DR. WALLACE: I'm a girl who just finished high school and unfortunately experienced a bad breakup right after we graduated. I'd been with the same guy for a year and a half, and we looked perfect together! He was a big, handsome and successful athlete at our high school, and I was a cheerleader there so everyone thought we were perfect for each other. But the reality is that we were not anywhere close to perfect in our personal relationship as there were indeed many problems. I'll spare you those details.

What's motivating me to write in to you is that I wanted to get a head start on my college days, so I signed up for just one class this summer so that I could both get a feel for college plus earn some credits right away.

Well, there were only a few students in this summer class, and I didn't know any of them at all. I spoke a little in class to the professor, but I didn't really socialize with any of my classmates both because we were all strangers and because I didn't view anyone as interesting to me.

About the fourth week of class, I forgot my book one day, and that day the professor wanted us to read passages from the textbook and give our interpretations of the meaning of the author's underlying concept. When I was called upon, I asked the professor if he had an extra book or if I could read from his, but he said that I should just move over quickly next to the nearest student and read from that book. Well, the only person within 25 feet was an odd-looking guy two desks over from me. So, I had to sit next to him and read from his book, and it turns out he was nice about it. I said thanks at the end of the class, and he was really sweet and looked me in the eyes and told me I was welcome to study with him or use his book anytime.

I'll make a long story short for you and tell you this guy and I are now steadily dating, and we get along 10 times better than I ever did with my "trophy" high school boyfriend. This guy is supersmart, caring and a gentleman like I'd never known before. I literally have never been happier. I just wanted to write in and tell other teens to not overlook or make assumptions about others they don't really know. I was very fortunate to learn this lesson in a positive way. — Happier Than Ever, via email

HAPPIER THAN EVER: Yes, your story recalls the old saying, "Never judge a book by its cover," and you are indeed very lucky to learn this lesson in a positive manner.

Many people learn this lesson the hard way, so good for you that a moment of forgetfulness turned out so well for your personal life and overall happiness.

SHE MIGHT NOT BE MY FRIEND

DR. WALLACE: I'm a 15-year-old girl and my mom and I moved to a new town this spring. I spent only a couple of months at my new school where I didn't know anybody. My mom has a friend at her job and this other lady has a daughter who is also 15. So, my mom encouraged me to meet this girl.

Well, I did meet her and become friends with her, but now that it's summer I'm experiencing a problem with her. We have many fun activities to participate in this summer and there are many cute boys we get to talk to. But every single time I tell my new friend that I like a particular boy, she says that he's not so cute, but then right after that I'll see her flirting with that exact boy. This has happened three times in a row already!

What can I do about this? I've asked her why she flirts with these boys, and she says it's because they talked to her first. But that's not true; I saw her approach one of the boys directly when she thought I had already gone home that day. What can I do about this situation? — Not Happy About This, via email

NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS: It sounds to me that this other girl elects to act as more a competitor to you than a friend. Just because your mothers work together does not mean that you have to automatically be friends. It's nice that your mother made the effort to get you an introduction, but you should be able to choose your own friends, as long as they are of good enough character to receive your mother's approval.

I suggest that you make yourself scarce to this other girl who persists in playing these games with you at your expense. Seek to find your own new friends, as they are out there for sure. You'll soon find other girls you feel much more comfortable with and who you feel you can trust more.

And no matter what happens from here, do not speak poorly about that first girl. Just say that you know her but don't have a lot in common with her and leave it at that. Remember that your mom and her mom are friends and co-workers, so be gentle and diplomatic whenever you are asked why you're not spending time with her in the future.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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