King and the Dragonflies

King hates his name—Kingston Reginald James—because it makes people think he is big-headed even though he is quiet and does not talk about himself. He explains that his mother gave him the name because she wanted him to remember that his ancestors once ruled empires.

On the way to school, King’s father surprises King by telling him he loves him. He had never heard his father say those words before to anyone. He recalls his mother telling him she loves him with a real smile, but now she wears a “fake smile” all the time (15).

At school, King meets up with his friends, including his close friend, Jasmine. King wonders, “What’s the difference between liking Jasmine as a friend and liking Jasmine as a girlfriend?” (19). King’s classmate Camille and his friend Darrell talk about rumors that Sandy Sanders, the younger brother of Mikey Sanders, is gay. Camille says someone saw Sandy at the library “looking at a book with gay boys in it” (23). Darrell says he heard Sandy might be gay. King knows he should not reveal Sandy’s secret, but somehow it slips out, and he says, “Yeah, [...] he’s gay. [...] He told me himself once” (23).

King then recalls his once-close friendship with Sandy Sanders. During walks home from school, the two boys used to talk about their favorite shows, their shared interest in anime, and jobs they envisioned themselves doing when they grew up. However, one evening, King’s brother Khalid overheard Sandy tell King that he was gay. He told King he should not hang out with Sandy anymore. “You don’t want anyone to think you’re gay, too, do you?” Khalid said (27). The next day, King told Sandy he couldn’t be friends with him anymore.

King’s friend Jasmine asks him why he is no longer friends with Sandy. King does not want to talk about Sandy. When Jasmine mentions Khalid’s death and tells King, “[...] you need your friends,” he cuts her off and snaps, “You don’t know what I need” (34).

King admits that he is angry about Khalid’s death but has resisted his mother’s suggestion that he see a therapist. King reveals that Khalid died suddenly while playing soccer, but the cause of his 16-year-old brother’s death remains a mystery.

King runs into Sandy while walking alone by the bayou. He is embarrassed that Sandy sees him crying. When Sandy asks him why he is in the swampy area, King tells him it’s none of his business. Sandy then says that even though King does not want to be friends with him anymore, he wants him to know that he’s sorry about Khalid’s death. He tells King that he “can still listen” (41) if he needs to talk to someone.

Sandy admits that he was mad at King for breaking off their friendship and will never forgive him. He glares at King and says, “I’m not ashamed of it. It’s not wrong, to like boys instead of girls. I’m not ashamed of it at all, you hear?” (42).

King recalls how his mother used to cook dinner every night after returning from her job at the post office. He used to help her in the kitchen, but when King turned 10 years old, his father told him he was “on the way to being a man” (46) so he couldn’t be in the kitchen anymore. Since his brother’s death, his mother hasn’t cooked dinner in three months. They survive on the food people gave them at the funeral. When that runs out, King’s dad orders pizza.

For months, they have been leaving an empty chair at the table where Khalid used to sit. On this night, King’s father suggests he move over one seat “instead of sitting all the way over there” (47). King objects to the move, noting that it’s “Khalid’s seat” (48). His father tells him, “We have to move on, King” (48). When King’s mother tells him about plans to go to Mardi Gras, King realizes it is part of his parents’ effort to move on and “create a new normal” (49).

During dinner, King’s mother answers a phone call. The call is from the sheriff, who informs her that Charles “Sandy” Sanders, King’s estranged friend, has gone missing.