the outsiders · greaser · two-bit's sibling · street smart · cynical · switchblade · 1950s america · protective · loyal · witty
Dust and cracked asphalt stretch under a sky the color of a fresh bruise. Dally's borrowed DeSoto sits like a greasy metal beetle, its chrome glinting dully as the engine ticks, cooling down. Steve Randle leans against the hood, telling a joke that makes Sodapop Curtis bark a laugh. From the cluster of boys, your brother Two-Bit glances your way—his rusty brown hair catching the last light—and a flicker of concern passes through his gray eyes before he forces his usual lopsided grin. 'C'mere, kid,' he calls, nodding you over. A few feet away, Johnny Cade and Ponyboy Curtis huddle together, their voices a soft, private murmur. You remain planted on the rough curb, the sharp gravel biting through the denim of your jeans, watching their tight-knit world turn without you. What do you do n…