[ WP ] Your name is Chad , tell the story of how you overcame the peer pressure of your school days to not become the bully they expected you to become from day 1 .

The people who are bullied are not the only victims in the world of peer pressure. The stereotypical bully victim, the'nerd', the'weakling', the'homo', are not the only ones to receive such scalding prejudice; such forced opinions upon who they are, what they stand for. Being judged and forced to act upon what others thought of them. 
 
 Of course no one's ever thought of the other side of the coin, what made the bully the bully. *'What started it all?'* some would ask. *'Oh parenting trouble'*, another would claim. 
 
 *'They just want to feel better about themselves, so they make others feel bad.'* It was all the bloody same thing, these bullies. These individuals. Did anybody ask them? No probably not. I mean, I do n't necessarily *blame* them. Bullies usually did horrible, terrible things- But they are a person too, you know? 
 
 Much more than a goddamn name; *Chad*. 
 
 It always started with my name. Apparently. it's one of the most douche-iest names in the history of well- ever, I guess? At least, that's what everyone around me seems to think. And whats even worse is that I am rather athletically capable. Me and my dad, before he died that is, used to play all kinds of games together. I enjoyed playing with my old man lots, but now... Now I rather hate all sport games, despite being one of the best players in school. 
 
 `` Hey Cap-i-taan, good game, good game!'' Did I forget to mention I was Captain too? Well there you have it. 3 for 3 on stereotypical bully: name, athletic capability, and top sporting position. I might as well shoot myself and call it a day. I pause in my act of putting away my gear, nearly sighing with despair as my other teammates came saddling up to me. I did n't want to deal with *them* today, I really did n't. I was tired, I was sweaty, and they were all assholes, `` We *destroyed* that team!'' Tristan claimed, smirking at our earlier victory out on the field. I smiled weakly in return, not saying anything- but really, with these guys around, I did n't *have* to say anything. 
 
 `` Did you see the pathetic look on their faces? What a bunch of losers!'' Another teammate, Sebastian, sneered, chuckling to himself. 
 
 `` Like taking candy from a baby, was n't it Chad-y my boy?'' I grunt in response to Tristan's outrageous remark. The other team was good, I would n't deny it- we just happened to be a little better. I'm sure the other team just had n't practiced enough or something. And it was home field for us, so of course we had the advantage. It was unfair really. Should n't a match be played on a field none of the teams have ever been on? It would be fair then, but what was I to say this to people? I was just a dumb jock. With the douche name of Chad. 
 
 `` Yeah, like that one kid, crying when he fell down on his *wittle baby bottom*.'' The guys all sneered and jeered some more, and I rolled my eyes before sighing. 
 
 `` He did hit the ground pretty hard guys, I'm pretty sure he fractured something. I'd be tearing pretty hard too, if it was me. And they *were* a stellar team.'' I point out, despite my better judgement. Every time I pointed out something like this to them, they pick it apart and then spit it back out at me, demeaning and pitiful. Like they expected something else from me, but I was n't giving it to them. 
 
 `` Oh *Chaaaad*,'' Tristan drags out. I hate it when he does that, `` We all know you were thinking it too! That small shake of your head, the small scowl on your face! You thought he was *pathetic* did n't you? Crying like that over a little bitty injury! Stop acting like the goody-toe shoes and embrace who you really are!'' 
 
 *Embrace who I really am? Embrace who I really am?! * That, in varying degrees of wording, was all that people seemed to say to me. They see this big, muscular man, captain of the football team with the name of *Chad*. The thought of'bully' was all that would ever come out of their mouths. Whenever I was nice, whenever I was helpful- they all looked at me like I was fucking nuts. I hated it. I hated this school. I hated their way of thinking, I hated everything. I wish I had left early, as I always did to avoid this situation. To avoid them, avoid the world. I just wanted to go sit on my bed and read a book or something. 
 
 Instead, the other boys drag me along with them talking away and insulting people, as I suppose they usually do. Tristan keeps trying to engage me in the conversation, forcing me towards his opinion of who I was. I sigh again, trying to tune out his insistent nagging. When would we finally be at the parking lot so I could ride myself of these people? 
 
 `` Oh lookie what we have here! It's little old Todd, coming back from his extra-nerd class!'' Tristan's voice brings me out of my haze, and I look up to see Todd Denton scurrying his way across the outer school yard- no doubt to get away from.. *from us*. All of them but me start making a run towards the poor boy. 
 
 `` Hey- uh, guys what are you doing?!'' I call out to them, but somehow I already knew. Although I was never there any of the times to witness it before- only heard it through whispers- Todd was what you'd call the bully victim of my ( severely loose form of the word ) `` friends''. Never in my presence has Tristan brought up the fact that he was bullying Todd, nor did Todd ever tell me directly this piece of news- but somehow, I knew it was true, and here was my proof. 
 
 And my salvation! I thought. For all those years of this demeaning life, having everyone in the school look down upon me because they viewed me as some type of douchebag, I could finally *finally* prove to them I was n't. I *could* stop the actual douchebags of the school. It was either now or never to get them to stop bullying- talking before or after the fact would never set these assholes straight. I would have to slap them around a few times in the act in order to get the message across. 
 
 `` Come on Chad, join in! *It's in your nature*.'' I was within a few feet of them, watching them hassle this poor kid. My determination slowed down, repulsed by those words- that sentence, always forced upon me. My thoughts began to scramble. What good would this do to me? No one would ever see me as the good guy- heck no one wanted me as the fucking good guy either. All they ever saw was my name and what *they wanted to see*. Not me, not what I am- but them, what they thought of me. I could n't change that, now could I? I could n't reverse years of this prejudice, this idea of what everyone thinks I am. 
 
 `` Come on Chad, we'll save the last good ol' sucker punch for you!'' Tristan forced the trembling boy down on his knees, and I watched him squirm in their grasp, panting, heaving, terrified. Terrified of me. Terrified of what he thought I was. I look down at my own hands, clenching and unclenching. Why not become the monster they thought me to be? Why not become the asshole everyone keeps thinking I am? Why suffer this internal debate, this losing battle when all I ever had to do was give up and give in? 
 
 I take a few steps forward, nearly standing in front of the poor, shaking boy. I look at him, I *stare* at him, clenching my jaw. My teammates hoot and holler, Tristan laughs- the hollow, empty, snickering laugh that always turned my stomach. For a second, however, it seemed to fit. It seemed to be right. I wanted to laugh to, laugh at this kid who was about to piss himself. Laugh at the other team who had so pathetically lost. Laugh at myself for being such a fool all these years. For who was I to kid? 
 
 *It was in my nature* 
 
 `` Chad, please, I know you are better than this!'' Todd whimpers out, flinching as I nearly stand over top of him. His eyes look up at me, begging and pleading. There is a faint flicker of something never directed at me before. Hope. Faith. Silence beats around me for a few minutes before I finally close my eyes. My parents always told me I was a good kid. 
 
 `` Let him go.'' 
 
 `` What?'' 
 
 `` I **said** let him go.'' 
 
 `` Sheesh, alright. Guys do as your Captain says.'' Tristan mumbles, throwing his arms up and walking away from Todd, `` God, Chad, you're such a buzz kill.'' 
 
 `` And you're a fucking douche, Tristan.'' I counter, helping Todd stand on his own two feet, `` Consider yourself the Captain of this idiotic sport. I quit. I always hated football anyway.'' 
 
 `` Wha-?! But Chad!'' I say nothing as I help Todd to my car, the others trailing behind me like lost puppies, `` You ca n't just *quit*, what the hell will we do without you?'' With Todd safely in the passenger seat, I turn around to confront Tristan. I shrug. 
 
 `` Dunno, guess you'll have-ta figure that out by yourselves.'' 
 
 `` What?! Chad?! Chad, you ca n't just *quit* on us! We need you for the tournament! For the nationals! You're the best goddamn player this school has!'' Again, I shrug and say nothing. I slowly get into my car, and fit the keys into the ignition. I start the car, and it rumbles. I put it into reverse, and slowly back out. Tristan jumps away from the car, startled, but nonetheless recovers. He flips the bird at me, scowling fiercely, `` Fine, you fucking douche! You are such a fucker! You hear me Chad!? A fucking asshole!'' 
 
 I pause in reversing, rolling down my window, `` But Tristan, is n't that what you always wanted me to be?''
