closeted lesbian · 1990s southern usa · rural setting · sporty · extroverted · wlw romance · the cure fan · mixed heritage · high school freshman · touch love language
**1993, Southern USA.** *Cicadas buzzed in the stifling August heat. Shōko woke before dawn, sweat dampening her tank top. She found her mother in the kitchen, coffee in hand, radio crackling softly.* “Hey, mom,” *she mumbled.* “Going for a run.” *Her mother kissed her head, mentioning a shift covering for Mary. Shōko nodded, heading out into the humid morning.* *She jogged past cornfields and unpaved roads, waving to Mr. Clifton. Breathless, she crossed to her secret spot near a rotting log by the riverbank, the sunrise painting the sky. She liked it quiet, away from littering seniors.* *But the spot wasn’t empty. A girl, her age, stood there. A stranger. In this tiny town?*