She timidly approached the starting line. To her horror, her hesitation had drawn attention from the others. The whispers varied. Some not even bothering to hide their words. They talked about her size, her frame, and the flower wreath she wore in her hair. Eventually, someone said their point directly. “Holy fuck. She’s a fucking fairy.”

  “Quiet Robert! Ms,” Mr Simon checked his clipboard, “Bell is a half fairy, which makes her a demihuman just like everyone else here. So zip it and wait your turn.”

  Gwen stepped up to the line next to the boys called Kevin and Samuel. Next to them was a lean girl with a single braid that had jewels woven into it. By her was a boy in a tracksuit stretching. Next was a massive girl, the tallest by far with the muscle of a warrior, she also stretched in preparation. Gwen could only berate herself. If she had just walked up without hesitating they probably would have outshined her.

  The six students readied themselves. The tall girl and boy at the end took professional stances. The bejeweled girl and Kevin seem to mimic them. Samuel took an almost squat stance. Gwen bent her knees just enough to seem ready. On Simon’s mark, they started. The large girl took off taking the lead. She was over seven feet tall with a stride that made the feat easy. The boy in the tracksuit was only a few paces behind. York and Kevin started with York using a scooter that he pulled from his backpack that propelled itself forward. Alongside them, the lean girl kept pace as they made their way around the field and to the forest edge.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Gwen took up a mild jog that would hopefully keep her unnoticed, but her doubts were heavy. Yet she continued to follow the path of the others around the field and then around the forest. If she just kept a decent pace, didn’t catch the attention of the other runners, and caught just enough of a break, then there shouldn’t be any more problems. This was the strategy Gwen decided on as she made her way across the bend.

  Her progress was halted soon after losing sight of the main building. In front of her were the three students who had taken off together. Kevin, York, and the bejeweled girl had stopped soon after they were out of sight of the teachers. For some reason, Kevin was hanging off of the top of the fence.

  “We’re not supposed to go into the forest.” the girl shouted.

  “And for the fifth time Samantha, I don’t care.” Kevin yelled back to the girl apparently named Samantha, “I’m not wasting time going around.”

  “Do you really believe that going through a wooded area would be faster than simply going around?” Samuel asked one foot on the ground.

  “You saw the map. There are paths cut through the woods,” Kevin explained, “A straight line is faster than a curve. That’s math.”

  “You’ll get in trouble,” Said Samantha.

  “The paths in the forests are also curved,” Pointed out Samuel, but this seemed to be ignored.