3 The Circle

What does it mean to say that you're a friend?

I don't think we ever were. If we were would it have come to this?

For a month the school ran anti-suicide campaigns. Anne's father, the sheriff put a gun to his head just last week. The town should be in chaos or atleast grieving but no one actually cares.

The first friend I ever made was Helena. Helena was a tomboy, half the time she would be covered in mud looking for insects. She was adventurous while I was quiet. I wasn't popular, I was sickly so I could never make friends over a long period of time. But Helena stuck with me, she would come over when I was sick. Bringing along presents of ladybugs and butterflies she had caught. She knew I was squeamish so she kept other insects for her own collection. I don't know why she chose me but she did. She chose all of us. Before we knew it, the seven of us were a family. A family on the surface but if we really cared about each other we wouldn't have thrown our friendship away.

I remember that when I was ten I fell ill. Worst then before. My mother cried constantly, and blamed herself for things I couldn't understand. I remember that H told me I looked like a corpse. I don't remember much from that time except that they were there. Everyone would visit me constantly. I never thought it was weird why even though I couldn't move from pain and I only seemed to get worse but my mother never once took me to the hospital. She would say herbal medicine is the only medicine worth trusting. I sometimes thought she said that because we couldn't afford it. I didn't and would never blame her, she works three jobs to pay for my schooling since Amber managed to get a scholarship.

I've derailed. At that time when even I thought I was going to die, Kestrel said she would save me, she and everyone else. It's when we became a circle, a family bonded by blood. I still don't understand how we were bonded but I survived and kess said her curse spread to us. I still don't know how true that is but I believe they did save me.

But we couldn't save Anna nor Emma.

There are five of us left. I've seen them again. The school counselor found out that we had been Anne's only friends. So Mrs Dane would call us in together.

Helena is now more ladylike than I ever thought possible. She's still popular but she looks sadder.

Kestrel doesn't speak anymore. I'm most worried about her, that she still blames herself for the death of her loved ones.

Vulcaria came once only, she looked distressed. I heard her mother is in hospital again.

Cassandra didn't show, continuously. Eventually a witness came forward, they saw Cassandra push Anne down the cliff. It's been assumed that Cassandra has been on the run since murdering Anne. It doesn't make sense though the town seems like this story is the most acceptable.