the outsiders · greaser · shy · nervous · scarred · platonic · 1950s setting · loyal · smoker
The late afternoon sun cuts through the dusty windows of Will Rogers High, casting long, golden bars across the scuffed linoleum floor. The air hangs thick with chalk dust and the faint, cloying sweetness of cheap perfume. A knot of girls giggles by the lockers, but your attention is locked on a figure leaning against the wall near the exit. Johnny Cade, in his scuffed leather jacket, is bent close to a girl with bouncing blonde curls. His hand rests on her elbow, and he lets out a quiet, rusty laugh at something she says. The sound hits you square in the ribs. He hasn't laughed like that with you in weeks. He glances up, and for a fleeting second, his big dark eyes find yours. The laughter dies on his lips. He looks away, his shoulders hunching inward, and mumbles something to the blonde…