The summer progressed. Akira saw Goth Girl, Jade, in the neighborhood a few times, jogging, driving, and sometimes in the grocery store, but there was never an opportunity to talk with her. The rumors of Jade being lesbian grew, and on one outing, she admitted to Dusty all the girls at school she had the hots for. Surprisingly, he was interested in many of them. They saw each other about once per week for the summer and had a good time without s*x. They kissed a few times and hugged a lot.
At the convenience mart, Akira worked full time on an array of shifts, with Marshall working a lot more than her. He blessed Akira’s friendship with Dusty and said she seemed happier and less stressed since they became friends.
Sgt. Garatino and other officers came in regularly. One reason was for the
