We were once 5

Ready to face the truth?

The whole school is in the lunch hall. After I went to get for help, they evacuated the building and I can hear the cop's siren as they are driving up the alley to the main building. Rose and Helena are in the head's office, being questioned about what they saw.

I look around me, everyone is sitting or standing in small groups, some scrolling on their phones, others whispering to each other and exchanging confused and nervous looks.

I grab my phone from my bag. I have 3 missed calls from mom and a couple messages from Alice and Julia on our group chat. I just ignore my mother, not ready for an 1 hour long call, hearing her panicked piercing voice hurting my ears. So I just check my messages.

Julia: Rachel where r u?
Alice: I saw her w/ Olivia when we found the picture, she's maybe still w/ her
Julia: Do u think she's being questioned too?
Alice: I hope not, I don't want to be involved in this crap
Rachel: Hey guys dw, I'm here, near the back door. Where r u guys?
Mia: We're sitting at our usual table
Rachel: okay, on my way

I grab my bag and my jumper and start walking down the aisle towards my friends. But before I can reach them, the main door opens to reveal Rose, followed by a teacher. Everyone is now silent and starring at her. She has red and shiny eyes and her hands are shivering. Olivia walks to her and takes her hand after exchanging a few brief words with the teacher, Mrs Eve. She then looks around before catching my glance and asks my to join them by a show of hand. Great, now everyone's looking at me...

"Miss Stinson," says our history teacher, "would you please come with me, the police would like to talk to you."
"To me? Why?" I ask, confused.
"Olivia, please take care of Rose, I'll be back in a few minutes." She says, completely ignoring my question.
Mrs Eve never really liked me, I don't know why thought but I'm not a very active student and I hate her guts because she's just so boring, and it probably doesn't help when I spend half the class doodling on my notebook.

I follow her around the school until we reach Mr. Reed's office, the headmaster. Mrs Eve gives the wooden door a quick knock before entering the room.

I've only been in the head's office twice, and I wasn't planning on going back. The first time was when Emily had died, I remember the teacher's stern looks and Emily's mother, Mrs Johnson, sitting on the
chair across the room by the tall window. She hadn't kept crying and I haven't seen her since then without huge dark pockets under her eyes.

The second time was when I had just joined my new group of friends and we had all been caught smoking behind one of the building. I had never smoked before and I never had after that, but I was in the middle of a semi-depression and feeling apart of a group again felt good, so I did for the sake of it.

Today, Mr. Reed is pacing nervously behind his desk, Mrs. Eve is standing next to the door and two imposing strict looking police officers are whispering by the gigantic desk covered with paper. Helena was there too, sitting where Mrs Johnson had sat a year ago, starring at the school's gardens.
"Ah! Miss Stinson, there you are!" Says Mr Reed as his head snaps up when I enter the room. "Officers Johnson and Saunders want to ask you a couple questions."
"Hey Paula." Says Max Johnson. He was Emily's brother and when she died, he decided to join the police forces, hoping he'll get the possibility to revenge his younger sister one day.
"Good morning." I answer politely.
"Listen, we're going to be nice with you, but you have to answer all of our questions." Says the other cop, Saunders.
"Wait, I don't understand," I say before any of them adds anything, "why am I here?"
The two policemen exchange an awkward look, like they're hesitating if they should tel me what's going on.
"They won't tell you anything, if you're trying to find out what's going on, I suggest you stop, you're just wasting everyone's time." Says Helena, giving me one of her bitchy, pretentious looks. "Now officers, I told you what I know so I think I should get on going. I don't know what you told Rose, but I swear to God, if something happens to her because of what you two said, I will hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands. Because I have known her for 10 fucking years and I've never seen her the way she did when she left this room. Good day gentlemen." And she abruptly stands up and leaves the room, slamming the door behind her. Wow the girl has some guts to threaten policemen. The whole room stays silent for a few seconds before Saunders lets out a loud sigh.
"Gee, that girl is... complicated." He says sharing a glance with the other adults in this room.
"I'm sorry about her behaviour officers, Miss Gomes has been pretty on edge since—last year." Explains Mr Reed, sharing a quick nervous glance with Mrs Eve that escaped from the officers eyes but not mine. What was that all about? Helena has never been like that, her little burst in here was caused by something, I don't know what happened but the officers don't look like they're involved. I look again at the headmaster and I see his hands shaking as he hides them in the pockets of his vest.