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His name is Steven Harrington. Son of the Harrington family; Daniel Harrington and Margaret Harrington. He’s fond of basketball and quite talented at it, he become the leader of his school's basketball team this year. Even though he isn't the best in school, his notes are surprisingly average. He is also quite popular at school for many reasons; he's handsome, he throws the best parties, he is quite wealthy and doesn't hesitate to spend his money on others–even when he know he won't get his money back.
His name was Finney Stephen Blake and everything above is a lie. He was the son of Terrence Blake and Hope Blake. Finney didn't care about basketball–he was more of a baseball guy anyway. Finney was very good at math and physics, numbers were easy for him. Finey never had been popular at school, not even once, he was always the quiet kid. His family wasn't poor but they weren't wealthy either.
Finney Stephen Blake died in 1978.
Steve isn't sure when did Finney really “died”. Maybe it was when he was kidnapped by the Grabber. Maybe it was when Terrence broke his promises and got drunk again. Maybe it was when Terrence tried to hit them again. Maybe it was when he and his sister got separated because Harrington's didn't need any “useless things”, they needed a heir.
Or maybe it was when his name was changed to Steven Harrington. Mr. Harrington said it was a much more suitable name for their family reputation than “Finney”, Mrs. Harrington –who chose his new name– said his old name sounded ridiculous.
Finney didn't know how to feel about his new name, new identity back then. Part of him hated the change; he hated how “Finney” was erased, how he lost everything related to his old family.
Steven was everything Finney wasn't.
Steven was wealthy, he had his two parents beside him, he didn't had any siblings.
Finney hated Steven Harrington.
He doesn't know when he started to see himself more like Steve and not Finney. To be honest he isn't sure where “Steven Harrington” starts and “Finney Stephen Blake” ends. Over the years he got so much used to being Steve. He isn't even sure if he hates Steve. Maybe he hates Steven Harrington–but not Steve. He certainly doesn't like “Steve”, but doesn't hate it either.
And he knew everyone around him felt very much like that towards Steve. They didn't really hated him neither liked him. What students at school thought of him varied depending on who you asked. But you could say the general impression was pretty much the same; at first glance, Steve looks like your typical jock—a bit of a airhead, someone who can be a total jerk at times, but not a complete scumbag either. Contrary to the rumors, he had had no more than a handful of girlfriends and to them he was surprisingly a great boyfriend.
If you asked about Steve to Tommy or Carol, the answer would change but not much.
Their so called friendship was based on lies. All three of them knew this, but none of them wanted to admit it or upset the balance between them.
Sometimes he looks at Tommy and remembers Robin, but then he does something Robin would hate. Sometimes Carol reminds him Gwen but then she does something she would hate.
Tommy and Carol weren't bad people, especially to him but they were assholes.
Finney would hate them.
Robin would hate them.
But he isn't Finney anymore–he changed. And Robin is far away from here, beyond the veil.
He no longer thinks himself as Finney, but as Steve. He doesn't know when he embraced this identity but it happened as the years passed.
He sometimes wonders what would Robin think of him now. Part of him scares that he would hate how he changed but deep down he knows Robin wouldn't do that.
Robin would understand.
He always did.
And despite how much he hates “Steve”, how much he hates himself; he knows Robin would say it isn't his fault.
He didn't want to be Steve after all.
But he had to.
So despite everything, Steve doesn't hate this new life. He misses his sister and his friends everyday but life isn't so bad.
In other words, that's what he's trying to convince himself of.
He says himself that it's not bad when he wakes up in cold sweat from a nightmare. When Harrington's gets angry with him. When he misses his sister. When he misses them. When he hears a phone ringing.
Maybe, just maybe, if he repeats that enough; he would believe it.
And he almost believed it, when he first saw Nancy Wheeler. She was beautiful, but that wasn't what caught his attention. It was something different, the way she smiled, the way she narrowed her eyes when she faced with a challenging question, everything about her was mesmerizing.
He isn't sure if this is what other call love but if this isn’t love, he doesn't know what else love could be.
He flirted with her for a while, at first she seemed suspicious but after a while she started to smile for him.
Her friend, Barbara wasn't fond of him but he would find a way to get her approval.
Of course Tommy and Carol didn't like that, but especially Carol showed her real emotions, she made sneaky comments whenever Nance was with them.
But he wouldn't let them to that again, he made it clear that Nance was going to be in his life from now on and they needed to live with it.
He was serious this time, Nancy was special.
And life seemed good for once. For the first time in his life, he began to look forward to the next day.
But nothing ever went right in his life, did it? He should have understand something was about to happen. Even before the phone rang again.
After all happiness never long last. At least not for Steve.
But he believed everything would be okay, he convinced himself that everything was fine, everything will be fine.
Until the phone rang.
Until the veil got thinner and thinner.
Until a boy disappeared.
As the veil's boundaries grew even more blurred than they already were, and his abilities coming to the surface; he knows he can't hide from his past anymore.
Written by a human in Ellipsus.