Chapter Thirty-Seven

1 A. G. (After Graduation)

The day after graduation, after my date with Lucinda, I mysteriously wandered back to the halls of the high school that was my home for 4 years. I did it without a conscious thought, like a fish heading back home to spawn. I suddenly felt old. Down the hallway, a student asked, “What are you doing here? I thought you were a senior. Didn’t you graduate?”

I suddenly felt ancient. Like an elder without the wisdom. It was a feeling of instant irrelevance. Like a student without a teacher, of course, but also a teacher without someone to teach.

I heard the song, We May Never Pass This Way Again in my head or maybe on a nearby radio. I did not know which. I realized that my excuse for being there was to talk to Lucinda. Maybe to even apologize for my behavior on graduation night. But, I left school quickly without stopping to say hello to anyone.

After a while, I instinctively went to the outdoor courts where I had spent so much time. This time for the first time without a basketball. But, without a trace, Reynaldo was nowhere in sight. As mysteriously as he appeared all those months ago, he was gone. I hadn’t seen him since the banquet. He had always shown up when I needed him, but he wasn’t there. He had always had something to say to me, even when I wasn’t ready to listen. But today, nothing.

Somehow, I wasn't surprised, but it left a hole in me a mile wide. Would he ever return? What would I do without him? Did I still need him? Whatever was the case, I was lost. I sat on the park bench, awaiting, no, dreading my future.

He always talked about basketball, but, somehow, today, it seemed like he always taught me a lot more.

As I sat on the park bench, lost in my thoughts, a sudden gust of wind swept through the empty outdoor courts, causing the trees to sway and leaves to dance in the air. And then, amidst the rustling of leaves, I heard a familiar voice that brought a rush of emotions flooding back.

"Hey there, champ. Miss me?"

I turned around in disbelief to see him standing there, as enigmatic and charismatic as ever. His smile was warm, his eyes twinkling with that same knowing glint that always made me feel like he saw right through me.

"I... I thought you were gone," I stammered, unable to mask the relief in my voice.

He chuckled softly and took a seat beside me on the bench, his presence grounding me in a way nothing else could. "I'm never really gone, you know that. Just taking a little breather."

His words washed over me like a comforting embrace, reminding me of all we had been through.

I closed my eyes and when I opened them again, he was gone. Had I just imagined him? Was this all a waking dream? I wanted him to come back so bad, that I must have made him reappear in my mind.

Hours must have passed. As I sat on the park bench, lost in my thoughts and the absence of my mysterious half-brother, a shadow fell across me. Looking up, I saw Lucinda standing there with a small smile on her face. "I was wondering when you would show up here," she said softly, sitting down beside me. The warmth of her presence eased the ache of loneliness that had been creeping into my heart.

"I wanted to apologize for how I acted the other night," I blurted out before she could say anything else. Lucinda just shook her head with a chuckle. "There's no need for apologies. We were both caught up in the emotions of graduation. But I'm glad you came back here today."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a basketball, tossing it to me. "Let's shoot some hoops like old times. Well, at least old times for you," she suggested with a twinkle in her eye. And just like that, the weight on my shoulders lifted as we played, laughing and reminiscing about everything.

The sound of the bouncing basketball echoed through the empty outdoor courts, filling the air with a sense of nostalgia and companionship. As we played, the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. I felt a sense of peace settle over me, knowing that even though things were changing and people were coming and going, some things would always remain constant.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the horizon, Lucinda and I sat on the bench, catching our breath. She turned to me with a glint of determination in her eyes. "You know, graduation might be over, but this is just the beginning for you, for me and and maybe for us. We have a whole future ahead, full of possibilities."

I looked at her, struck by her words. In that moment, I realized that maybe I didn't need to have all the answers or figure everything out right away. Maybe it was okay to be lost sometimes, as long as I had good friends like Lucinda by my side.