Hi (:
I am Leah.
first, sorry for my english. It is still preatty poor
Here is my problem.
I cheered with my cousin Kate for 5 years. Kate did not make it to a sophomore cheerleader at high school in 2010. She changed her image and she lost a lot of firends. Now she is 17 years old and she takes drugs and drinks a lot of alcohol. btw she is pregnant! No one of my cheer squad wants to be friends with her anymore. Now maybe other people think that I am like my cousin. But I don't want them to think that! I am a good girl. What can I do to make people know that I am different?

You can't control the opinions others have. So long as you're not taking drugs and getting pregnant they'll have no reason to think it anyway. I mean what are you supposed to do? Join a convent or something just to prove you're "good'? If they don't know it, then clearly they don't know you. How bout instead of worrying about your popularity on the cheer squad you be there for your cousin, who seems to need it?

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When I'm not fighting mountain lions for sport, I read about broken homes, teenage depression, and other such life-improving awesomeness cause I'm weird like that

Totally agree with above.
Everyone has their own opinion about someone anyway you cant control it.
I think you just dont need to start taking drugs etc, then youll be fine
Also dont worry too much about what others think or say, just be yourself. People who really know you know how you are.

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Thats maybe true. My friedns call her a slut when we have practice and talk about her. I often tell them not to be mean but thats everything I do to help her. We don't talk to eachother anymore. She stole some of my money in january this year and since than I haven't talked to her. Thank you for the advices

hi leah

I agree with the others here.
As long as you have not done anything to be guilty of, you do not have to worry.
Even brother and sisters grow up to be very different people.
Everyone knows that.

Just be yourself leah..
Thats what matters..
Nevermind what others think as long as you dont do anything bad..

One of my cousin's friends came to me yesterday and told me I will gonna be an aunt and she was happy. I told her it's not good becouse of the age of my cousin. I can not understand why they think that it is good to become pregnant when they are young. They can't go to partys or they can't do cheerleading while they are pregnant. And when the baby is born they will not have time to hanging around with friends or something.

there is no use complaining about it. She is pregnant and now everyone is trying to see it positively for everyone around. Just be happy for her and hope the baby will grow up just fine

also dont worry about your image. be yourself and the people that realy matter will see who you are and not look at others.

They will find out its not that easy to take care of a child when shes so young still. But as long as shes happy be happy for her too and just support her while shes going through all of it.

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