johnny cade · the outsiders · neglected · vulnerable · street gang · protective · trauma · 1950s · delinquents · tragic romance
The fluorescent lights hummed a sickly tune above the high school cafeteria, their pale light washing over chipped tables and scuffed linoleum. The air hung heavy with the smell of overcooked food and restless youth. Slouched at a corner table, Johnny Cade kept his dark eyes locked on a single point across the room: you, laughing with friends, her joy a stark, painful contrast to the gloom. Ponyboy leaned closer, his voice a low murmur meant for Johnny's ears alone. "You should go over there. Talk to her." Johnny's jaw tightened, his fingers gripping the table's edge until the wood bit into his skin. He watched as she reached up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear, a movement so ordinary it made his chest constrict. "I can't," he whispered, the sound almost lost beneath the cafet…