"Do you think they know?"

There was a thick and heavy smell of angst around us that refused to leave. We were sat on five worn down, metal chairs in the headmistresses claustrophobic office. The room was small, too small for one person let alone five. There were messy piles of paper and folders flooding Miss Anyas desk and across the floor around it. The only source of light in the room was a dim burgundy lamp she had sat uneasily on the corner of her desk and the little sun coming through the broken grey blinds. I kicked my chair further away from the others, slumping back to try and settle my anxiety.

Miss Anya had gone to sort out a problem they were having in a year nine science class, sparing us time to come up with a believable story. I began to pick nervously at the cushion, digging my broken nails into the chair. My knee was bouncing and my heart was thudding against my ribcage. The rusted silver clock on the wall said it was 9:00, and every second after that was a painful tick.

"They won't know if we don't tell them, now just shut up Cleo"

Veronica snapped back at her, turning away from us. The girls went quiet in annoyance and shock, staring down at their sweaty laps. Cleo was about to fire back when I barely stopped her, placing my hand gently on her tightly folded arms.

"Don't talk to her like that Veronica, we were all wondering the same thing"

I said dully, not making eye contact with anyone. Francesca laid her head in her lap, covering her ears. She didn't like it when we fought, she was always the one to resolve arguments. However I knew she was worried about having to lie again. I rubbed her back in an effort to comfort her, chewing on my bottom lip.

"They .. they can't know"

Faith stammered, trying to convince herself. She turned quickly to look at Veronica who merely kept twisting her silver ring around on her finger.

"Can they?"

The office door swung open, revealing a short white woman with bleach blonde hair and orange powdered skin. It was the headmistress, Miss Anya. She wiped her droopy red lips in thought as she placed her coffee on the desk, knocking off a purple folder and some papers.

"Hello girls"

She began shakily, giving us the same fake pitiful smile every other teacher was. I don't think anybody even tried to smile back, because I sure didn't.

"I'm sure you already know why you're here. It's the first day you've all been back at school together"

I could feel the girls looking at me from the corner of my eye. They had all gone back last week, unsteadily. I wasn't ready to, I don't think I am ready now.

"I'm very sorry about the loss of your friend Teala"

And it hurt. My heart clenched in agony creating a painful tightness in my chest. I felt closed in, like I was suffocating in a room with no air. I had to escape.

"But the police investigation has found some.. suspicious evidence"

Don't look around. Don't look up from the ground. Don't look suspicious. You're not guilty. You're not guilty.

"If you know anything about the murder, you have to let us and the police know"

"Miss Anya, ma'am"

It was Veronica. My head whipped around in an effort to look at her, hoping she would notice me begging her to stop. She ignored me as she sat up straight, leaning in closer to Miss Anyas desk. My throat tightened up. She was about to sell us out.

"Teala Greene was our best friend. Everything we know we've already told to the investigators. We want to find her murderer more than anyone else"

I shuddered at the way she used past tense. Veronica seemed so unfazed as she spoke about Teala's passing, which clearly made me and the other girls feel nauseous. Miss Anya glared at each of us, putting on her gold framed reading glasses.

"Right, well in that case, you are all dismissed"