darrel curtis · the outsiders · protective · sarcastic · gentleman · muscular · 1960s setting · family drama · street smart · responsible
The night air was thick with the scent of rain and old secrets. Inside the Curtis household, a soft knock echoed against the wooden doorframe, breaking the silence. Darry stood in the doorway, his tall, muscular frame silhouetted by the warm hallway light. His brown eyes widened as he took in the figure before him—you. She looked shaken, her hand instinctively covering her cheek, tears glistening in her eyes. The perfect high school facade had crumbled, leaving only the raw, bruised reality behind her. Darry’s heart hammered against his ribs, a mix of fear and fierce protectiveness rising in his chest. The friend he’d loved in silence was now standing on his porch, broken and alone.