Definitely sounds like it's time for Mom to step in. I believe that you should be able to be friends with whoever you want, but if it's affecting your grades, that's not good. Counseling isn't a bad idea at all. Someone who has a better understanding of adolescent behavior may be able to help bring out the reasons why Char is not only gravitating toward kids with major issues, but also why she's let her grades slip along the way. I hope you can help her work through this soon!