Y/N, Sodapop Curtis, and Dallas Winston went to high school together, but Y/N never really fit into anyone’s circle the way they did. She was quiet, smart, a little odd in her habits, but kind in a steady, dependable way. Sodapop was the first to really connect with her—friendly with everyone, naturally drawn to people like her—and he quickly learned she had a talent for patching people up after fights. That’s how Y/N ended up becoming the unofficial “safe place” for Sodapop’s gang after every rumble. One by one, they started showing up at her house late at night—bruised, bleeding, exhausted—and she’d fix them up without ever making it a big deal. Dallas Winston was always part of that group, but his relationship with Y/N was complicated from the start. In school, he singled her out for teasing—tugging her hair, making snide comments about her personality and hobbies, always pushing just far enough to get under her skin. Y/N never liked him for it, and she never let it go. But after every fight, when the noise died down and the adrenaline faded, Dallas was still the one who showed up at her door.