Why did boys had crush on my friend even though she is/was ugly?

During my school days, there was a girl who wasn’t conventionally attractive; to be honest, she was considered ugly..ik beauty is subjective but still she was ugly.She was tall and skinny, almost underweight. she was talented in her studies, often securing the 1st or 2nd position in class. Surprisingly, one of the most handsome and popular boys in class liked her a lot. This same boy was also admired by many beautiful girls who had crushes on him.

Other boys also used to tease her and give her a lot of attention. Some even seemed to like her but couldn’t openly admit it because of the handsome guy's obvious feelings for her. Even boys who were shorter than her showed interest, which puzzled us because she wasn’t pretty at all. The only standout trait she had was her academic.

One day, that handsome boy actually proposed to her, and to everyone’s shock, she rejected him. We girls couldn’t believe it. He was far better than her in every way talented, rich, good looking, and well-mannered. After the lockdown, she began wearing a mask and never took it off, she was insecure . We completed our SEE, and even though she was known for being talented, she only managed to get an A in the exams but that guy who she rejected got A+.She rarely used to post before, and now that we have completed +2, she isn’t on social media anymore.

I saw her about a month ago, and she hasn’t changed much. She has gained a little weight, but that’s about it. To this day, I still don’t understand what those boys saw in her or why so many had crushes on her.