Elliott missed our eighth-grade graduation.
He was having his first tumor removed from his lungs.

     Through the entire ceremony, I had been worried and stressed. I had almost missed my name being called. It was the only thing I could think about.

    How was it going? Was he okay? Will he be okay? Please God let him be okay. He has to be okay.

    After the graduation ceremony there was a dance. I didn’t go. Instead, I had my parents drive me to the hospital to wait with Ms. Sanders and Mr. Olsen.

    We were able to see Elliott almost three hours later. He had been completely out of it, but I remember him giving me a drowsy smile when he saw us.

   I had come back almost every day, either by catching a ride with Ms. Sanders or riding my bike or begging my parents to take me, until he was discharged. That day I had hope, that maybe everything would be all alright.