My Track Days

1. ON YOUR MARK

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I shot up from my bed as I heard Mom screaming from the hallway. My eyes, still tired and heavy, scanned my room frantically, making me cringe at the sight of the mess scattered across the floor.

"You're late on your first day of school," Mom said, standing in the doorway, shaking her head in disappointment. "Get up and get ready."

I sighed, dragging myself out of bed and clutching my stuffed bear. My gaze fell on the large mirror by my bathroom door, and I caught sight of my tired reflection. With a soft thud, I dropped the bear and shuffled over to start getting ready.

'The first day of school, how exciting' I thought with a wave of sarcasm.

School was where I always felt left behind. Everyone else seemed so sure of what they wanted to do, and how they were going to achieve it. And then there was me—untalented, unspecial, without any clear purpose. I felt lost, so lost.

My sisters were thriving in the best high schools around. My friends were winning competitions and excelling in everything they touched.

And me? Well, I wasn't the smartest. I couldn't sing, bake, draw or dance. I had given up on finding what I was truly good at, let alone improving at anything I was bad at.

My mom's voice echoed through the hallway; her frustration clear as she stepped into my room. Her eyes met mine just as I was combing through my short ginger hair, my uniform already on.

"Marissa, you're going to be late. You need to start sleeping earlier," she scolded.

I glanced at the clock on my dresser, and my eyes widened in panic. "8:30 a.m.!" I shot up from my vanity, grabbed my bag and rushed past her.

"What about your breakfast?" she called after me.

"I can't! I'm late!" I shouted over my shoulder, bursting through the front door. The startled gasps of people on the sidewalk filled the air, but I ignored their looks and sprinted as fast as I could toward school.

This was my typical school morning—waking up late and running to make it on time. As my feet pounded the pavement, running through the crowded sidewalks, I couldn't help but wonder if today might be different. Maybe today I'd finally step out of the shadows of my siblings and be seen.

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🍃👟MY TRACK DAYS👟🍃

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I wandered through the school halls, my hand gripping my bag tightly as I searched for my homeroom class. Finally, I reached the door and peeked inside, looking for the teacher. My eyes scanned the room, taking in the chatting students and the noisy, lively atmosphere. The teacher, Mr. Rivera, sat at his desk, his face glued to his laptop, seemingly oblivious to the noise.

'Maybe he will pardon me. The class is noisy,' I thought, hoping to avoid punishment.

I walked into the classroom quietly, my head down as I tried to sneak to the back.

"Marissa Floris."

I froze mid-step, letting out a sigh as I realized I had been caught. I turned to face Mr. Rivera, who was staring at me with a bored expression. Reluctantly, I walked toward his desk, forcing a smile.