I Can’t Stop Thinking About It

Question:

I really enjoy your books. So thanks so much for writing them! But I really need some, well not exactly advice but something thats been bothering me. So I’m an 8th grader and where I live there is a rollerskating rink where I live. Well it’s like a hangout for junior hgh and some highschool students. On friday nights thats when all the teens go. Were called the friday night regulars. SOme of them don’t even go to skate, some just go to makeout and be with friends. I go there to skate AND hangout with friends. So in front of the entrance a lot of kids are out there smoking and getting high. Last friday I was there and even though it was at night I had these awesome glasses on. Thats in fashion now. As I was walking in a guy yelled “Hey! I’ll give you ten bucks for those glasses, but first you have to suck my d****!” Now I can’t stop thinking about it. Then when we got inside there were this group of guys leaning over the rink and everytime I skated by the said “Ya!” and “dammn!” or “come over here!” It made me feel really un comfortable. They were at least 16. I know I wanna keep going on fridays…should just ignore it or confront them? But i’m defitnly not telling my parents, or they wouldn’t let me go again. Thanks for writing the books!

Phyllis replied:

I would ignore them. I certainly would not suggest anything that would get a bunch of guys angry at you, and what they really want is a reaction from you. If you don’t feel safe at the rink, then you definitely need to tell your parents. But if someone is waiting to drive you home and watching you go in and out, and if otherwise you enjoy skating there, I would simply avoid the guys as much as possible. If at any time they are really in your face and can’t be ignored, the best thing to do, if you can swing it, is to give them a bored look–not angry, not funny, just a sort of “Ho hum, why don’t you grow up?” look. What guys do not want to be is boring.

Posted on: March 18, 2010