Well, the first important thing to determine is whether you are in fact middle school students.

An easy way to figure this out is to commit some victimless crime, like waving a gun around in a crowded library. If they try you as an adult, you're probably not a student in middle school. If they try you as a minor, you are either a student in middle school or the state recognizes that you are mentally handicapped for liking a guy who pours abuse onto you at every opportunity.

If that doesn't work, try looking up at the nearest building. Is the name of a civil rights leader on the side of it? If so, your chances of being a middle school student just tripled.

Yes, confused, love-struck boys are often cruel to the subjects of their affection. BOYS. Anyone over age fourteen should be well aware that the way to a woman's heart is not through crushing her self esteem. Okay, sometimes it is, but this isn't the kind of blog where we support that, and it's not the kind of relationship you're looking for. That's more Mystery's game.

Who cares why he's mean to you? If it squirts like a douchebag, it's a douchebag. Don't put up with anyone stomping on your self-image, whether you want to bone them silly or not.

If this guy is into you, and just doesn't know how to show it, then showing him some backbone will only serve you well in the long run. He'll be forced to either grow up and approach you with respect, starting your relationship off on a much more even footing, or he'll move on to someone dumb enough to lap up his abuse for fifteen years before snapping and smothering him in his sleep.

You don't have to be a dick about it or anything, but stand up to this guy. Believe me, you can do that without scaring him off, and if there's a real man in there anywhere, he'll actually appreciate it.

The trick is to find the middle ground between being assertive and sinking to his level. I find leaving a dead cat in their locker usually sends the right message. It says "I'm a crazy bitch you don't want to f**k with, but I've also got a softer side. Meow." In fact, leaving that in a note for him might not be a bad idea either.