An old boyfriend who stole an item turns up online

Dear Abby: I recently located a person I knew a long time ago who stole an expensive gold bracelet from me. I’d dated this guy for a while. He wore my bracelet, and I wore his. My bracelet was a gift from a relative I cared for deeply. His bracelet was a piece of junk, but I was a teenager with no brains and allowed him to wear mine. Well, we split up and he just disappeared. Should I contact him and ask what happened to my jewelry? Dear Golden Girl: What “happened” to the bracelet was that he stole it. Because many years have passed since you two dated, the odds that he still has the bracelet are slim. But it’s worth a try.

Dear Abby: I am 16 and have a hard time making friends. I have more guy friends than girl friends, which causes me problems. I got called a slut again the other day because of it. I’m a virgin and only have a crush on one of the guys I hang out with (my boyfriend). I have tried finding more female friends, but the drama is really hard to put up with. I have tried ignoring the comments, but after a while it gets hard to ignore. I’m not sure what else to do. Dear Misunderstood: I wish I could make the name-calling go away, but I can’t. The perpetrator is most likely jealous because of the relationship you have with your boyfriend and other guy friends. Not everyone makes friends easily. It’s nothing to be ashamed of; it’s just a fact of life. That’s why you should treasure the ones you DO have — because old friends are some of the best friends, and high school and its cliques won’t last forever.