Voices in a Circle: Part Ten - Voices in a Circle (All)

The room is quiet now, but it’s not the heavy, suffocating silence it had been at the start. It feels lighter, fuller, as if the space itself is holding their collective pain. Zoe leans back in her chair, her knee bouncing rhythmically. She glances around the circle, catching Lila’s hesitant gaze, James’ bowed head, and Elena’s arms crossed defensively.

“This was a lot,” Zoe says finally, her voice cutting through the stillness. “But…I’m glad I came.”

James nods slightly, his hood slipping back further. “Yeah. Me too. I didn’t think I’d get anything out of this, but…I don’t know. It helps.”

“I almost didn’t come,” Sam admits, his voice low but steady. He glances at the floor, his hands resting loosely in his lap. “I didn’t think I could face it. Any of it. But hearing all of you…it makes me feel like maybe I’m not as alone as I thought.”

“You’re not,” Lila says softly, her voice trembling but certain. “None of us are.”

“Sure doesn’t feel like that most of the time,” Elena mutters, her tone sharp but less biting than usual. She shifts in her chair, her bracelet clinking softly as she twists it. “But…this? Sitting here with you guys? It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever done.”

Zoe snorts. “High praise from Hurricane Elena.”

Elena rolls her eyes but doesn’t snap back. Instead, she looks at James. “That thing you said about standing on the edge of a cliff? I feel that. All the fucking time. And it sucks.”

James looks up, meeting her gaze. “Yeah. It does. But…we’re not standing there alone, right?”

The room goes quiet again, the weight of his words settling over them.

The therapist speaks gently, her voice grounding. “You’ve all shared so much today. You’ve been honest, vulnerable, and supportive of each other. That’s no small thing.”

Zoe shifts in her seat, her fingers tapping against her thigh. “It’s weird, though, isn’t it? Like, we’re all a mess. But at least we’re a mess together.”

“That’s the point,” Sam says, his lips twitching into a faint smile.

Lila glances at Zoe, her fingers loosening on her bracelet. “It feels…safe here. I didn’t think it would, but it does.”

“It’s not perfect,” Elena says, her voice softer now. “But I guess…it’s better than nothing.”

The therapist nods. “It’s more than nothing. It’s connection. And connection is what helps us heal.”

The group sits in silence for a moment, but it doesn’t feel awkward or forced. It feels like something unspoken is being shared, something bigger than words.

Zoe breaks the silence with a grin. “Okay, real talk. This calls for donuts. And coffee. Who’s in?”

Elena groans. “God, you’re ridiculous. But fine. I’ll eat.”

Lila smiles faintly. “Coffee sounds good.”

James glances at Sam, who hesitates briefly before nodding. “Yeah. I think I’ll come.”

The group rises slowly, their movements tentative but purposeful. As they head for the door, Zoe throws an arm around Elena’s shoulder, and Lila lingers close to James and Sam. The weight on their shoulders doesn’t disappear completely—it never will—but it feels lighter now, shared.

The therapist watches them from the doorway, a faint smile on her face. Inside, the chairs sit empty, but the space feels full, resonating with the echoes of what was shared.

The circle held today.