It's like being in a bubble.

Today the headmaster of College came into our German Class. While this might have been inspection if it was in high school, you know it's serious when the head of a college walks into a lesson. After exchanging some quick whispered words and a slip of paper with our German teacher, he went out of the room. We forgot all about it until the end of the lesson; when it's announced that unfortunately 'one of our students passed away last night'.

I sit there and hope to God it's not anyone I know, but somewhere deep inside there's this dread that I know that it will be. As the name is read out, "Rowena France. Did anyone in here know her?" I stare and look across at the other two girls from my highschool and we gasp and all we can say is "Oh, my God."

Close friends are most affected. Through the following hours, all I see are blank faces even of students who didn't know her at all. The atmosphere in the college is stifling, so weird. So young. Even anyone from our highschool year just doesn't know what to say - we were close as a year; it's great shock to everyone. Most of us who knew her are told to go home early to have time to remember her.

Messages on Facebook exchanged; condolences and respects paid. On my bus journey home I can see flowers and teddies lined up against the railings surrounding the river through the small town; and I know what they're for. People just carry on, but some of us know that one person's life doesn't.

Rumours have been flying about all day - she committed suicide, she had cancer, a tumor in her throat. The last seems to be the truth. Whatever the reason, my condolences go out to family and friends most affected and everyone who knew her. She was a wonderful person, beautiful and talented.

R.I.P Rowena J. France (14/10/10)