Is "Popularity" Worth It?
Popularity
We all don't know who we are the minute we're born. We all grow up and try to find ourselves. And as we grow up, we witness different events and meet new people. And, we all eventually learn that there are "social groups".
These social groups claim to have different levels, normally like different classes of people, "Low", "Middle" and "High". With these social groups, most people want to be in the "High" social group, or the "Popular" people.
Now, most "Popular" people aren't who they seem on the outside. Do you know why? Yes, it's because they wear a mask! They only play during the day, when they are in society. Their lives become a huge masquerade.
For example. I will tell a story from my personal experience, only using different names.
Now, I was new at my school (let's call it, Emerald High {EH}). Then, there was another new girl, Kate. She was innocent, a kind, hyper and intelligent girl. We became best friends, and we both got an enemy as well, Alexis. Alexis is an ex-model and she had, well, an attitude that made her believe she was superior over anyone else and was always right.
Then, somehow, over the first year, when Kate started boarding at EH, Alexis and her got really close. And, for the past year, she has put on a mask over her harmless self. When in public, she would become exactly like Alexis.
This upset all of her friends, including myself and, Chayse. Chayse is a boy who was in love with Kate, and Kate was also in love with him, they just never got together, sadly.
Well, when Kate started to act more and more like Alexis, lets say all of us got angry with her every time she would come around, since she was never herself. She would act like she was superior and always right. Plus, she would constantly agree with Alexis, always trying to hurt other people by talking about them behind their backs, even Chayse! She wouldn't defend anyone, I was the only one doing that. Plus, one of her other friends (Juliet) became her victim in her bully acts. She would constantly complain about how Juliet would act or tell her off when she did nothing at all!
Also, when you would try to talk with her, she would tell you to get over your problem, it was stupid, or throw a bitchy comment at you, unlike how she used to talk. She used to comfort you and try to solve the situation. She's only become selfish.
But, there was something that annoyed us even more than her new attitude, it was that when she would only be with her close friends (i.e. Chayse, my boyfriend and I) she would act like her old self!
Eventually, Chayse and I faced her about this problem. She took it a bit hard, but she promised she would try to be herself. And, she even succeeded! But, something new came up.
Chayse had to go for some back surgery. And, only a day after Chayse left, Kate decided to become like Alexis, again! So, she failed on her promise. She abandoned it.
Soon enough, she was, again, playing a masquerade when in a crowd, but took off the mask when she was around me, or my boyfriend. Eventually, no one would hang out with her except Alexis and Alexis' friend (Montana).
Now, there is another problem. Chayse and Kate are still at this school, while I'm going to a new one. Chayse is going to try and change Kate, but if she doesn't change back (which could be likely, seeing Montana will still be attending EH), he will tell her - and I quote - to "F-off".
It pains him every time he thinks of this. And, because she is becoming more and more like Alexis and Montana, she lies, and denies her love for Chayse, which I know still exists. So, she is just losing good friends, her family is more annoyed with her, and she only speaks empty words.
Do you see what has happened? Just because Kate wanted to be part of the "Popular" group, she lost all her close and good friends, only causing them to become her enemies. We gave her second chances, and she would only disappoint us more by going back on her word. Now, she will be lost at EH, since she doesn't know who to turn to. She set this up for herself, since she was scared and didn't know where or how to find herself, only wanting to "fit in".
Is losing yourself (whether you know who you are or not), and losing all the friends you can truly and actually trust worth all of this "fame"? Is it worth having your family and old friends wonder who this person their talking to, who once was familiar, is? Is it worth it, to lose everything about yourself, all your unique and special characteristics in your personality, really worth it to become someone's clone? To become like everyone else?
I leave these questions to you, for your own answers. Think what you wish.
But, I feel sorry for Chayse... His heart was broken and he was betrayed by the one person he loved! Shouldn't Kate feel some remorse and guilt from that?
However, I still feel sorry for Kate, no matter how much she annoys me. She hurt my best friend's heart. She was my best friend. Now, I don't even know who this stranger is...
