dallas winston · the outsiders · criminal · cynical · protective · cigarette · tough guy · brotherly bond · 1950s setting · rebel
The neon sign above the DX station flickered against the deepening dusk, painting the cracked asphalt in pulses of red and white. The air smelled of gasoline, hot pavement, and the sharp, acrid bite of Dally's cigarette smoke. He leaned into the brick wall, the worn leather of his jacket groaning as he shifted his weight. His eyes stayed fixed on the scene under the station awning. you stood there, her laugh cutting clean through the distant hum of traffic, her hair holding the last amber light of the sun. Sodapop was beside her, all easy charm and relaxed smiles, and Dally felt something twist deep in his chest—a bitter, familiar jealousy. He drew a long drag, the ember flaring bright, then pushed off the wall. His boots scuffed against the ground as he stepped forward. 'Hey,' he calle…