"Alright, that's enough warming up," Ms. Walker, our gym teacher, called out. "Boys, form up to my left. Girls, line up to my right."

As I made my way to the left side of the gym, the contrast among my classmates was impossible to ignore. Some were completely drenched, their shirts plastered to their backs as if they'd just run a marathon, while others looked like they'd been standing still the entire time. It didn't take a genius to spot the athletes in our class. Leading the pack, as usual, was Robert. During the warmup run earlier, he'd taken the lead from the start and never once let anyone catch up.

Is he even human?!

I was starting to understand why most of the girls in our class couldn't stop fuzzing over him. Robert wasn't just good-looking and smart; he was also an incredible athlete. I mean, what more could you want from a guy? If he wasn't boyfriend material, I didn't know who was.

Unfortunately, our teacher didn't seem to share those feelings.

"I just want to say that I'm not impressed with what I've seen so far. At your age, you should all be in top physical condition. While I do admit that a few of you show some promise, there's still a lot of room for improvement."

A grin spread across her lips as she cleared her throat. "In all my years of teaching at this school, there's one thing I've always known to be true. The best way to learn and improve is through competition. That is why you will all be competing against each other in an endurance test called the Beep Test. Girls will go first. Boys, you'll compete after."

"Ms. Walker... I don't think I have it in me to run anymore. My feet are cramping up pretty badly!"

The boy who spoke was slightly chubby and had pinkish-orange hair. While his face was familiar, I couldn't quite remember his name. I knew it started with a Z.

What was his name again?

Zane? Zander? No, that doesn't sound right... Ah, yes! It's Zach!

Zach Wong...

"I understand this competition might not be for everyone, which is why I won't force anyone to compete," Ms. Walker said. "However, I want everyone to be aware that I'll be offering special prizes to the top three of every group."

"What prizes?" someone asked.

Ms. Walker smiled. "The prizes are as follows. 500 crowns to the first place, 250 crowns to the second, and 125 crowns to whoever comes in third... Oh, and the prizes will be deposited into your accounts by the end of the day."

"Are we allowed to use magic?" Elijah asked.

"Absolutely, not!" Ms. Walker replied. "Magic is not allowed... Anyone who uses magic will be disqualified and receive a penalty in their allowance next month! Kids your age shouldn't be depending on magic."

A wave of murmurs spread throughout the room. The athletic students jumped in excitement, while the rest groaned in discontent.

Even though I'd never done the Beep test before, I was well aware of what it was.

The Beep test, officially known as the multi-stage fitness test, was a test that measured cardiovascular endurance. Participants had to run back and forth between two points, 20 meters apart, in time with recorded beeps that gradually got faster. The test continued until the final participant could no longer keep up with the beeps. To put it simply, whoever had the best cardio had the best chance of winning.

"All right, girls," Ms. Walker announced. "You're up first! Line up on the red line."

As the girls lined up to start their test, I found myself wondering if I should put some effort into this competition. As much as I didn't want to stand out, the prizes were nothing to scoff at. Maybe I could pull off a solid third place without expending too much energy.

"Who do you think will win?"

I shifted my gaze to the side and, much to my surprise, found Thomas standing there. It was the second time he had spoken to me in the last hour.

"It's hard to say," I replied honestly. "What about you? Who do you think is going to win?"

"I think Nicole is going to win," Thomas answered confidently.

Huh?!

I was taken aback by Thomas's prediction. Sure, Nicole looked like she took care of her body. She had a lean, athletic build and moved with a kind of effortless grace. But to say she was going to win seemed like a bit of a stretch.

During the warm-up laps, she'd kept a steady pace, blending in with the rest of the class. Based on what I'd seen so far, there was no visible indication that she possessed the kind of endurance needed to get first place. Thomas's confidence in her seemed almost misplaced. I couldn't help but wonder if there was something I was missing.

"What makes you so confident she's going to win?"

Thomas adjusted his glasses, a small smile playing on his lips. "I met Nicole about a month ago during the Summer transition program... I also happen to know she goes on runs every morning before school."

"The summer transition program? What's that?" I inquired, feigning ignorance.

"The transition program is a month-long orientation program for new students. Unfortunately, it's a privilege given to those who scored high on the entrance exam."

I found it surprising that Thomas was openly admitting to being one of the chosen few who got to be part of the transition program. It was the kind of information most students would keep to themselves.

"Why are you telling me all this?" I asked, genuinely curious about his candor.

Thomas chuckled. "I'm pretty sure you've already heard about the transition program... Yesterday, I saw you hanging out with Nicole and a few others who attended."

I wasn't sure how to react to Thomas's blatant honesty. I hadn't expected it, and it left me feeling a bit strange. What were his intentions?

"Just so we're on the same page, I just happened to see you yesterday while I was out running errands," Thomas clarified quickly. "I wasn't following you or anything."

"Oh, okay... I didn't think you were."

I shifted my focus back to the girls, who were about to start the competition. The tension in the gym was palpable as everyone watched with anticipation.

"Be careful of Violet," Thomas said quietly, his tone suddenly serious. "How she acts isn't who she really is."

I glanced at him, puzzled by his warning. But before I could ask more, the gym erupted with the sound of the first beep, and the girls took off, their sneakers squeaking against the polished floor.

The initial rounds were almost too easy. The beeps were slow, giving the girls plenty of time to reach each end of the gym and turn back. Their movements were synchronized, almost rhythmic, as they moved in unison. I watched, wondering how long this calm pace would last before the real competition began.

It wasn't until the fifth round that things started to shift. The pace was picking up, and that's when the first casualty occurred. Despite still looking fresh and composed, Lily slowed down and stopped. She calmly walked off to the side, her expression serene and almost indifferent as she watched the others continue. I wasn't surprised. She hadn't seemed all that into the competition from the start.

As round six began, the pace intensified, and the pressure mounted. More girls started to drop out, the strain showing on their faces and in their faltering steps.

By the eighth round, only five girls remained. The atmosphere grew charged with excitement as the boys started cheering louder. Though most of them were rooting for Violet, I could hear a few shouts of support for Haruna as well.

"You got this Violet!"

"Show her what you're made of, Haruna!"

"You're doing amazing Violet! Keep it up!"

"Violet! Violet! Violet! Violet..."

When the ninth round started, it was clear who the real contenders were. Violet, Haruna, and Nicole pushed through, their strides determined and fierce. I was impressed by their tenacity, especially Nicole. Though she had maintained a calm demeanor throughout the race, I could see her expression slowly shifting to one of intense focus. Her jaw was set, and her eyes were locked straight ahead.

Just when it seemed the three girls were in a stalemate, Haruna missed the last beep of the ninth round and collapsed to her knees, gasping for air. A bolt load of boys immediately rushed to her side but she waved them off with a tired smile. 

"I'm fine guys... I just need a minute to catch my breath."

The match was nearing its end. It was down to Violet and Nicole. One of them was going to win.