It was time for my new life at Tiara High. I was wearing a new soft white short sleeve sweater that I had gotten for my birthday. I was in a good mood until I got to my locker. Snitch was written in black marker across the door. It was underlined three times. I walked slowly, my finger extended. The ink looked still wet, but it was dry. It didn't smudge. I heard someone laugh and turned around to see a group of girls looking from across the hall before they scurried away, still laughing. As I walked to math class I noticed it-- everyone was staying far away from me. An invisible force field between me and the rest of the world. No one got closer than a few feet. It was like I had developed a disease over the weekend.

I was walking into the classroom when someone bumped hard into my back. My book and papers went flying to the floor. I whirled around and Dongho from my math class stood there looking at me.

"What?" he asked, this voice flat. I could hear his friends laughing.

I bent down to pick up my stuff. No one said anything to me in math. I hadn't  been the social butterfly before, but this was different. I felt people staring at me, but when I looked around, no one would meet my eyes. My stomach felt hot and tight, and I wanted to throw up. Even Mr.Kim, our teacher, seemed annoyed with me. The whole morning was like that. I kept trying to find Jiyeon, but she wasn't in English or at her locker between classes. When I saw her standing in the lunch line getting her food I had never been so glad to see anyone in my whole life. I had to fight the urge to run over her.

"Where have you been?" Hwayoung asked.

Jiyeon looked at me like she had never seen me before. It was like I was stuck in a weird sci-fi movie.

"What do you want?" she asked holding her tray between us like a barrier.

"What's with you? I need to talk to you." I touched her elbow. Jiyeon yanked away and her tray lurched, slopping orange red kimchi onto my new sweater. We both looked down at the spreading stain. Everyone else in the cafeteria was gaping at us.

"Don't touch me."

"Jiyeon? Why are you mad at me? Why is everyone mad at me?"

Someone standing in line gave a disbelieving snort.

"I didn't think you would ever so something like that," she said

"Like what?"

"Tell on the seniors. I mean, it isn't just you; by telling, you make our whole class look like a bunch of losers. We all have in fit in at Tiara High next year, and now we're going to be known as part of the class that ratted out the most popular seniors. Everyone will connect us with what you did. It was just a prank, Hwayoung." Jiyeon's voice was so loud I was pretty sure everyone in the cafeteria could hear her.

"But I didn't tell," Hwayoung said softly.

"There's no point lying about it now. Everyone already knows."

I felt a hot rush of tears in my throat choking off what I was going to say. I walked stiffly out of the cafeteria as kids yelled things after me. I didn't even stop by my locker; I went straight out the school and went home. I peeled off my ruined sweater, stuffed it under the bed, and crawled in. When my mom came home I told her I was sick.

I stayed home sick for the entire week. It wasn't even lying. I felt awful. I didn't want to eat anything and even though I was tired, I couldn't sleep. On Friday I went over to Jiyeon's house. I had to find a way to make things right. I could live with everyone else being mad, but I couldn't stand to be on the outs with my best friend. Jiyeon was in the backyard with a guy I didn't recognize. They were both wearing sweats. I stood at the gate and watched. He was spotting her, helping her learn how to do a cartwheel.

"Keep your legs up, nice and straight."

"I'm trying"

"You can do it. It's just a confidence thing. You think you'll fall, so you do. Just believe, and then up and over."

Jiyeon turned a perfect cartwheel. She gave a squeal and jumped into his arms. That's when she saw me.

"Hwayoung..."

We stood awkward looking at each other.

"This is Jokwon, my gymnastics instructor. My mom hired him."

Jokwon made his excuses and left.

"Still thinking of trying out for cheerleading, huh?"

"Mmm-Hmmm."

"I didn't tell anyone, Jiyeon. You have to believe me." The word came rushing out in one breath. My eyes burned and threatened to spill over. Jiyeon crossed her arms and sighed.

"Don't start crying again," said Jiyeon, her voice sounding tired.

"Someone else must have told on them, or maybe one of them got cold feet and ratted out the other. Maybe together we can figure out who did it." Jiyeon loved mysteries.I was hoping to convince her that this would be a fun one to solve.

"Aigo, just give it up. No one else told." I looked at her and felt my stomach ice over. I felt things fall into place.

"You..." My voice trailed off.

"Me."

"Why?"

"Do you remember when the Principal Park talked about how many opportunities we'll have in the next few year?"

I nodded.

"What are you talking about."

"Did you know Hyuna called me?"

"Who?"

"Hyuna. She's a junior. She'll be a senior next year. She's captain of the cheerleading squad. She was very appreciative that I was willing to tell who ratted out her friends. When I told her how I was scared that I wouldn't have any friends since you were my best friend, she told me that I don't have to worry. She'll make sure I meet lots of people next year."

"I didn't rat out anyone. You did."

"Yeah, but that wasn't a problem. The truth isn't important. What matters is what people think is the truth. If I'm going to be somebody, then I need people on my side." She looked over at me. "People who are in a position to get me what I want."

I sat down hard on the ground, The air whooshing out me.

"But why?"

"There isn't always a big reason. It just is."

"But you're my best friend."

"And you're happy with a good enough. You don't care about dressing that right way or invited to the right parties. You're happy happy to rent movies on a Friday night. Not even new movies. You want to rent stuff no one has has seen in like a hundred years. I want to go out. I want to be invited out. We were always second string, but now I have a chance to make the A-list. Once I'm popular, we can be friends again and then you'll be popular too. It will be worth it."

"What makes you think I'll want to be your friend?"

"What makes you think you'll have other options?" said Jiyeon 

**Thanks forreading**