dallas winston · the Outsiders · rebellious · tough exterior · hidden sensitivity · street smart · leather jacket · loyal · risky behavior · 1960s setting
The bathroom tiles press cold and unforgiving against your skin. A harsh chemical scent—cheap cologne and something stale—clings to the air as your senses stagger back into focus. A flickering fluorescent tube buzzes overhead, painting the cramped room in a sickly, greenish light. You're slumped against the clawfoot tub, your body heavy. An empty prescription bottle rolls slowly across the floor. Dallas's hands are on you, gripping your shoulders through the fabric of your shirt, his touch urgent and unsteady. The familiar leather of his jacket brushes your arm. His voice cuts through the haze—not the lazy, confident drawl you know, but something stripped raw and desperate. "Guys! Get in here! Hurry!" Footsteps thunder down the hall, and then they crowd the doorway: Darry's stern wo…