Kgomotso listens intently. He can hear Lillian enter the bedroom. He waits for the argument that will escalate to violence.

But there is just silence.

A minute passes, then five minutes pass. Not a sound comes from their bedroom. He stands up and presses his ear to the wall. Still nothing. It is a cold silence.

Kgomotso hears water running in his parent’s en suite bathroom. He knows that they are giving each other the silent treatment. It’s a relief when his parents ignore each other, rather than fight.

He’s witnessed them emotionally and physically abuse each other so many times, and the physical fights are more traumatizing for him. He wonders if his parents still love each other … or ever loved each other in the first place.

Kgomotso is 16 years old and attends St Helens High School. This year he is repeating Grade 10. His poor performance started when his parents began fighting regularly at home. Now his grades have again nosedived terribly; he simply can’t concentrate anymore due to his family issues.

The one thing Kgomotso has started doing to distract himself from the troubles at home is eat. He relies on food to give him joy; comfort eating is his only solace. He eats as much junk food as he can get his hands on and, when he bites into the burgers and chips, or downs a giant milkshake, his mind is distracted from the troubles at home and for a moment he is happy.

But unfortunately, of course, the continuous eating has led him to being overweight.

And as Kgomotso has gained weight, bullying from his schoolmates has also increased rapidly. The bullies call him all sorts of names: Sdudla, Fatty Boom Boom and Big Show. Well, they used to call him those names – until the day he lost his temper. On that day Kgomotso’s chief tormenter, Jonathan, was more vicious than usual.

“Hey Sdudla, close your mouth! So it’s not enough to stuff your face with food; now you want to swallow all of us too?” Jonathan had mocked.

Jonathan had looked around for support and giggled with the rest of his classmates.

But he had not known that Kgomotso was in a very bad mood – he had hardly slept the previous night because his parents had been fighting until morning. Rage settled in Kgomotso’s eyes as he watched Jonathan giggle with his sidekick, Sfundo.

“Look out Jonathan!” Sfundo screamed when he saw Kgomotso suddenly looming behind his friend.

Jonathan turned – to meet Kgomotso’s large fist. He was knocked out cold! There was an eerie silence in class as all the students took in Kgomotso’s mean stare of rage. Then everyone freaked out, screaming, when they saw Jonathan’s bleeding, broken nose.

From that day Kgomotso’s schoolmates feared him.

Twisted, dark thoughts grew in Kgomotso’s mind. Since that day he feels a tinge of joy whenever he thinks of Jonathan crying in pain. Now he feels good when he sees other children hurting, as he hurts.

And he has started to enjoy hurting other children himself, and making them feel as terrible as he feels at home. He has embraced his new bad boy identity.

Kgomotso has become a bully.

***

Tell us: Do you think that this is how most bullies are made? From being bullied themselves, and a difficult home life?