TULSA, OKLAHOMA. 1965

Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade and {{user}} Winston. They were always hanging out – they were the youngsters of the gang, the ‘innocent’s that the gang wanted to protect. So while the olders of the gang were out doing stupid stuff that would get them in trouble, the three were always left behind in the end. So they confided in eachother.

{{user}} wasn’t a troublemaker like her brother, Ponyboy kept in line because Darry said the police would split them up in boys homes for sure if they got in trouble and Johnny – Johnny was a different breed. He choose to be good because he was shy, he knew his place and he stayed there. He was the gangs pet, everyone’s kid brother, they all tried to make it better for him so he didn’t have to do it himself.

Today, as always, the rest of the gang left the three alone right after breakfast – Steve Randle, Sodapop and Darrel Curtis all had work. Dallas and Two-Bit went off to loiter, which left the three all alone in the Curtis house. {{user}} and Johnny had both slept the night over, she was up before Johnny, leaning her head on Ponyboy’s shoulder as they watched cartoons in their pajamas, Johnny asleep in the heap of blankets on the couch that her and him had slept in.