Empire High School

Students Having their First Physical Education Exam

"First up! Push ups!"

Arlene went so fast, Mary got intimidated into dropping. Edith dropped her whole back to the ground, barely able to pick herself back up. Eliza could barely move her arms while Sharell took deep breaths, centering her core and bouncing up and down.

"How are you doing that?"

"Just imagine you're listening to music and the pain doesn't hurt as bad."

"Ah, I gotta try that," Jenzie said, singing only to run out of energy to maintain her arms.

Felice's fists were balled up. "Calculate the weight of my back and push enough to maintain my strength," actually able to do it...for about ten reps.

Simon's form was completely off, trying to not sink his lower half. Devlin bombed as well, and Len was about to drop until noticing Arlene pushing herself, trying to emulate her.

Mince yawned, able to do it with no problem.

"Alright, over. I've got your scores. Moving on to sit-ups."

Simon didn't find this as hard, leaving his glasses on his stomach. Meanwhile, Devlin needed Len to pull him on, pretending like he was trying to reach the sun.

"Calm down Icarus," Len joked.

Felice looked up the proper form to do situps while Edith groaned.

"Why do we have to do this? I spent money trying to look this good."

"Looking good to me," Mince winked.

"What's the point of dressing up if you're unfit to move around in it," Pershad yelled.

"He has a point," Kirby pointed out.

"Did I ask?"

"You just did. Twice," snickering and going down at her dismay.

"Edith, go easy," Elize said. "There's still one more test to go."

Arlene sucked her teeth, yelling every number of sit-ups she did. Len tried the same and a crack was heard across the gymnasium.

"Len?" Simon rushed over. "Len?" He pulled him up, only to release a fart from behind that left everyone staring.

"You have IBS?"

His teeth shuttered. "That's just from all exercising," getting Len up to take a break while he moved from far away to continue.

Jenzie started imagining the smell as a warm bacon egg and cheese, pushing herself with the desire for food while Monte started slipping away to eat snacks until their gym teacher caught him, confiscating his snacks.

"Alright, times up," going around to get their scores. "Rise up," as Monte, Bennett, Haejin and Jarrod returned. "Perfect timing. Men, to the bleachers, ladies, to the blue line," explaining how the pacer test works. Run to the other end, wait for the music to start up again. "Ladies," setting it up for the ring. "Go!"

Sharell ran with her phone posting what she thought was her already ahead as the picture had Arlene pass her in seconds. When all the ladies finished the first run, Edith pouted.

"Yeah, I'm not doing this."

"Anyone who doesn't get past ten or gives up gets an automatic zero and a phone call about getting written work instead," pausing the music.

Len turned to Devlin. "You should do that."

"Heck no. I could use a good workout."

Edith groaned. "Let's get this over with."

During lap five, Felice was analyzing how to have the right form while Nikia sprinted beside her with so little energy she looked like a specter.

"How are you not tired?"

"The less I don't care, the less energy I waste."

At lap ten, only Nikia, Felice, Arlene, Mary, Kirby, and Sharell seemed in good form.

"Let's go ladies," Monte, Bennett, Haejin, and Jarrod's group cheered in vain attempts to motivate the others.

"If we get to twenty or thirty, we'll pass," Jenzie said as Edith came up with a plan, quickly taking out her phone as she ran to the other side as fast as Arlene and Sharell.

As they had to ran back to the bleachers, her, Elize, Jenize, Nikia and a curious Sharell and Arlene started drifting to the right side of the gym as they headed back, where Mince, Monte, Haejin, Bennett, and Jarrod sat on the bottom.

Felice, Simon, and Kirby were the only ones that noticed the boys were small towels for the girls to wipe off and throw back as they reached lap thirteen, continuing for the next four laps.

"Seriously?"

"They're cheating during an endurance test."

"Damn, I wish I thought of that."

Simon set out to get paper towels for his acquaintance and sister but Felice shook her head at lap twenty, not sweating as much. By lap thirty, Elize and Jenzie gave up, Nikia stopped at thirty-five, Mary Kane at thirty eight, and Kirby at forty, leaving Arlene, Sharell, Felice, and Edith.

"How's that smart girl keeping up with them," the latter thought as Arlene ran out of steam at forty-five. On their next lap to run back, Edith shoved Felice, who tripped onto Sharell. She ran ahead as Simon jumped out of the bleachers, catching them from falling.

"You too okay?" Sharell recovered, leaving him to take the other to the bleachers.

"Ouch. I need to rest."

Edith cheered as the last one standing, joining her new friends, flirting with the guys who helped them out.

"Kirby, check on her for me," tossing his glasses to her as Mr. Pershad called up the boys and started immediately. He didn't go too hard, running near a determined Devlin keeping up with them until stopping at lap thirty to the snide laughter. Len dropped a second later, leaving with the brawlic figures: and Mince, raising an eyebrow at him.

"How are you not tired?"

"I just don't want to lose those guys," watching Bennett's stamina dropping as they got to lap forty-five. Haejin chose to give up around forty, leaving Jarrod, Monte, and them left.

At forty-nine noticed Edith crushing her own fingers as the other two chose to run alongside him.

Simon gulped, running until feeling they were about to approach him. In front of him, Felice yelled to move. He stopped, letting them crash into each other. Smiling, him and Mince reached fifty, while they were considered incomplete.

Mince laughed. "Good, now I barely have to do anything in gym class."

"That's why you were doing it?" He slumped back to his seat, where Felice handed him a water bottle.

"Thanks for earlier."

"Yeah," blushing. "No sweat."

"A lot of sweat is more like it," Kirby teased as the guys were too tired to ask Mr. Pershad what their next sport would be: volleyball.

No one was pleased.