#beverly has known for years but shes not going to gossip about something like that

[wassupmygays]

controversially i dont think many of the soc gang actually knew about parry until after it was over. this is obviously all headcanons in my brain but listen. those teenage boys are not that observant. especially bc imo i think paul and darry were The Childhood Friends, obviously their bond has to be Tight for darry to be able to mesh with the rest of the socs. and, paul and darry are a year or two older than the socs (i can get more into how i think of their hs dynamics later).

anyways what im saying is i dont think the socs (minus like. bev) really knew of the extent of paul and darrys relationship until it was over and something in paul changed. he started drinking to cope again like bob. he started picking fights more and more. he had to be pulled off of sodapop curtis one time because he just wouldnt stop punching. he starts letting himself get with all the girls that have been hitting on him since the freshman year. him and bob grew closer, bonding over how they somehow felt so much and so little all at the same time.

paul holden doesnt have the support system or coping skills to deal with the secret, the love, the heartbreak, and the guilt that has been building up his entire life, and it shows. im sorry man </3