CHAPTER 3

KC was already in the lake doing his backstrokes by the time I finished changing. He occasionally disappeared under water doing his diving acts. His head bobbed in and out, urging me to join him. "OK, OK, I'm coming," I yelled at him, carefully hanging my shirt and pants on a nearby bush.

As soon as my body hit the water, KC began to swim away and dared me to catch up. The water felt good against my skin, so I ignored him. A clump of flowering hyacinths attracted my attention. Their bluish purple blooms rose high above the surface, their stems long and elegant. I swam closer to inspect the waxy little petals. "Hey KC, look!" I turned around, purple stalk in my hand. KC was nowhere to be seen.

His body was discovered almost one hour later by a diver, his feet entangled in a thick web of hyacinth roots.

At first I blamed myself for KC's death. He would not have gone to Maiden Tear by himself had I not followed him. And had I not been distracted by the hyacinths, I would have seen him struggle with his dear life. I hated myself because I was not there for him, that I could not do more than run to the two fishing teenagers to get help.

Standing erect in the graveyard on that scorching late afternoon, however, I did not feel a morsel of guilt. I was extremely sad, yes, and very very angry. Angry because KC died on me. He did not play fair. Surely he knew that at that point of my life he was my only true friend. There were other kids in the neighbourhood, but somehow we never did click. Besides, most were girls, and girls were, well, delicate. Their parents never allowed them to do whatever boys did. They were not adventurous. They had to be home long before dusk, they had to shower, powder themselves and help their mothers in the kitchen while the boys would still be kicking a soccer ball or running around playing hide and seek in the neighbourhood.

"Amen..." The last prayer had been said. The casket was now lowered. My heart sank at the sound of the first shovelful of dirt hitting the wood. And the next, and the next. After the dirt had been evened out, friends and relatives scattered flower petals and sprinkled rose water over the grave. Aunty May placed a bouquet of white gardenias at its foot. Her face was calm, but I knew her eyes were telling a different story. KC would be missed dearly, he was the youngest, most pampered child in the family.

People started to leave one after another. When the last of them had gone, Aunty May looked at me. I shook my head and indicated that I wanted to stay just a little while longer. She handed me a small wicker basket full of rose petals, kissed my forehead and quietly walked away. When she was a decent distance away, I knelt down and slowly emptied the contents of the basket, my lips murmuring a couple of simple prayers I knew. That finished, I got up and looked around the deserted graveyard. It was getting dark now so I eventually decided to make a move. "Goodbye, KC. Be happy wherever you may be."

The frangipanis were in full bloom, riotous pinks and whites everywhere. The scent was overwhelmingly sweet.

I never looked back.