losing a friend

by cathy
(b. md. usa)

Just recently (last year) my best friend discovered the, shall we say, glamour of alcohol and boys. I didn't approve of it and I blatantly told her that I was concerned about her behavior.

For that whole year she kept telling me that she felt like something was missing, but she couldn't quite tell what it was. I didn't know how to comfort her. We would hang out more, but right after seeing her, she would go back to her depressed mood. She kept saying that maybe a boyfriend would help. I told her that a boyfriend wouldn't solve anything, but I never went against her. Her depressed behavior started the summer of our sophomore year. Beginning of junior year, she was fine, she had school work to keep her busy. But by the end of junior year she was hooking up with guys at our school, drinking, smoking.
I remember she called me once (it was the day right after she had gone out to drink) and she told me of her night and how 'incredible' it was. I didn't know what to say. I had a talk with her several times, and each time she would tell me that she was doing it because she wanted to and that she would continue being the same person and that we'd remain friends. Well now it's mid senior year and I barely talk to her. I feel like she's not interested in hanging out with me anymore, all that interests her is alcohol and smoking and boys and parties.

She wasn't like that before, and I really don't know what happened. I try to talk to her now and start up conversation, and we'll talk....but only for a couple of minutes.

I don't want our friendship to end because i've known her since 1st grade. We've been best friends since 6th and I miss her a lot.
I don't know what to do.