Need advice

[cookderosa]

It's time for Purpleteen to become Purpleadult. You're at a stage in your life where you choose the people you interact with. As children, we are not so lucky. But, as an adult, you have the control over allowing this nonsense or putting a stop to it TODAY. She sees weakness in you and is using that to her advantage, and YOU feel too weak to do anything about it. Don't feel bad, I'm a non-confrontational person too. I like to avoid conflict and give people the benefit of the doubt. But......

Worst case- teacher thinks you both were in this together and you get expelled from college with a permanent reference to cheating on your college transcript. How's that? Is it worth not hurting her feelings for that? It's time to gulp hard, and put this little girl in her place. Tell her directly and firmly in your most authoritative sounding voice that you really are done with this "relationship" and for her not to talk to you anymore, and if she looks at your paper again you're reporting her to the teacher and dean. Be ready, she's going to say bad things and pout. Boo-hoo, who cares!?!? Tell her, move to another seat, ignore her, and hope that she gets a clue. But, first glance, and you're marching to report her.

With 17 years of college teaching behind me, I promise you that in instances of cheating, I'm 100% in the camp of reporting both offenders.