His mom walked in with 28 bottles of Gatorade and 28 cupcakes. A smile immediately lit up Mrs. Kelley’s face and she stopped our math lesson. It’s hard to say who was more excited about the free and unexpected food verses the early end to anything math, but I’m certain there were 27 smiling faces - Mrs. Kelley’s and 26 students.

Immediately, my throat started hurting, my face got hot, and my eyes watery, just to the point of not spilling down my face. I couldn’t even look at Akira. How is it that my very best friend since kindergarten was moving to another country? I always knew he was moving back, but in my younger brain, I didn’t really understand what that would mean for me, being left behind.

Mrs. Kelley started passing out drinks and cupcakes- still smiling, but I know her. It’s the kind of smile she has when she knows she’s supposed to smile, but really, she just wants to erase the last 5 minutes and go back to her math lesson.

Nonchalantly, she leaned over to me and said, “If you want to pull up a chair next to Akira’s desk, I’ll allow it.”

Obviously that’s exactly what I wanted to do. But why couldn’t I be doing this for any other occasion? I didn’t know his mom was going to try to make a party out of their moving. Rude. Doesn’t she think of anyone but herself?

I pulled my chair up to Akira, and he smiled the smile I’ve seen on so many occasions. When he and I met the first day of kindergarten and I nervously sat down next to him. When we planned to both be baseball players for book character dress-up day, using some random book from the library neither of us had read. When we both made the 3rd grade basketball team. When we found out we were going to be in the same 4th grade class. That’s the smile he’s always had next to my consistent frown.

I know it’s time for him to go, but it just seems so unfair. How am I going to enjoy anything without him here? Tomorrow I have to walk in this classroom and look at his empty desk. I hate this and there is nothing I can do about it. I can’t wait to get home, shut my door, and cry.

When the party was over, Mrs. Kelley had us take a group photo. It’s the same photo I still have tucked in my Guinness Book of World Records: 2020 edition. In this photo I see the 26 smiles of people who were only excited about food, or a break from learning and the one smile by my teacher who is just a master at smiling. Then I see two “smiles” in the center. My sad frown/smile that I reserve for photos when I’m not feeling it and Akira’s genuine big smile.

He lingered as his mom was standing at the door saying goodbye to our teacher. They hugged, we did not. He said “bye” and I responded the same. Then he walked out the door and my life was supposed to continue as if he were never here.