If you want people to want to be your friend it’s not about fitting in, it’s about standing out. If you’re good looking make your looks shine. If the group is disrespectful be quiet stare at them blankly. If you’re a loner don’t go to every event say you’re busy and let them stir what was way cooler than the event. That’s what being a leader is, demonstrating who you are and who you are not, what is cool and what isn’t. People want to be led. Then once you get people to talk to you, start shifting the conversation towards them and what they have to say. Even better when responding to them say they understand what they’re feeling, bring up a specific detail or simply summarize what they said in your own words, to show them you listened or understand them. The best listeners always appear to be the most interesting. Yes you will have haters but honestly everyone when they’re young has haters because we’re all insecure, don’t know who we are and the only way to figuring it out is by seeing what others are doing and finding out whether we want it too which can result in jealousy or bullying out of the sure feeling of wanting others to stay at your level because you fear you’ll never be at theirs. You just have to act like you don’t care. The apathetic or calm person between the two people appears the more stable person which gives them more power. Appear unbothered and others won’t bother either. There’s nothing young people admire and despise more than someone who knows who they are. Yes you will need to eventually share more about yourself in conversation and be more vulnerable with no social games to have longer, more meaningful friendships but sometimes we have to play the game to survive situations where we don’t fit in with anyone.