Great. Just what I need. I am taking a walk with the girl I used to most want to be like – until she knocked me to the ground with her nasty words.

We make it about 50m down the road before Kim suddenly turns on me.

“What do you want to ask me?” she repeats with fury in her eyes.

To my horror I instantly start to cry. “Why are you so angry with me?” I sob. “What have I done?”

My tears have unsettled Kim. They’ve taken the bite out of her battle. She’s still trying to be angry but the fury is gone.

“Kim, I’ve always wanted to be like you. But you’ve gone out of your way to say mean things to me.”

Kim looks blown away by my words. She sinks down and sits on the edge of the pavement and drops her head down on to her knees. And then her shoulders start to heave with big, heavy sobs.

“Kim?” I whisper.

“You don’t want to be someone like me...” Kim cries. “... That would mean you’d need to put on an act to keep your sugar daddies happy all the time so that you can bring home money and food for your little brothers.”

My heart squeezes.

“And if you were someone like me that would mean you would just have been diagnosed with HIV.”

Kim weeps and I put my arm around her.

“If anyone’s got what it takes to survive it’s you, Kim. You’ve got such a light in you. I don’t think you realise how bright it shines, or how people are drawn towards you...”

Kim looks at me doubtfully. I wish she could see that I mean every word.

“We’re all here for you: Gorgeous, Lindi and I...” I continue. “We must stick together and help each other. Friends make all the difference when times are tough.”

Would you have guessed that Kim was in such trouble? She’s made some pretty bad choices, using men for money while they use her back. But Kim is lucky to have friends to help her through this crisis. Do you agree?

Do you have friends to support you through tough times?