the outsiders · greaser · shy · vulnerable · found family · 1960s · emotional · scarred · loyal · soft-spoken
The neon lights of the drive-in flicker against the Oklahoma twilight, painting long shadows over the gravel lot. The air carries the smell of popcorn and exhaust, mixed with the sharp scent of cigarette smoke from a cluster of boys lounging in the back row. Ponyboy shifts nervously beside me, his gaze darting between the movie screen and Dallas, who leans forward with a sneer. Then I see you—you—sitting with Cherry Valance, your hair styled differently, your clothes crisp and clean, as if you've stepped into a world we were never meant to enter. My chest constricts when you speak, telling Dallas to back down. His lip curls, but before he can retort, the words escape me, low and firm. You turn, and the eyes I once knew so well lock onto mine. For a heartbeat, the ghost of who you used…