Chapter Text
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.
"I'll marry Karl." He says to Michael, folding his arms across his chest.
Sapnap was short for his age, but his scuffed knees and backwards hat made up for that, the look intimidating people who messed with him.
Michael thought he was joking, but Sapnap spun, knelt down on one knee, and presented Karl with a half-eaten ring pop, the sun glinting on the ruby surface.
"Will you marry me Karl?" The boy asked, his voice as sweet as ice cream on a hot day.
Karl could only nod while he slid the plastic ring on his left ring finger.
Sapnap grabbed his hand, sparks igniting in Karl at the contact. Michael had watched the entire event unfold, and to say he was shocked was an understatement. The bully had no words and walked off.
Sapnap smiled at Karl, and oh God, did his heart melt at such a sight.
"Would you like to play hopscotch with me?" Karl asked, being his first words to the mysterious new boy.
Sapnap nodded and pulled Karl to the blacktop, the wedding for Mary and her crush forgotten by laughter and smiles.
Karl wore the ring all day, despite the candy being eaten. When he gets home, he shows his parents and tells them that a boy asked to marry him. His parents share a glance, but smile at the happiness radiating from their son. It was the first day in six years that their son had come home happy rather than sad with tears running down his face.
Once Karl is safe in his room, he dumps out his small wooden box with Pokémon cards and sets the ring inside. It's his favorite gift he's received all year.
After that day, Sapnap never leaves his side. They partner up for group projects, play together during recess, and even hang out at each other's houses.
Michael never messes with Karl again and Karl is very thankful. If you would have told five-year-old Karl he would make a friend, let alone have that friend propose to him, he would never believe you.
School was a safe haven for him now, rather than a battlefield he had to take cover from. He looked forward to everyday because he would get to see his 'fiancé'.
The first day Sapnap isn't at school since they got 'engaged', Karl cries in the boys bathroom. He doesn't know why he's so worked up about his best friend not being at school. Kids miss days of school all the time, for health reasons or important family matters.
Recess, Karl sits by himself and looks out the window, the snow falling tantalizingly slow like it knew Karl wanted the school day to be over.
When he got home, he went to his room and pulled out the wooden box he hid under his bed and took out the plastic ring. It felt like he had a piece of Sapnap with him when he held the ring in his hand.
Karl got a knock on his door and he rushed to hide the blue plastic back in its box. Karl's parents knew that Karl and Sapnap were best friends and very close, but Karl felt like he had to hide the ring. He had received it in September and it was now the middle of December. Most people would have just thrown it in the trash after eating the candy, but the cerulean plastic held a happy memory in Karl's heart. He made a great friend that day, and that friend hasn't left him like the others did.
Karl told the person at the door to come in and in came his mother with the home phone in her hand.
"Nick's on the phone and wants to speak to you." She said, handing the phone to Karl.
Karl smiled ear to ear and pushed his mother out of his room so he could talk to the boy who never failed to bring a smile to his face.
"Hi Sap!" Karl excitedly said into the speaker.
"Hi Karl! I'm so sorry I wasn't in school today. I got sick from playing out in the snow in my shorts. My mom was mad at me and I wasn't allowed to play video games all day." Sapnap responded with just as equal excitement.
Karl blushed at the way Sapnap called him just to tell him why he wasn't in school. It made him feel important. No one had ever gone out of their way to make sure his feelings were validated and cared about.
"Will you be at school tomorrow?" Karl asked, trying to keep the hope out of his voice.
He didn't want to seem clingy to the only person he talked to.
"Yeah, I will be. I just had a cold today, mostly slept and ate chicken noodle soup. And the noodles were shaped like Creepers from Minecraft!" Sapnap exclaimed.
Karl giggled at his excitement.
The two boys stayed on the call until the lampposts outside turned on and the sky changed from blue to black.
Karl's mother came in to tell him that he had been on the phone for a very long time and that he needed to let Sapnap go so they could both get a good night's rest for school tomorrow.
"I have to go now, Sap. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night." Karl said, the sadness he was feeling coming out in his voice.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Good night. I love you Karl." Sapnap responded sleepily.
Karl wasn't sure if Sapnap said those three words because he meant them or because he was tired. Either way, Karl felt his heart flutter.
Karl softly repeated the phrase and hung up. He held the phone tightly to his chest and smiled at the glow-in-the-dark stars and planets scattered across his bedroom ceiling, Sapnap's voice and those three words replaying in his mind.