dance in the sun 〖 the outsiders 〗

the boys

I learned a little more about each of Johnny's friends. It was so crazy how different they all were. He tells me that he spends a lot of time observing them as well and I feel like I notice him getting lost in observing and forgetting to participate. As I floated around mingling with everyone at the party, he would sit with his drink speaking with people as they passed.

Darry seems a lot like a "dad figure" which is very funny because Babs is far from the most mature and "mom" figure but maybe that'll be good for him. He really seems like he needs to loosen up, guys only twenty-one and acts like a thirty year old. Probably be good for Iona too, she needs more stability in her life.

Sodapop is just such a delight, it's always a great time with him, he always radiates his joy and excitement onto others. Sodapop made us all feel welcome, he's just great with people. He says he loves having people over and he always enjoys a chance to hang out with all the guys. He said he enjoyed having my friends over too, he loves getting to know people.

It's very hard to read Ponyboy. I kind of think he's good at keeping others from reading him. Him and Johnny were close all night and he wasn't very open until I was talking to them both. Ponyboy seems very sensitive, like more than just normal moody fifteen year old sensitive. I kind of sense that he could've done without the party but kind of like Sodapop, he also likes just being around everyone else.

I feel like this guy really makes this group a party. Two-Bit is just hilarious, he literally finds something to laugh at in everything. I did notice that the more he drinks the more he wants to talk and listen and especially give people advice. He really is a good listener, too. I never would've guessed but there's always more to the funny one.

Steve, I think, got drunk a bit early into the night but he's definitely not the worst drunk. He just yells a lot. He's already the aggressive type sober, Steve is the type to take every idea way too serious when he's drunk; Sodapop had to talk him and Two-Bit down from a couple dumb ideas and it had only been a few hours. Steve has always been the impulsive type anyway which is definitely very interesting to be around.

I felt a weird change in the air and everyone greeted Dallas Winston at the door. I'm going to try and keep my judgements of him at bay and get to know him. "Oh look, it's the hot redhead from that record shop," he said upon seeing me.

I roll my eyes and ignore his comment, deciding to be the bigger person, "It's Marlena, maybe if you were decent upon meeting a lady people wouldn't think you're such an asshole."

"Who says I care?"

I shrugged and just decided to let it go. No reason to let him make me feel uncomfortable so I just avoided him. It looked like he and Johnny were pretty close too and I still have no idea how he could enjoy the company of a guy like that.

I'd spent a lot of time learning about who he hangs around but I want to know Johnny more as himself. I took a seat beside him on the dilapidated couch in the living room. He smiled at me and it was very warm and comfortable. I like that he's loose, you can tell the difference from right now and every other day when I see him. I wonder if he's drank any.

"You enjoying your night here?" He asks.

"It's really been fun your friends are real nice, its been great getting to know everybody." He nods and settles into his seat, watching Two-Bit, Steve, and Sodapop. "How'd you meet these guys?"

He sighed and thought for a moment, looking at each of the guys. He took his time explaining the story of how he and Ponyboy used to play together all the time and he actually used to live on this street before his parents lost the house. He and Ponyboy have been friends since they were very little, he said, and naturally Soda and Darry became brother figures especially when his parents relationship began fading and the household grew abusive.

Sodapop and Steve have also been friends since they were little, that I knew. Johnny had known Steve for a very long time and though he wasn't the most comfortable around him, he still trusted him and knew they'd never let anything happen to one another.

Two-Bit actually lives a few houses down from these guys and his parents were friends with the Curtis' parents so he's been around for pretty much forever too. Dallas is the only one who hasn't been around for most of their lives, it seemed.

I finally asked him what I'd been wondering for so long about Dallas. He seemed to be such a different person than everyone else, and not in a good way.

"Dal's a little rough but to tell you the truth, I've always wanted to be more like him." He chuckled at the look I gave him and continued, "Not in every way, of course, but just more bold. He gets what he wants, does what he wants to do. People don't look at him like a broken little kid like everybody sees me. Dal treats girls that way because he don't take 'em serious. He don't really take nothing serious. Or he doesn't show it when he does."

"What's so good about that?" I wonder, "Why don't you just wanna be like you?"

"I don't know, just always had a habit of imaginin' livin' like everyone else."

"Well you keep doing that and you'll miss out on the good in your life."

He shrugged, "I never really had much good after everything happened with my family. Just these guys."

"Well," I began, softly putting my hand over his. He interlocked our fingers, prompting me to continue, "you never know what's to come."

bro wtf this bitch updated? twice?!?!
i hope people are still interesting in reading this story lol bc i still really like it.
i've been doing some self discovery and i realize that writing was really a big outlet for me and idk if i ever will fully stop because just when i think i am i come back to it. i love my outsiders fanfics but i might wanna one day upgrade to just all original characters lol but nah not rn im still fucking w the boys.
so look, i had to drop the "oh johnny is the gang's pet" shit bc i dont like that, i needed his role in everything to have more depth so i actually gave him a backstory that's not all the way bad.