Who is Sal from When You Reach Me and what is their importance?

Sal is Miranda's best friend. However, at the beginning of the novel, Miranda tells how Sal has begun walking home without her and avoiding her at lunch. Sal eventually tells Miranda he no longer wants to be her friend. Miranda spends a great deal of time during the novel worrying over this break with her best friend. Miranda and Sal have been friends since babyhood. In the end, Miranda learns that Sal has broken off their friendship because he has decided he needs to have more friends than just Miranda and he might like to have some male friends.