How can i make him stop trying to be popular?

ok so theres this guy and weve always had this thing goin on (in 8th grade). i know its alittle stupid but just please answer the question. he told me he likes me and we always flirt and stuff. but now i see him changing right in front of me. at lunch he is ditching his friends to go sit with the really popular people (ugh this is really shallow but just know that were not really in the burnouts just like the group under there popular ppl). his freinds are alone at one table facing the table hes sitting at and he doesnt even say hi or talk to them or anything. we use to always sit next to each other and now during one of our club meetings, he goes and sits with the really popular table. but i can totally see he is trying to hard. then this weekend he didnt hang out with our group for more than 2 min. he was just throwin himself in the popular group and i saw him walkin around alone somtimes. how can i make him realize that its not about beingpopular but bein with ur real friends. he is tryin way to hard to fit in. :[ and hes ditchin our group plans and goin to a party instead. is it really supposed to be that way? sohould i just let it go or tell him he doesnt hav to keep tryin and changein to fit in?