How to become popular

Chapter 28

Today is Tuesday. At the moment I am on my way to school. Yesterday evening I was awake for a long time. Do you know these moments lying in bed and trying to fall asleep what is just impossible because you are thinking about important things?

Yesterday was one of these evenings.

I was lying there and thinking about becoming friends with Cecelia.
Because I think that I need some kind of plan. She won’t start to accept me without anything.
One of the easiest things that I need to do is probably complimenting her.
That is basically what all her followers do. They tell her how awesome, pretty, smart and so on she is. And that is why Cecelia accepts them.
It is because they are useful to her. To be such a popular and accepted person she needs them.

And that is exactly what I need to become popular.

I need these people following me. And the first step to get them to follow me is becoming friends with Cecelia because she already has what I want to have.

But it is not enough to be just one of all those people who are around her. I need to be noticed to become the new popular girl.  And that is why I can’t just compliment her and act like she is my role model or something. No!
At the same time I need to work on another point on my list which is ‘be wisecracking’.

I can’t be the shy girl who can’t stand up for herself and saying what she thinks.

In some way I need to do that if I want to be accepted from Cecelia but I can’t totally be like that.

After I made the first step which means getting Cecelia’s attention in a positive way, she starts to realise that I could be useful to her because I am following her, I need to start to tell her, and also everyone else, what I think and who I am. Not in the way I’ve done that before, being harsh and things. I need to express myself more gently. So hopefully Cecelia won’t really notice it. She still needs to think I am following her when in fact I am trying to replace her.

Puhh! That sounds complicated doesn’t it? But that is exactly what I need to do. And I will start right away.
When I arrive at school I will walk up to Cecelia and her crew and say something nice to give her the first clue that I won’t stand up against her anymore.

~

A few minutes later I am walking through our school gate.

I start to walk around because I want to find Cecelia.

Finally I see her standing in a corner talking to her crew. I mean she is not actually talking to them but the crew and several other followers are standing around her and adoring her.

Okay, so that is the moment I need to walk up to her and join the others standing around her.
It is not as easy as it sounds like. I can tell you!
To start to adore someone you who bullied you before. That is totally insane!

But I have already explained it to you. So you know as well as me that I have to do it.

I take a deep breath and start to move in her directing.
After a few seconds that feels like ages I am finally joining the crowd around Cecelia.
At first she doesn’t realise me at all but then she spots me and after realising who is standing there she is looking at me again.

“So, who do we have here? Did you get lost? Are you looking for your friends? Wait, I forgot: You don’t have any.” She is laughing cruelly and looking at me with satisfaction.

“No. I didn’t get lost.” I am starting my answer hesitant. Okay, I can do it. I can do it!

“I only came here to tell you how amazing you look today and that I wish I could look so amazing as you are.” Yes, I did it!

I am quite pleased with myself I get a perplexed look of Cecelia.

Before she is able to say something to my shocking words I wish her a great day, turn around and walk away.

Yes, yes, yes! First step: Done!

~

“Sometimes you need to bring yourself to do something.”