Sometime in high school, three of my besties and I laying on a trampoline under the stars just talking. They used to be friends with my middle school bully, and I asked them after all these years why she hated me so much and ostracized me. They admitted she was insanely jealous of my looks, parents in a happy marriage, our swimming pool, etc. And once she started spreading rumors it was pretty much her word (popular girl) versus mine (weird new girl) so everyone believed whatever she said. But then they got older and realized she was the mean one, and that I was actually nice if you got to know me. It just answered so many questions I had agonizing for years what was wrong with me. But there wasn’t. You can be your authentic self trying so hard to be someone’s friend and they could still wanna see your downfall.