Jeff Kinley

“The awful reality of life is that kids can sometimes be ruthless toward one another. Kidding, teasing, taunting, and mocking with sadistic sarcasm, they have exterminated innumerable self-esteems. Some are more adept at Humiliation 101 than they are at math or science. It's a choice between homework and hassling a weaker member of the human race. And the latter often wins out. No wonder. It's much more fun to obliterate a person's already fragile self-image than it is to work fractions for some teacher who attended school with your grandmother. It's an art form, actually, with some kids as budding Rembrandts. Whether vocal or unspoken, direct or passive, it's always destructive. Like an arrow, the rejection a young person feels plunges deep within, causing a wound that can take decades to heal.”
― Jeff Kinley

“From Brandon's perspective, this kid possessed the unique ability (it was actually more of a gift) to get under his skin. Most of us know somebody like this. Through their words, actions, and even facial expressions, they evolve into a special breed of human able to push all the right buttons needed to get you upset, angry, or frustrated. It's an irritation really, like an inward pain you can't quite locate. These people needle you non-stop until they get the response they want. For reasons unknown, they somehow gain a sort of perverse pleasure out of making you upset. They decompose you. In the process your nerves resemble the ends of a frayed rope.
Come to think of it, those same people later grow up to be adults. And they don't go away, either. They work in your office, live in your neighborhood, and have children on your son's baseball team. Sometimes they even marry into your family! There is no escape from them.”
― Jeff Kinley