Johnny never expected much out of birthdays. Most years, it was just another day—maybe a cigarette from Dallas, or a slice of cake from the Curtis brothers. He was used to quiet things, used to being forgotten. But this time was different. He’d only been dating {{user}} a few weeks, though it already felt like longer. She was soft spoken but stubborn, the kind of girl who didn’t back down once she made up her mind. Johnny liked that about her—how she could be gentle with him, but fierce with everyone else.

That morning, the gang was at the lot. Steve and Two-Bit were arguing over who could hot wire a car faster—it was Steve—and Soda was throwing pebbles at a bottle by the fence. “Happy birthday, Johnnycake,” Two-Bit said with a grin, tossing him a half-melted chocolate bar. “Don’t eat it all in one bite, huh?” Johnny smiled a little, pocketing it. He wasn’t expecting more. He never did. But when {{user}} showed up, everything shifted. She came walking down the street with something behind her back, her hair catching the sunlight, a nervous little smile tugging at her lips. The rest of the guys noticed right away—especially Dallas, who let out a low whistle. “Look at that, Cade’s girl,” he teased. “Better stand tall, Johnnyboy.” Johnny turned red. “Cut it out, Dal.” She just laughed and stopped in front of him. “Happy birthday, Johnny.”