Candy Rings

Scarlet Ring Pops

In elementary school, we are exposed to new things. We meet children who are just as confused and excited as us to learn the basics of growing up. We hide behind our parents on the first day because we don't know who these people are and why we're in this new place. Some of us get over that anxiety and ease into the new environment and learn to make friends. Then, there are those who don't.

Karl Jacobs never got over that fear of starting a new school year. Each new year brought forth more anxiety of being around other kids. Little kids were mean to say the least. Boys were supposed to be cool and play with monster trucks and soldiers and the girls were supposed to dress up nice and not play in the mud. Karl didn't like to be put in a box and participated in both categories. The kids in his class didn't like that he defied society's rules, so they shut him out of their group activities and mistreated him.

5th grade was a big year for the kids. It was their last year of elementary school and they would be starting middle school the next fall. Karl was still just as shy as he was on his first day of kindergarten and had that same sweet personality. He was kind to everyone, despite people always pushing him down, figuratively and literally.
The first time was in 2nd grade by a boy named Michael Coffman.
It was a rainy day, so recess was held inside. Karl wanted to color and so he brought an assortment of coloring books to his desk and opened one, not caring for the Disney princesses on the cover. Michael walked up behind him and pulled the crayon from his hand, breaking it in half in his grasp. Karl was hurt and didn't understand why Michael was being mean to him. He didn't get a chance to ask him before he was pushed out of his chair and told to 'man up' by that hateful boy.
He still never got his answer.

Three years later, Michael was still very much a bully.

At 10 years old, Karl was more open about who he was, despite the comments and scuffed knees and elbows he had received in the past years. Reasons unknown to him, he stayed true to himself regardless of the immense bullying he endured. His confidence was the only reason he survived elementary school. He was quite a lonely kid and could never keep friends. They would come and go, due to him being bullied and not wanting to receive that pain or because he was a boy who was a hopeless romantic.

Karl loved watching romance movies with his family while cuddled up to each other on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. He loved the idea of marriages, specifically wedding planning. After he watched a movie about a wedding, he went into his room and brainstormed ideas for a new wedding for his parents. He shared with them how he wanted his dad to wear a yellow bow-tie next time as it was his mom's favorite color and would match the theme. They loved how their son was very outgoing and creative and said the idea was amazing, the compliments encouraging Karl to continue on his wedding planning journey.

Karl wanted to share his ideas with his classmates and plan weddings for them at recess. Some of the girls loved the idea, and decided to play along.

One September afternoon, Karl was collecting his papers for recess so he could perform the wedding between a girl named Mary and the boy she liked when Michael walked up to him.

"Where do you think you're going, lover boy?" He asks in a scratchy voice.

"To the monkey bars for Mary's wedding." Karl replied, holding the papers close to his chest.
He didn't want Michael to rip them up before he had a chance to give them to the girl he was meeting up with.

"These will be the only weddings you'll attend in your lifetime. You're so weird that nobody will ever wanna marry you." Michael poked Karl in the chest.

Tears pooled in Karl's eyes. He had been called almost every name in the book by this boy, but to him, nothing compared to him being told he wasn't worthy of being loved.
Before he had a chance to respond, a boy that just transferred to his school this year walked up behind the bully. His name was Nick, but he told the class he goes by Sapnap. Karl would never say it, but he thinks that's the cutest thing in the world.