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Here is my short story Influenced To Be A Bully. Hope that you all like it.

Ben listened to his parents talking in the kitchen. He was playing on his playstation in the living-room. They were talking about his classmate Carl.

'It isn't right. Her parents should tell her that she isn't a boy. Her name is Becky. They are putting her in for other kids saying things to her.', Ben's mother says.

'It is true. They should be more responsible and tell her what is right. She is a girl and will never be anything else.', Ben's father says.

'Hard as it is, that's the truth and they should really get her to get used to it. She is a tranny. It is confusing for the other kids.', Ben's mother agrees.

The conversation shocked Ben. He had never thought like this about his friend Carl. He had always just seen Carl as one of the boys. Carl was very open about his story of being assigned female at birth but over their years of friendship he had never thought of Carl any different to himself or his other male friends. But being twelve he believed that his parents must be wiser than himself and if they were saying that Carl put in for being said negative things to then maybe he felt he should be saying negative things to Carl. He was ashamed of all those times he stood up for Carl against school bullies and felt like he had let his parents and himself down. He felt so stupid.

'She can't expect to be treated like the boys and it is awful that the school is not doing anything about this.', Ben's mother says interrupting Ben's thoughts.

'She has no right to be treated like our Ben. Wanting to be special. It is unfair to Ben. Ben is a real and normal boy.'

Suddenly Ben was angry. If Carl can't expect to be treated the same as him he found it a cheek that he had expected to be treated the same as him for years. How dare he?, he thought. How dare she?, he then thinks.

At school the next day Ben walks into the classroom feeling completely different to how he did before. He is angry because he thinks he is a 'real' boy and Carl is not. He is angry with Carl for never saying that he was a 'real' boy and he wasn't. English class has not started yet and he goes over to his desk. Carl walks into the classroom and sits beside him. Unawares of what has happened to his friend, Carl smiles to Ben who doesn't smile back. He pays that no heed though.

'What game are you playing on the playstation at the mo Benny?', he asks.

'Don't talk to me you tranny.'

Carl is taken aback. He has had this slur said to him from pupils in the hallway but never from his friend.

'If that is meant to be a joke man it's not a very funny one.', he replies, not wanting to believe what he is hearing.

'I would have knocked your books off the table only I don't do that to girls.'

'You'd be picking them up if you done that mate.'

'You can't make me tranny. But how dare you act like you are a boy and make me believe it? How dare you make a fool out of me?'

'Ben, what has got into you? It's me. I'm Carl. I'm your friend.'

'No, you are Becky. That's who you are.'

'I, um, I ... never told you my deadname. How did you find that out?'

'Deadname? It is your name. Stop trying to be special.'

'Special? Ben, you seem to be the only one who wants to be special.'

Overcome by anger that Carl, a trans boy, would say anything back to him, a cis boy, Ben bangs his desk with his fist. Though his reaction slightly unnerves Carl inwardly, outwardly he remains the picture of calm.

'I have been hanging out with you for a while. What must people think of me treating you like a boy? They must think I am a fool. Everyday I will tell you what your real name is and what you are. I will get you off the boys' football team. I will throw you out of the boys' bathroom if I see you in there. And don't even think about coming over to sit with me at lunch.'

Inwardly Carl feels sick. This is going to make his life a whole lot harder and he knows that he will miss his friend. But outwardly he will not show any of that to Ben. Years of bullying have made him an incredibly strong young boy.

'And why exactly would I want to sit with someone like you at lunch Ben?'

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