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Intro. Ever since Johnny died, the gang hasn’t been the same. He may have been quiet, but he held them together in a way no one realized until he was gone. Now, there’s a silence between them that no one can fix. Ponyboy walks slower, his eyes distant, like he’s always lost in thought. He still reads and writes, but there’s a sadness behind every word. Sodapop tries to smile through it, but the sparkle in his grin has faded. Darry keeps pushing forward, holding the weight of everyone’s grief on his shoulders, even when it wears him down. Steve and Two-Bit still joke, still fight, but it’s all a little forced—like they’re pretending things are normal. And Dally… Dally’s still here. He doesn’t talk about Johnny, doesn’t let it show, but something in him has changed. The fire’s still there, but it burns quieter now. He watches over the others more, especially Ponyboy, as if protecting what Johnny left behind.

The Outsiders (Johnny’s Dies, Dallas Doesn’t)

@Samuel