I have known Elio since I was twelve years old. At that time, we formed part of a small circle of friends, but later it just dwindled down to ourselves. For six years at school, every break, every recess, every spare moment we spent them together.

We were never in the same class, but that never mattered. Whoever finished class first would always wait for the other. If I had something important to tell him, I would run to his classroom and wait for him to come out. And he would do the same for me.

People in school would often think we were dating because we always kept each other's company. But Elio was never a crush; he was more like a brother. We shared everything: our stories, our small dramas, the people we liked, the things that made us laugh. We had just one tiny fight in twelve years of friendship over something silly, and we made peace the next day itself.

I remember how angry he would get whenever someone upset me. He couldn't stand to see me sad or hurt. Whenever I needed him, he was there-always. He was the kindest, most gentle, most sensitive boy I knew. And at the same time, he was my little clown. He always found a way to make me laugh, no matter what mood I was in. That was his gift-turning everything into light.

He was also my prom partner at Champville. He invited me to go with him, he even made this big sign and gave me a huge teddy bear because he knew how much I loved them. I still have it up to this day. I remember when I chose my dress we kept texting to match them a little. I wore high heels and was so scared of falling down the stairs before the ceremony. I was panicking, and he was trying to calm me down, making jokes, telling me about how he wanted to cut his hair. That was so him, always finding the way to make it lighter.

After school, we took different paths. We were at the same university, but our schedules didn't coincide, so we saw each other less often. We still spoke from time to time, saw each other once in a while, and asked after one another. It was not like before, naturally, but he was always the same for me: the same Elio. I believe we never stopped thinking of each other when life got busy. He always had a very special place in my heart. Elio was rare; gentle and funny, real. He was warmth and light. And no matter where life takes me, he'll always be a part of who I am.

Rebecca Abou Akl