I'd been in a similar situation - not exactly the same.

I moved about a lot, so when I made friends i never tried to get close to them, in a way, I excluded myself, and rarely, rarely, there was a person who tried to include me. I just didn't feel like I belonged.

And then there was a couple of years when I moved to secondary school when I didn't even try to make friends, I was alone.

Anyway, I met one of my friends, Robyn, on a school trip to France. And we just clicked. Simple. She introduced me to her friends, and we clicked as well.

it didn't matter that I could never talk to people unless I knew them really well - it was almost like I new these people in another lifetime!

One of those friends stopped hanging out with us and that hurt us all, Robyns moving down south and loads of people are going to different schools for 6th form. And it hurts because it's almost like moving all over again.

Like I said, it was only SIMILAR - is you sstreatch your imagination.

But what I'm trying to say is:
You want to be friends, but have you found someone you click with?
When/if you do, they open the door to other people you're likely to click with. People you click with always try and include you.

Yes there are always times you get left out - as in any group of friends. That party where only a certain amount of people can be invited to, but then there are other things. Goinmg away with one of your friends, laughing when you all get together.

Exclution is a part of life - which you and I know too well. But one day, with one person, you'll get included.

Now the tricky part - finding someone you click with. Maybe join clubs or whatever.

Just don't give up. 13 years until I found a group. 3 years after that the entire structure of it changes. C'est la vie (unfortuanately).

As for your ginger hair, that shouldn't be an obstical - especially to true friends. My friend Rosie loves Red hair. Look at David tennant. Red head heart throb!

The best groups are diverse, varying.

As for your name - it sounds sort of exotic and different. It'll draw some people towards you, but it also gives people ammunition to use against you, but remember those people would look for anything to use against you. People often mispronounce names they're not used to, so you have to be patient and laugh it off so they see you have a sense of humour.

I have a normal name - Hannah, so I'm not used to that (Apart from the occasional 'Anna', which I can cope with). But I have an internet friends called Gitana - Gitsi for short. it means Gypsy in some sort of language. I love the name, and so does she, except she does get narked off when people constantly mispronounce it. Just embrace your name and don't treat it as something that gets you down. 'Hollister' and things like that are bound to happen, but I think Alistair is a beautiful name.