Chapter 8

"All of you will take the test. Whoever teams have the fastest time combined will win! I will take one girl and one boy to do it at the same time. I have my co-trainers to record your time. Any questions?" Mr. Valdez explained. He is seen smiling widely now. He likes to see how the top students of this class will engaged on these activities, especially the Eliazar.

"None Sir."

"Okay, then. Let's start! I pick Elle Dominguez and Evan Ford. To the starting line please."

The two went on the starting line. Evan is the shy type of guy. He is nervous if he will pass Elle. He's fat and kind of out of shape. He needs to do the best he can. He should not lose to a girl, right?

Mr. Bill placed the whistle on his mouth and blows it. The two started running. The both teams cheered for their members. Angela becomes the leader of the cheering squad.

"Let's go Elle! You can do it!" She sings then clap three times after that. She suddenly made a chant. Her classmates followed it, going to the flow. Charles is laughing at her but Angela didn't seem to notice. She enjoys what she's doing.

Evan's body are wiggling when he runs. Instead of cheering him up the boys laugh at him. But Charles is laughing and cheering him at the same time. Frank has his arm crossed waiting for his turn. While Tavius is watching and observing his classmates.

Obviously, Elle wins with a time of 7.10 seconds. Evan has a time of 10.30 seconds. Team girls are really happy shouting and clapping for her. Evan goes back to his team. Some boys say 'that it's okay' while others make fun of his running, Evan just laugh with it. He promised to himself that he will be fit and able to do better than that.

"That's pretty predictable, ha ha! Next, we have Angela Dawton and Charles Cortez. Good luck! This will be a tough battle I guess. . ."

Charles went to Angela. "Hey if you lose you, you'll be my maid for a day." He knows Angela doesn't want losing, especially to him. The girl has a pride as high as the Mount Everest.

Angela's ears seem to get large, after hearing Charles words. She knows Charles is provoking her. But if she loses her team will be at risk. She's not a runner. She's more of the force and flexibility. How the hell will she beat an athletic guy? How?!

"Fine. If you lose my food, your pay." It might sound scary but the insides of Angela are praying to different Gods and saints to bless her with super speed.

Charles winked at her and went to the starting line. He is laughing to himself. This is a piece of cake for him. Not comparable to a 1000-meter dash. Is he will go easy or hard? He's laughing out loud now and some of his classmates seen him.

"Focus!" Darwin shout to him. His teammate on the track. He's also a runner. He sensed that Charles is being confident about this, overconfident.

Mr. Bill smiled and blew his whistle. Angela is eager to win this. She tried to sprint the first 10 meters; she did good. She's not looking at Charles' direction, just focusing on the finish line. She is only 2 meters away and used the adrenaline in her body. Using her arms and pushing her hips forward to reached the line. She is almost there but she sees Charles on her right-side smiling. She looked away and stomp her feet to the last step and finished it with a worried look.

Mr. Bill looked their time limits, he looks surprised. "Wow! You need to retake it. You two both finished it with a time of 4.50 seconds! Competitive fellas huh?" He announced. The whole class was shocked and surprised, even Angela. She needs to do it better.

Charles went onto Angela's direction and put his arm on her shoulder. "Beating me huh?"

Angela removed Charles' arm. "Of course, I'll never lose to you." She replied and walked away.

Charles followed her gazed and laugh. She is really something.

"You will two take it again later, rest for a while. Next people are Anne Franklin and Frank Beaux!"

Anne shivered a little upon hearing her name. She got nervous that she will compete with Frank. Gosh! How she will win this. Frank is a member of the volleyball team, a real sporty guy. Anyone can tell it just by looking at him. She's not the girl who loves walking or exercising. She hopes that the inner athlete in her will come out.

"It's okay Anne, just run as the best as you could." Devi said. She expects that boys will win this because some of them are engaged to different kinds of sports. Trying is the best thing to do right now, either win or lose at least they try something new. That's what her father tought her.

Anne breathe deeply and closed her eyes. Trying is her best shot right now. She needs to move those bones of hers. Upon motivating herself in the corner, Frank came to her.

"Hey, nervous?" Frank asked and put his hand on her shoulder. Anne shivered a little by his touch. She's falling to Frank in every gesture of him. Anne backed away a little and smiled. "Yeah. . . But I'm good." She replied and let out a giggle.

"Let's go to the starting line then." Frank grabbed Anne's hand and they went on the starting line together. Anne was shocked and happy at this moment. For her, she and Frank are the only people in this place. Butterflies surrounding them, and their movements are as slow as a two-tortoise going to the sea and will live there forever and always.

"Get ready fellas!" Mr. Bill said and blow again his whistle. Frank smiled to Anne. The smile showing her peace and calmness. Anne smiled back and forget all her problems even the race itself. She's up in the clouds dreaming her future with Frank.

"Annie!" Angela shout to her. She notices that Anne's mind was up in space. Anne seems to bounce back from reality and started running as fast as she could. Frank is near to the finish line and she is only half way down. Frank looked back to her and give her a thumbs up as he finished the sprint. Anne finished the test with a smiled. She will try to move her body more and engaged in outdoor activities.

Anne went back on her team. Her classmates brushed her head and said 'It was okay.' It does not matter to her anymore, she had fun.

"Next, we have the girl who set record in our basketball's team history. . . Devi Eliazar. Ha! I didn't know if she's really a woman ha ha ha!" The class also join their teacher in that joke. Since 7th grade, Devi is the boyish type of their batch. It also makes sense when she joins the women basketball team. She is destroying the feminism among women. That women must be quiet, soft, and gentle all the time. She won the Rookie of the Year award in her first season. Proving that, gender has nothing to do with anything.

"Devi will be competing with our newcomer, Tavius Edatin! Good luck!"

The two went on their respective places with a smile om their faces.