Therian Shifters

Chapter 8: Why Chase Bullied and Tyler's Big Secret:

The day of Chase's return had arrived. Akira led down in her bed, shaking with fear. As she thought, she had the question of "What if" in her head. "What if" this, and "What if" that, she was very shaken. So scared that she turned to her wolf-lion form and started whimpering and whining in worry. As she did, her mother sat on the bed next to her, stroking her mane.

"Come on, sweetheart. There's no need to wrap your tail between your hind legs in this. I know you are worried about Chase returning and torturing you again but like the principal said, if he does or says anything horrible to you, then he's gone."

Akira nodded, but as she stood up, she could smell the heavenly scent of sausages and mash. But before she could run off, her mother held her back. "Ah ah ah! Form first. We don't want mash or bits of sausage on the floor like before when you were recovering, remember?"

Akira grumbled to herself, turning back to normal and rushing down the stairs. After she ate her breakfast and got ready, she went into the car with her mother, her father at work so he couldn't take her.

As her mother drove, Akira looked out of the window. She could see a nest of blackbirds in a tree, as they sang their wonderful song, feeding their young chicks. She focused her mind on her surroundings and not what might happen when Chase returned that day.

"You ok back there, Akira? See anything?" Her mother kept her busy looking out the window.

Akira said about the blackbirds, and how they were feeding their young.

As they got to the school grounds, Mr Tolfree and Tyler waited outside the gates, as Tyler smiled gleefully at Akira, as she got out of the car. "Hey, Akira! Bet I can get to the forest area first?"

Akira had a confident smirk on her face. "You wish!"

So Akira raced with Tyler to the forest area, zooming past each other, laughing and giggling. But as they got there, Akira cowered behind Tyler. Chase waited by a tree with the most fuming expression Akira had seen on a person's face.

"Aw look, it's tranny and stupid mutt. How I'm glad to finally get an opportunity to make you suffer!"

Chase went to punch Akira, but a sudden reflex made her catch his fist, and twist his arm, hearing a painful click. Chase winced a bit but held back his pain. "So you wanna play it the hard way?" Chase smiled with a demonic grin. "Let's do this the hard way!"

But before Chase could restrain Akira at all, Mr Tolfree saw him and pulled him away from Akira. "Enough," He spoke with a stern and serious tone. "You're not supposed to be here, remember Chase? You're supposed to be in the principal's office. Now."

Chase huffed and stormed off. Mr Tolfree inspected Akira, and she was unscathed. "Did he hurt you?" Tyler asked with a worried expression on his face.

Akira shook her head, showing her body was unscathed with no marks apart from her past scars. "I kinda twisted his arm in a reflex though." Akira chuckled to herself nervously.

Mr Tolfree smiled. He was glad that Akira had learned from before and knew how to deal with the situations with Chase. "I know you aren't hurt physically, but what about mentally?"

Akira looked down in a bit of sadness. "Yeah... He keeps calling Tyler 'Tranny' and called me 'Stupid Mutt'..."

Mr Tolfree placed a gentle hand on Akira's shoulder. He shook his head at Chase's behaviour. "I think... It's time."

Akira looked at Mr Tolfree with a confused look. "Time for... what?"

Mr Tolfree explained that Chase had gone too far. He'd harmed Akira and her friends too much. Verbally, Mentally, Physically and Emotionally.

"I agree with sir," Tyler replied. "Chase has been tormenting me since I even came out as Genderfluid at 10 years old. He would always be homophobic because his parents were too. He would and still gets what he wants. Everything. I'm surprised they aren't bankrupt."

Akira hated the fact that Chase would be so cruel to Tyler, as he sat on the branch that Shade sat on before. He leaned against the tree trunk and sighed. Poor Tyler. He's too young to go through that much pain. Akira thought as she said the same thing to Mr Tolfree. He agreed as both of them shared the same concerned and sorrowful expression.

Meanwhile, Chase was waiting outside the principal's office, sighing in boredom and annoyance. "I can't believe that those two could snitch. I hate them. Especially Tranny, he's annoying."

As Chase said 'I hate them. Especially Tranny, he's annoying', the principal had walked out of his office to escort Chase inside his office.

"Ahem! Chase Grieves, I have been expecting your presence." He led Chase inside, as he shut the door. "Take a seat."

Chase sat down, hanging his bag on one of the arms of the chair. "What is it?" Chase said with an attitude.

"I have expected you here because of your behaviour. Whatever happened to the good Chase, hmm? Doing his work, getting straight A's and his parents having pride for having a successful child." Chase looked guilty as he looked down. "What started this behaviour anyway?"

Chase sighed. He had a flashback of his parents arguing.

There were visions of how his parents shouted at him. "Grow up!" He heard. "F?! Where are your A's, you dumb kid!" And scolding words like, "You stupid boy! I might as well smash up that PlayStation and chuck it in the bin!" or "Get your lazy butt off of the couch and do the dishes!"

Chase sighed. "My... parents.." He shook. "They hated the fact that there was someone in my school that was part of LGBTQ+. They never tried to even care about me. They buy me everything but never show any sign of love and forgiveness to me. But with the bullying side, I grew to like it until when I got suspended and I asked myself, 'Why do I even do it?' and 'Why do I bother?', and 'Do they love me?'."

The principal felt a bit of pity but held it back in case it was fake. However, it was the truth.

There was a knock at the principal's door. "Come in!" He calmly commanded.

Tyler was standing in the doorway. The principal expected Tyler too but not for a bad reason at all.

"Ah, Tyler. I believe I need to hear how you and Tyler's rivalry started. But Chase has something quite shocking to tell you."

Tyler seemed quite confused. Chase wants to tell... me something? Tyler thought as the principal got a chair for Tyler as he and Chase faced each other.

"I... Never wanted to bully you in the first place, nor your friends. I'm sorry for everything." Tyler widened his eyes in shock. Was this the humongous apology he had waited for since 2 years ago? "You do know how to be a boy, and I wish you luck on your transition. I talked to my parents. Sorry if I am talking about the subject of parents in front of you. I know it reminds you of that horrible scene from when you were 5."

The principal looked confused. "Tyler, what is he saying?"

Tyler lowered his head as his eyes filled with tears. "My parents died when I was 5, so I've been living off my own back. That's why my parents wouldn't answer their phones at that time when Akira's mum picked us up after going unconscious in the girls' toilets a month ago."

The principal put his hand over his mouth. "So you paid to get in here? You paid for your scholarship?" Tyler nodded shyly. "Your food, your drinks, your lunch, your clothes. How?"

Tyler looked back at Chase. "Chase convinced his parents to help me get by. But since they found out I was Genderfluid, they stopped. But it continued thanks to Chase convincing his parents again."

The principal excused Chase, who as he shut the door, let out a pitiful sigh, yet felt that he had done something great to help Tyler. As Chase repels his wicked ways, something mysterious happens to him.