I’ve been at this all-girls school for three years now, and this year will be my fourth. Since my first year, I’ve had a large circle of friends, but I was particularly close to a girl I’ll call Sarah. Sarah was nice, but she was really touchy, had random mood swings, and was a huge liar. Because of that, our friendship was on and off, even during my first year.
I was also friends with a girl I’ll call Jen. She was nice but a bit attention-seeking, always wanting to make everything about her and not understanding that people can be busy. She moved to a different school, and we don’t talk anymore.
There was another girl I’ll call Kara, who I never liked. Something about her just didn’t sit right with me. She’s not a good influence—disrespectful towards elders and overly flirty with guys and girls much older than her. She acts like the world revolves around her and lies about the guys she texts. I know this because these guys often come to me asking how to get Kara to leave them alone.
In my second year, I became really close with a girl I’ll call Sandy, and I also grew close to a girl I’ll call Lana. However, Sandy also became close to Kara. The thing about people who get close to Kara is that they end up in daily fights, yet they come back together as if nothing happened—it’s like a toxic relationship. At first, it was Sandy and Kara, but Sandy stayed close to me, and I loved her a lot. Unfortunately, she moved away and cut contact with me.
Later on, I became really close to Lana, and I also liked a new girl I’ll call Darla. Darla didn’t really open up to people, and last year I realized I should also stop talking so much because my friends weren’t always paying attention to what I was saying. Now, Lana and Kara are really close, and the only times I feel happy are when Kara isn’t around or when I’m just alone with Darla. However, if Kara and Darla are both there, Kara pulls Darla aside to talk about the guys who “love her.” Kara can’t tell me these things because she knows I can see through her lies—she uses old screenshots to convince the other girls.
Darla and I share a small resentment towards Kara and Lana when they’re together, but when they’re apart, it’s so much better. Towards the end of last year, I became distant from all of them because they would group up and leave me to sit alone with another girl I’ll call Sally. I don’t have a problem with Sally, but the others do because of the lies Kara spreads. I’m not close to Sally, and our conversations are always awkward, but I have no choice. My group of friends ditched me. The three of them huddle up in a corner, leaving me with Sally and Sarah, but Sarah got into a fight with Kara, so she’s not really friends with us anymore.
Recently, over the summer, Sarah started replying to my stories and initiating small conversations. She wants us to become friends again, but I’m hesitant because I know how it’s going to end up. Now, all I’m left with is Kara and Sarah because everyone else is moving away, and I’m not good at making new friends.
Should I just say “screw it” and become friends with Sarah again, even though she doesn’t respect my boundaries, or should I deal with Kara and her lies while trying to make friends with the new students?