He asked her. It seemed like she always appeared when he was having a mid life crisis.

"Are you okay?" She asked, walking into the room, "You seem a bit. . . a bit tense."

Angelo kneeled down to her height. "Yeah, I'm fine," He answered.

He thought for a moment. Maybe he should ask Donna what he should do. She always have him the truth.

"Donna, can I ask you something?" He asked his younger sister.

Donna nodded. "Absolutely!" She answered with a smile on her face.

"You know, I really like Link, but I feel like I'm not ready for another relationship yet because of what happened to Theo. . ." He explained, "Should I take the chance? Or wait?"

"I think you should focus on you first instead of hopping into another relationship," Donna responded, "You've been through a lot, and being in another relationship will take your mental capacity."

The boy gave his sister a small smile. "Thank you, that's all I needed," He told her.

"You're welcome!" She chirped, before skipping out the door.

Angelo then sat back on his bed. Donna was right, he needed to focus on himself and try to get himself together before hopping into another relationship. The boy looked at his clock, and it read 5:30. It was still early, but he decided to get ready anyway.

───

The raven-haired boy heard the doorbell from all the way upstairs, and he was finished getting ready, so he was right on time.

"I'll get it!" He shouted, sliding of the bannister of the stairs, and practically running to the door to open it.

When he saw Link at the doorway, Angelo thought to that he looked so handsome. And he knew that his gayness was probably showing right now, but he didn't care.

"W-Wow. . ." Was all Angelo could get out.

"Well 'ello to you, too, Angie," He chuckled, "You look stunning."

"Not as stunning as you though," Angelo replied back, returning back to his normal state.

He noticed that Link was in the same state that he was just in. And then that clicked, too. His mom said the way he looked at him was everything.

"So. . . You're ready to go?" Angelo asked him with a slight smile.

Link nodded. "Totally," He replied, a smile appearing on his face.

Angelo turned to his mother, who had been playing one of the video games they had with Vera.

"Ma, I'm leaving," He said, which made his mother turn around pause the game.

"Okay sweetie, have fun!" His mother said to him. She then looked at Link. "You better watch him, he can get feisty."

"Ma!" The raven-haired boy scoffed, which made his mother laugh.

"Kidding!" She said, putting her hands up as if she were surrendering, "You two kids go have fun!"

Both the boys waved before leaving the house. Angelo fumbled in his pocket for his keys.

"We can take the car," He told her, "I can drive."

"No, no, let me," Link said to him, "I'll drive. After all, I asked you to come with me."

Angelo then shrugged, tossing the keys to him. "Since you insist," He told him.

They both got into the car and Link started it up. "Are you ready?" Link asked him.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Angelo answered, before Link pulled out of the driveway and started driving.

He was looking forward to this whole experience.