he does drugs

Are the rumors true? Find out for yourself, but be careful.

To answer your first question first, this guy clearly likes you. Guys don’t hold hands in public with girls they don’t dig. The fact that he’s putting himself out there and being sweet is a great sign.

Maybe this is the only kind of Coke he's into!

Your second question is the toughie here. Should you run? Not so fast. Do you only “know” about his alleged drug use from rumors? If so, take them with a grain of salt. It’s unfair to judge someone based on what you heard through the grapevine, and rumor mills are like the worst game of telephone ever. For all you know, he could have said, “I like Coke better than Pepsi,” but the wrong person overheard only half of the statement and blew it out of proportion.

That said, it’s best to find out how you feel about this guy yourself–but do so very, very carefully. Until you hang out with him, you won’t know whether you like him for him or just for the attention and excitement he brings. Go on actual dates in public: go to the movies, go out to dinner, grab coffee, go ice skating, etc. These will give you opportunities to get to know one another better and open up. If he is into bad stuff, you won’t be in an environment that will harbor it. (You never hear of anyone snorting stuff in a well-lit TGIFriday’s, right?) He may not be so bad – and if he is, you’ll find out on your own, safely.

Always have a back-up plan!

Until you know this guy well and trust him–and know for a fact that he doesn’t do drugs–you don’t want to be anywhere private or unsupervised with him. Those are the situations where you’ll be exposed to bad news and may feel pressured into doing something dangerous. (Also know that whether or not you partake in anything, if he gets busted with anything while you’re with him, you’ll be in hot water, too.)

Another tip: Always let a girlfriend and/or your parents know where you’re going, and always, always carry enough cash to grab a cab ride home just in case (but that’s a good idea no matter who you’re hanging out with!).

take care,
heather

What’s on your mind? Heather can help! Send her your question at heather@gurl.com

he does drugs