as　afraid　of　the　teasing。　So；　for　two　years　I　lived　in　fear。　Yet　that　day；　it　didn’t　matter。　I　was　ready　—shorts；　heart　and　mind。　I　no　sooner　got　to　the　starting　line　before　I　heard　the　loud　whispers。“Gross　！”“How　fat！”“How　ugly！”　I　blocked　it　out。

Then　the　coach　yelled；　“Ready。　Set。　Go！”　I　jetted　out　of　there　like　an　airplane；　faster　than　anyone　for　the　first　20　feet。　I　didn’t　know　much　about　pacing　then；　but　it　was　okay　because　I　was　determined　to　finish　first。　As　we　came　around　the　first　of　four　laps；　there　were　students　all　over　the　track。　By　the　end　of　the　second　lap；　many　of　the　students　had　already　quit。　They　had　given　up　and　were　on　the　ground　gasping　for　air。　As　I　started　the　third　lap；　only　a　few　of　my　classmates　were　left　on　the　track；　and　I　began　limping。　By　the　time　I　hit　the　fourth　lap；　I　was　alone。　Then　it　hit　me。　I　realized　that　nobody　had　given　up。　Instead；　everyone　had　already　finished。　As　I　ran　that　last　lap；　I　cried。　I　realized　that　every　boy　and　girl　in　my　class　had　beaten　me；　and　12　minutes；　42　seconds　after　starting；　I　crossed　the　finish　line。　I　fell　to　the　ground　and　shed　oceans。　I　was　so　embarrassed。

Suddenly　my　coach　ran　up　to　me　and　picked　me　up；　yelling；“You　did　it。　Manuel！Manuel；　you　finished；　son。　You　finished！”He　looked　me　straight　in　the　eyes；　waving　a　piece　of　paper　in　his　hand。　It　was　my　goal　for　the　day；　which　I　had　forgotten。　I　had　given　it　to　him　before　class。　He　read　it　aloud　to　everyone。　It　simply　said；“I；　Manuel　Diotte；　wi