Warrior: The Forging of a Champion

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Is that the Big Dipper or is it that guy with a belt? No, I think it is the guy's belt.  

These are the things I wonder as I look up at the stars of a dark sky at five forty-five in the morning on my daily run. It's no fun waking up early in the morning to run, but it is especially painful on a cold Monday morning. Master Lee insists running is an important piece of training. As painful as getting up so early can be, it builds stamina and, with some of the sprint drills I do during my run, it also builds speed. "All the champions do it, so you have to," I can hear Master Lee say over and over again. I take the same route every day to a local high school I would attend if I didn't go to a Catholic school. I run some sprints on the track, up and down the stadium stairs a few times, and then head home to the shower, have a quick breakfast, and get a ride to school from my mom. 

The warning bell rings at 7:45 a.m., and homeroom, which is religion class, begins at eight o'clock. My mom drops me off at seven forty-eight, so I have to run into the school, get to my locker, and then to the first class in record time. I barely make it into the classroom as the teacher is closing the door. It's always a struggle to get here for the beginning of the day. 

A group of football players, who all sit in the back of the class, see me, stand up, and act like they are practicing martial arts, yelling and kicking into the air at me. The teacher laughs at them, sees me, and tells them to stop. 

I take my place in the middle of the classroom. I sit down on the hard wooden seat of my desk, already feeling tired, and it isn't even first period yet.  

The teacher takes attendance and starts the class.  

I lean back in my chair and yawn. 

"Mr. White perhaps you would like to tell the class what happened in the Council of Nicea." 

"Huh?" I say. 

"Huh, is your summary of the council?" the teacher responds as the class laughs. 

"Sorry, I wasn't ready for the question. What was the question again?" 

"Mr. White, perhaps you should focus more on your studies than your Karate."  

The class laughs out loud again. 

"It's not Karate. It's Tae Kwon Do," I say. 

"Whatever. It is not the focus of this class. Is it?" 

Slumping down in my chair I say, "No, it isn't." 

The next class, study hall, is on the other side of the school. I get to my locker and then sprint to class carrying along all the books I need. I almost don't make in time to this class either. I sit down at a desk and open my religion book, so I can get that homework out of the way. In front of me a group of soccer players and a few of the cheerleaders have moved their desks together next to mine and are all talking. I feel a tap on my shoulder. 

I turn around and see Michelle Battle looking at me. Michelle is one of the most popular and hot girls in the whole school. She has short brown hair pulled up which surrounds her gorgeous face. Her eyes are dark green. I stare at her eyes and then she says, "Hi."  

"Uh, hi." 

"How are you doing?" she asks. 

"How am I doing? Oh, okay, well I really had a bad weekend. I was in a competition and I lost and then I had to go to my Tae Kwon Do school all day yesterday and my instructor he's like really mad at me and all he wants me to do is train all the time which I do already."