He says he hates me!

Dear Anne

I was really good friends with this boy. I really liked him and we got on really well. When we started getting the train with each other things became really awkward and last week that he said he hated me. Nothing happened at all! I've tried asking him what I've done but he always says nothing and that he's just doing it for the sake of it. I really want to be good friends with him again but I don't know what to do! Liz

Dear Liz

I understand how stuck and powerless you feel, but I hope you'll start realising you're not responsible for other people's actions. This lad has told you he's just doing it for the sake of it, so it's really not about you.

You could say something like, "Well, we both have to take this train so why don't we make the best of it and be friends?" But if he doesn't want to, you can either keep hanging around in the same part of the train, feeling bad about yourself and wishing things were different, or you could say, "OK, I'll leave you to your miserable feelings. If you decide to be more pleasant, come and see me, all right?" And then just smile and sit somewhere else with a good book or other, less moody, people to talk to. All the best.