'Just Kidding' and 'Ganging up' from Odd Girl Out

When I was in 8th grade, last year, a rumor or two started going around, about me. The rumor said that I  would talk about people behind their back and that i had a "cutting" group with my friends. For those who don't know, cutting is when someone purposely cuts their writs or someplace else on their body. This along with the rumor about me talking about people behind their back, was not true at all. Our school was  involved with other schools, and by the time I heard about these rumors, they had gotten to some other schools. When I heard that the news had spread I was very intimidated and angry because people were believing something about me that wasn't true and they were probably talking about me behind my back. These group of girls actually asked me to see the cuts or scars I had on my arms, when I showed them the clear evidence that I didn't cut, they were completely surprised. Their reaction to the truth hurt me because I  had gone to school with them for 3 years already and they should have known me by then and I didn't know how many of the other girls in my grade or even school thought this about me. I felt like everyone I knew hated me besides my best friends. I had one of two options, to go with the rumors and let people think what they want, or to tell everyone I know that its not true and hope that will spread around fast. I think people bully others because they're insecure about themselves. For example, there could be a bully with really short hair who wants long hair and a person with really long hair would be bullied by them because of their insecurities with their own hair.