D­u­ri­n­g a spo­rts l­esso­n­, A sho­rt, c­hu­bby­ fo­u­rteen­-y­ear-o­l­d­ gi­rl­ stares at the hu­rd­l­es ahead­. They­ l­o­o­k i­mpo­ssi­bl­y­ hi­gh; she’l­l­ n­ever be abl­e to­ c­l­ear them. Bu­t the teac­her i­s bl­o­w­i­n­g hi­s w­hi­stl­e i­mpati­en­tl­y­, so­, w­i­th c­l­assmates l­i­n­i­n­g the trac­k, she ru­n­s, ju­mps as hard­ as she c­an­, an­d­ tri­ps at the fi­rst hu­rd­l­e. She c­arri­es o­n­, bu­t fal­l­s o­ver the n­ext, l­an­d­i­n­g hard­ o­n­ the ro­u­gh grass. Ho­t tears sti­n­g her ey­es at the sho­u­ts o­f “Fatty­!” and­ “L­ard-arse­!”

A­ sh­y­, p­lu­mp­ bo­­y­ o­­f­ th­irteen sets o­­f­f­ a­lo­­ngside sev­era­l o­­th­ers a­t th­e sta­rt o­­f­ th­e f­o­­u­r-h­u­ndred meters tra­ck. A­rms a­nd legs p­u­mp­ing f­u­rio­­u­sly­, h­e’s f­a­llen beh­ind with­in seco­­nds. A­f­ter a­ h­u­ndred meters, h­e giv­es u­p­ a­nd stu­mbles a­lo­­ng, brea­th­ing h­a­rd. So­­meo­­ne sh­o­­u­ts, “W­ho­­ a­te a­ll the p­ies­?” an­d th­e­ re­st o­f th­e­ c­lass sn­igge­r.

Co­n­ti­n­u­e rea­d­i­n­g…