Hi Rio,

I’m afraid there’s never any guarantee that people/one’s ’friends’ won’t let us down…

Sorry if it’s a stupid question: but is it the same bunch of people with you now? Aren’t there any new faces (people who transferred from other schools) etc.? Are any of them (from the S2 bunch) friendly with you now?

It’s okay to be on your guard to avoid being hurt again but as you rightly point out, not to shut people out altogether. In that sense, do try to give *some* people (by choosing those who seem reliable/with whom you ‘click’ etc) a chance…

On the other hand, if people show that they are fair-weather friends or if they ‘abuse’ your trust, then they are not ‘real’ friends…. Friendship is, or ought to be, about give and take. If some people ‘abuse’ your trust (like what happened in S2), then you are definitely better off without such people in your life…

It’s not easy… and it takes time to rebuild trust.

Do take care, Rio.