Marisa - this brought back so many memories of my time in high school that I was near tears for your daughter.

I had two circles of friends in high school; one a close group of friends (who may I point out are still some of my best friends 10yrs after graduating yr 12) and the rest were 'friends' I had in the music area as I was heavily involved in various orchestras/bands.

I was exactly like your daughter. Well, I wasn't exactly perfectly thin or pretty; but I was confident in myself and did not feel the want nor the pressure to dress or act in a certain manner. During this time, leading up to 1/2way through year 12; I was the happiest-go-lucky girl who loved going to school everyday.

This all changed one day when someone I wasn't even close to came to me and told me that my so called best friend in the music area had been b*tching about me behind my back and she & all of 'our' friends were laughing at me. To say I was devastated was an understatement; I hid myself in the storeroom and bawled my eyes out. Seems like such an over-reaction but my self-belief and love of the world was suddenly changed forever.

I don't know how I got through this time; I never told my family what was happening except my younger sister. My REAL friends were a great support to me during this time; but they couldn't be there when I had a 10 day overseas music tour with these same people that betrayed me so badly.

It took me a long time to get over what had happened; it went so much deeper than just not being able to trust these particularl people anymore. I couldn't trust anyone, even my real friends or family.

This sounds so dark and down; but the truth is that I learnt to believe in the only person I could....myself. It was no fun being a loner for a good part of my final year in an area that I spent so much time in.

Perhaps all that I can tell you is that it WILL get better for your daughter and I think it's fantastic that you're so aware of her situation. Keep supporting her and encourage her to continue just being herself. School will end and she will be much stronger mentally & emotionally for this experience. She will move on in life and these girls will become just a part of a distant memory.