Eli and Jonah’s bond never fit the neat labels. It was coaxed from risk and defense, from shared territory and small mercies. Jonah sometimes pushed Eli in the hallway to test his reactions; Eli responded with a calm that disarmed the test. Jonah would borrow Eli’s pencil and return it worn down and sharpened. They traded barbs like currency and later traded apologies in the form of unexpected favors.
: Research suggests that sharing the same "dislikes" or victims can foster positive affect between the bullies, increasing their motivation to defend one another. The Mechanics of Group Bullying bully bonding
As the months passed, the courtyard became a stage for a different act. Jonah’s behavior remained jagged—old patterns are stubborn—but cracks in his performance revealed a behind-the-scenes loneliness. He’d tell a story, half-laughed, about his older brother leaving home, and then deflect when someone looked too sympathetic. Eli, used to translating feelings into images, began to sketch Jonah more honestly: the careful way he tucked hair behind an ear when nervous, the small ritual of rubbing his thumb over a groove in his watch when thinking. Eli and Jonah’s bond never fit the neat labels
Have you witnessed or experienced bully bonding? Start by naming it. The first step to dismantling a toxic alliance is to strip it of its invisibility. Speak to a therapist, a neutral HR partner, or a trusted outsider. You don't have to play the game—and you don't have to be the glue that holds their fragile bond together. Jonah would borrow Eli’s pencil and return it
It was a terrible excuse. A blatant lie. They both knew it. Marcus hadn't missed; he had aimed for the intimidation factor. But in the quiet of the detention room, with the setting sun casting long, prison-bar shadows across the floor, the lie was an offering. It was a re-writing of the narrative from assault to accident .
Groups use social pressure to embarrass others and boost their own popularity. Instrumental Bullying