Friend writes hurtful e-mails

Dear Margo: I am in high school and have recently been having trouble with one of my best friends. We’ve been friends since freshman year and have always been able to share absolutely everything with each other.

A few weeks ago, she had come to my house and checked her e-mail. She did not sign out, so when I went to check my own mail, a new e-mail appeared. I opened it, and the first words were, “Yeah, well, (insert my name here) looks like a hippo anyway with those hips.”

Now I am not heavy, in fact, I’m slightly underweight for my age. And my friend is no skinnier than I am. After reading this e-mail, I was intrigued and continued to read others. The more I read, the worse it got.

She had been conversing with her friend for months talking of almost nothing but me and my weight. There were comments like, “Wanna see some pics? You can see the beached whale!” or “She might think she looks good in her formal, but it’s probably like a size 18.”

I would have never in a million years expected her, of all my friends, to be the one to say such cruel, hurtful things. I don’t know whether I should confront her with this information (since technically I was reading her e-mail) or let it go or not ever speak to her again.

— No Beached Whale

Dear No: I don’t think you should confront her with what you know, just simply drop her and let her figure it out. (And she will.) Some people are just two-faced, and it’s been this way ever since there’ve been girlfriends.

Back-stabbing simply tells you that the person with the treacherous MO is neither happy nor secure. The only way such people can feel they’re “in” is to diminish someone else. With friends like these, as the old saying goes, you don’t need enemies.

— Margo, genuinely

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Dear Margo is written by Margo Howard, Ann Landers’ daughter. All letters must be sent via e-mail to [email protected]. Due to a high volume of e-mail, not all letters will be answered.