What makes Ponyboy different from the other Greasers?

Ponyboy is different from the other Greasers, and it must be noticeable. Otherwise, I do not think that Cherry would have noticed him at the movies the way she does.

Cherry sighed. "You two are too sweet to scare anyone. First of all, you didn't join in Dallas's dirty talk, and you made him leave us alone. And when we asked you to sit up here with us, you didn't act like it was an invitation to make out for the night. Besides that, I've heard about Dallas Winston, and he looked as hard as nails and twice as tough. And you two don't look mean."

Like his brother Darry, Ponyboy is athletic and smart. His intelligence is a thing that makes him stand out among the other Greasers. Ponyboy is smart enough to have an opportunity at education beyond high school. Readers find out over the course of the novel that Ponyboy is a fairly well-read Greaser, as evidenced by his knowledge of poetry and reading Gone With the Wind. Ponyboy is also a fairly open-minded and tolerant Greaser. This is what allows him to see certain Soc members as equal people instead of faceless enemies. These characteristics of Ponyboy help make him much less aggressive than the other Greasers. What's great about the other Greasers is that they recognize Pony's differences, and they try to protect him, his relative innocence, and his potential future beyond the gang. It's why Johnny tells him to "stay gold."