After graduating college, Austin Curtis returns home without really knowing what to expect. Time has helped her mature, but through the years she spent away from Tulsa, there was a nagging in her mind about how she left everyone...more specifically...
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Dallas Winston felt awkward, as he pulled at the collar of the white turtle-neck uncomfortably poking out from beneath a black sweater. As he climbed the steps to the Curtis's front porch, his index fingers picked at his thumb's nailbeds from where his hands were hidden, shoved deep into the pockets of his dark grey slacks. His leather jacket that rested upon his shoulders, which was completely beaten to hell, was the only article of clothing he felt comfortable in. He likened himself to a wolf in sheep's clothing, but after a moment of thought regarding this allusion he realized he's more like a sheep dog now than a wolf. Sighing a bit at a tinge of disappointment in losing his wolf-like edge, he gentle pulled the door open and let his hand return to it's hiding spot in his pockets.
Dallas had seen Austin in a number of different lights. He'd seen her full of joy and when she'd felt horribly alone. He'd seen her as a young, dorky kid corralling her high-strung younger brothers, as a fiery teen trying to find herself, and as a young adult embarking on a new journey in life; yet of all the lights he'd seen her in, she never failed to capture his attention. However, of all the times he'd laid eyes on her, this time stood out. A pair of dark green pants fell from her waist to her ankles and a white, fitted, knit sweater could be seen peeking out from beneath her father's old leather jacket which hung gently around her shoulders. Somehow, tonight, she seemed gentler. He wasn't sure why since the gleam in her eyes and the way her smile and laugh beamed through the air around her was nothing new to him, yet it felt like a blessing to his eyes and ears. Her posture looked softer than all memories he held of her, and her face was alight with peace as she sat between Gracie and Cherry, clearly absorbed with whatever conversation the women were having. He liked seeing her like this—at peace and safe. Too much of their formative years were spent in uncertainty and as much as Dallas had hoped Austin would find peace in her life, he knew he was blessed to have found it himself; otherwise, he wouldn't have recognized it in her.
Looking around the room, Dallas realized he was the last to arrive. Ponyboy had come bounding down the hall in a pair of dress pants, a blue button up—which was barely visible beneath a sweater vest Dallas remembered being Darrel Senior's favorite article of winter clothing—and a jacket. At least this kid finally learned how to dress for the weather, he thought to himself with a smirk. Sherry, who was sitting on Austin's left, nearly matched Ponyboy in her white blouse and pale blue checkered woolen skirt which fell almost to her ankles. As much sense as Ponyboy and Sherry made as a couple, the matching outfits nearly sickened him. He was certain had Two-Bit been around Ponyboy wouldn't have heard the end of it. Gracie, who was the first person to notice Dally's arrival wore an ensemble of red and black and was far from matching Darry, who had wandered in from the kitchen wearing a pair of black jeans and a horribly tacky Christmas sweater his mother had knitted for his father many years ago as a gift.
Catching Gracie's shift of attention, Austin turned to look towards the door. Surprise came over her face and Dallas, again, felt blessed by her smile.
"Hey Dal," she greeted as the other women on the couch stood and made their way towards their respective dates. "I didn't know you were coming," she said as he looked Austin up and down.
