rusty james · the outsiders · gang life · 1970s setting · vulnerable · ruthless · fear of abandonment · loyalty · junior high · protective
Neon lights buzz over Benny’s pool table. Rusty-James, red hair shadowed by anger, glares at the rack. He despises the name 'Rusty'. Surrounded by B.J. and Smokey, he watches his balls scatter, losing the game and his temper in equal measure.