DEAR ABBY: I'm 17 and have been best friends with "Alana" for five years. We do everything together. We like the same things, and we're so close that we finish each other's sentences. She's like a sister to me.
However, the difference between us is that Alana gets crushes on boys that never work out, whereas multiple boys have liked me. After each crush falls through, Alana says her life is awful and it must be her fault. When I try to tell her it's not her fault and she's a wonderful person, she ends the conversation.
It hurts me to see her upset, but sometimes I feel lost about what to do. What can I do to help my friend know she's a beautiful person inside and out, and she doesn't need a boy to be happy? I love her and just want her to be OK. -- BEST FRIENDS IN RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIF.
DEAR BEST FRIENDS: Until Alana learns for herself that she doesn't need a boy to be happy, she will continue developing crushes that don't work out. Boys are attracted to girls who appear to be happy and confident, and your friend appears to be neither. Much as you might like to, you can't fix this for her. But once she finally gets the message, she will probably realize that someone she never took the time to notice has a crush on her.