Asklemmy

In fifth grade, we had this medieval month where we all built castles and competed in events to earn a knighthood. You only had to earn like three medals out of maybe 10 different games, like throw a ball into a circle, or make another student laugh.

Every contest, the students were helping each other, or bending the rules, and the teacher was like "whatever." Except for me. I didn't earn a single medal, and everytime it was close, I got fucked by the rules. There was one I remember vividly, because my thrown soccer ball was on the line, and was ruled out. Then another kid's ball was on the line, and his was ruled in. I complained to the teacher, and he went up and toed the other kid's ball into the circle.

That kid was then the one I had to make laugh. Every other jester attempt, kids were giving away laughs. Literally everyone got a courtesy chuckle, but I remember that fucking kid sitting there stone faced while I tried to tell him jokes knowing he'd never laugh no matter what I did or said.

Looking back, I'm sure I was probably an insufferable twat about the rules or something, but I was 10. I definitely believe that teacher had it out for me, and I was one of two kids who weren't knighted, the other having missed the games with mono. My classmates definitely had it out for me, and it was a miserable year all around, but I remember the moment I realized that the teacher was also one of my bullies.