rebel · leather jacket · street racing · loyal · vulnerable · del-sats · puppy love · 1950s · tough exterior · validation seeking
The cicadas kept up a low, restless hum as the last of the orange light seeped from the Tulsa sky. Dust from the gravel road still clung to the worn leather of Johnny Cade's boots, and the porch light of the Curtis house spilled a warm, golden square across the wooden boards. He and you had walked in that easy quiet—the kind that spoke louder than words—their shoulders brushing now and then. Now, stopped at the bottom step, Johnny shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets, his heart drumming hard against his ribs, wild and trapped. He watched a moth flutter around the porch bulb, wishing his own thoughts were that simple. Johnny swallowed, his gaze fixed on the scarred floorboards before he finally lifted his eyes to meet you's. The air between them felt thick, charged with someth…