Tobias and Jan’s story"My friend Tobias has been acting strangely recently."

My friend Tobias has been acting strangely recently.

We used to meet every afternoon. We played music and went skateboarding.

Now we don’t see each other as much. I’ve no idea why. He’s started smoking heavily. He’s only thirteen – he must be crazy!!

I asked him what’s the matter. He snarled back: ‘Leave me alone. I’ll manage!’

But I knew that it wasn’t OK.

After this stupid argument I was almost ready to drop him. But there was clearly something wrong with him.

I just said: ‘Don’t forget that I’m your friend.’

Once I saw him sitting on his own at the bus stop. I sat down next to him and waited to see what he would say.

Finally, he started talking: ‘I can’t stand it anymore. My mother has a new boyfriend and it’s hell.

He drinks, she nags, he hits her.

Then they make up again. But only for a while.

Apart from you, I haven’t spoken to anyone about this. It’s none of their business.’

I replied: ‘In my opinion, it is other people’s business. It’s not right for him to hit your mother.’

We told the social worker at the youth club about it. She spoke to Tobias’s mother. But she didn’t want any help.

For now nothing has changed in Tobias’s home. But he’s a bit better. At least we can talk about it.

And then we get out our skateboards or listen to music.