Peter waited outside his home, pacing and peering down the road, hoping and praying that David would appear. He only stopped when he heard his father’s voice calling, “Get inside now, son.”

Peter glanced at the road one last time and his patience was rewarded. A boy appeared round the corner. He walked like David, a little less bounce, maybe, and he wore tighter pants, a baseball cap, red and black, like the one David had been wearing on Saturday. But then he disappeared round the corner.

“David! Hey, David, where are you going?!” Peter shouted, but the boy kept walking.

“Peter, I said come inside. David’s brother has been in touch. He said he would call to let us know the minute they hear any news of David. Come inside now,” his father said firmly.

Hesitating at the doorway of the living room, Peter looked at the people and then at the wall clock. It was just after seven o’clock. Barely 24 hours before, he had sat where his mother was now sitting. On the table next to her were his maths textbook, a note pad, and new maths instrument set.

His mother patted the sofa next to her. Peter felt everyone’s eyes dragging him down as he walked across the room to her: his mother’s sad eyes, his father’s angry eyes, Thato’s swollen eyes and Busie’s beautiful, tear-filled eyes that refused to meet his gaze. She sat squeezed between her parents. Tshepo sat with his parents; Thato sat next to a woman who looked like she could be her older sister. He guessed the old man next to her was their grandfather.

Peter’s father spoke first. “We need to know everything about the accident. We need to know what happened last night…”

***

Tell us what you think: Why does Busie not want to meet his gaze?