When news of the lunchtime fight spread around Cults Academy last October, there was “complete confusion” among pupils.
The youngsters did not even consider the possibility it could be one of their cohorts who had lashed out at Bailey Gwynne with such catastrophic consequences.
But as the tragic reality became clear – sending shockwaves throughout the country – the school rallied together to come to terms with what happened.
In the heartbreaking days, weeks and months after Bailey’s death, his closest school friends were supported by teachers, counsellors, and fellow classmates and memorial services and candlelit vigils were held.
Cults Academy head boy Luke Morrice sat at the same table as the teen in English.
He said he has admired the courage and bravery that Bailey’s closest friends have shown in their work to keep his memory alive.
Luke said: “I think it’s quite remarkable how strong they’ve been since the incident.
“Obviously when it first happened, they would have been in complete turmoil, it’s unimaginable to think about how they would have felt.
“There was a vigil just down at the church which almost everyone from the school went to – all year groups attended, even some people that had left the school, it was a really nice send-off for Bailey, I think.
“We also had another service here in the school which was a bit more private – it was my year, Bailey’s year, and Bailey’s family came along, and Bailey’s friends and teachers told stories about him.
“I think that was really good for the family.”
The 17-year-old said he expected some of his fellow pupils to struggle in the coming weeks as they remembered how events unfolded on October 28 last year.
He said that when the news first emerged that Bailey had been killed by a fellow pupil, none of them could believe it.
“At first, it was complete confusion,” Luke said.
“I was in my English class, and everyone was talking about what happened, but people had only really heard snippets about what had actually happened.
“People were trying to make theories as to what took place – some people suggested it was a fight with someone else, but we soon found out it was a very serious injury that Bailey had suffered.
“People then came up with other theories that maybe someone from the public came in and did it – nobody suggested it could have been another pupil.
“Which is why, when we found out that it was in fact another pupil, there was just complete disbelief.
“With the anniversary coming up, I think the atmosphere will change, it will be different to how it is now.
“I think quite a lot of people will feel some of the emotions they felt on the actual day, which is completely normal of course, and the school will, as it did on the day, be just as supportive and caring for everyone that needs it.”
Luke said that since the tragedy, Cults Academy had been working hard to emphasise the consequences of violence to pupils of all ages, and that the police had also delivered talks.
“Safety has been an issue that we have been talked to about in the school quite regularly since the incident, from S1 onward,” he said.
“Anti-bullying and anti-violence is really stressed, and it has hit home with a lot of pupils.
“When we first came back after the incident the school was terrific in how it handled all the pupils.
“They were incredibly caring, supportive and accommodating for all pupils, whether you were really strongly affected or not so strongly affected at all, and building on that foundation was a really good way of overcoming the incident.”