There was no escaping. I stood dead still waiting for the person to come out from behind the tree. My heart was beating fast, my palms were sweating and my throat was dry. I was too scared to think of running. I couldn’t move.

“Pheli!” I heard my name as Siwe stepped out into the sunlight.

“Siwe! What the hell are you doing here?”

Before I could say anything else she ran up to me and hugged me. “How did you know I was here?” I asked her, “were you waiting for me?” Suddenly the place felt creepy. The light was fading.

“I didn’t know you were here. But now I can walk home with you,” she said, taking my hand.

“I need to get back soon, before my mom comes home,” I told her and we started to walk back to my house together.

“You gave me such a fright, Pheli. I almost died. What were you doing there?” she asked me as we passed the spaza.

“I should be asking you that.”

“I’ve always gone there,” she told me quickly, “I go there to think. It’s quiet.”

I looked at her. How come I had never bumped into her there. Or was I too wrapped up in Mongezi to even notice. Had she seen us together?

“Mongi and I used to go there often. It was our secret place. I guess, not so secret?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realise.”

“It’s OK.”

I didn’t tell her about the rose and the heart. I didn’t tell her that I had wished that shadow belonged to Mongezi and not her.

As we neared our house she took out her phone and scanned her messages.

“Are you expecting a call?” I asked. She was biting her lip, looking worried and far away.

“Mhmm…?”

“Are you expecting a call from someone? You look worried.”

“Oh, yes. My brother.”

“Is something wrong with him?”

“No, not really. It’s just he’s been sick.”

“I’m sorry.”

After we said goodbye, and my mom had cooked me supper, I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling. Siwe had become a mystery to me. The more I thought about it, the less it made sense. It couldn’t have been just a coincidence that she had the same special place as Mongezi and me. But, if it wasn’t her special place, it meant that she had followed me there before and that she was waiting for me behind that tree. Why?

There was another thought that worried me. Our secret place was shown to me by Mongezi. He told me that it wasn’t safe after dark as it was a hang out for drug dealers. Was Siwe connected to a gang? Even Thabz crew? Was she friends with me because of them – their very own spy?

As the room grew darker the more fearful and paranoid my thoughts became. As I was tossing and turning in bed I heard a knock at the door.

“Can I come in?” my mom asked, pushing the door open, “I know it’s late baby, but I have some good news for you.”

I sat up in bed. Had they found Mongezi? Was he alive? Ma sat down on the bed beside me.

“You don’t have to be afraid of Thabz and his crew anymore. They’ve been arrested thanks to the information you gave us. Now we can get to the leaders of the crime ring. Thank you so much, you are a star!” she took my hand and squeezed it.

All I was listening for was Mongezi’s name. I had to know.

“Mongezi? Was one of them Mongezi? Did they arrest him too?” I asked quietly.

My mom shook her head; she looked at me closely. She knew now who the boy was that I loved. As I started to cry, she took me in her arms.

When my mom left I lay back and closed my eyes. I saw Mongezi’s face. We were lying on the grass in our special place. My whole world had been turned upside down. I didn’t know why Siwe was there behind that tree. I didn’t know if Mongezi was still alive, or where he was. But I did know one thing. I still loved him.

***

Tell us what you think: what do you think has happened to Mongezi?