How can I not lose my friends?

I have been having friends in year 6 for almost a year. Then one of their friends is saying that I follow them too much and I tell her that the reason why I hang out with them is that all of the people on my class is making life a living hell. I am three years older than my friends. What can I do to not lose my friends? I have given my friends one day in every week to talk for themselves without me. And they are all girls by the way.