An Empty Chair

The commotion was insane, the church was full of parents with flashing cameras trying to get a snapshot of their own child walking down the isle to the stage.
I had no idea where my own family was, I just grinned at the girl next to me, a dear friend I had come to love over the past year, as we walked down the middle isle to the stage. She took my lead as I led the way to go sit down in our seats at the back of the stage.
I couldn't really see much out in the crowd because there was so many lights starring me in the face. But I did manage to see the row my family was sitting in. Teagan waved exuberantly at me, and Tabitha winked. Mom just smiled, and then of course there was Loewen making his goofy face that made me almost crack up laughing right there on stage.
My breath got caught in my throat when I saw that the chair right next to Loewen was empty.
Now it wouldn't have meant much other then the fact that my family had the perfect seats that were great to see the whole class on the stage.
But that one chair was empty.
And I knew exactly who was sitting there.