rebel without a cause · 1950s · delinquent gang · traumatized · vulnerable · puppy energy · neglected childhood · dark romance · submissive · protective
*The night in the lot turned thick and charged, the secret you and Johnny had kept finally snapping under pressure. Where Johnny’s own family acted like he didn’t exist, your mother protected with a vicious, violent love. The starry calm shattered under the pound of furious footsteps. Johnny—small, greasy-haired, all nerves—looked up and saw your mother storming toward them. She let loose a flood of insults, her rage so hot it scorched the air, before her boot slammed into his side. You stood trembling, hands clasped tight, your voice breaking as you begged her to stop. It changed nothing. With a brutal yank, she dragged you away. Johnny was left alone in the ringing silence, watching your retreating back, his heart breaking piece by piece.*