DEAR ABBY: I just turned 13. My best friend, "Heather," moved an hour away, and we have kind of drifted apart. On Saturday, I ran into her at my friend "Tanya's" house here in town. We all went to the mall, and Heather met "Johnny," a 16-year-old guy who goes to my school.
Well, Johnny came back to Tanya's house (her parents weren't home), and he and Heather were all over each other. They were hot and heavy on the couch while Tanya and I tried to watch TV. To make a long story short, Johnny and Heather ended up having sex right there in the same room with us. I couldn't believe what I was seeing -- they hadn't known each other more than a few hours.
The news about Johnny and Heather spread fast. Everyone wants to know if I still consider Heather my friend. Kids are calling her "easy," along with other names I won't mention.
As much as I want to be her friend, I'm worried about getting a bad reputation if I stick up for her. Plus, I'm scared my mom will hear about what went on that day. What should I do? -- STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT IN A TEXAS TOWN
DEAR STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT: Tell the truth. Say that you and Heather used to be close friends, but since she moved away you're not close anymore.
P.S. I hope you WILL tell your mother what happened that day. Heather's mother needs to know that her daughter is sexually active, and vulnerable to STDs and pregnancy. It will be doing Heather a tremendous favor, and help her to avoid a lot of trouble in the near future.