Tifara and May's fourth period class was P.E., and all Mekurian secondary school students were on Schedule B on their second day of school. Then they'll be back on Schedule A the next day because they leave school at the fifteenth hour (3pm).

Whenever Mekurians have P.E., they were expected to change into their gym clothes, even if it was their first day of the class. And that's exactly what these girls did. In the girls gym, Tifara, May and the rest of the girls focused on Ms. Willard.They were all seventh years and they wore their gray shirts and longer, scarlet shorts.

"Alright, listen up, ladies!" Ms. Willard yelled after roll calling her students. "First we're going to be doing some stretches. So sit down!"

The girls obeyed and Ms. Willard walked towards the radio on the floor. She turned on the radio and a woman's voice said, "Good day, everyone. Time to stretch your legs. Ready?..."

The girls stretched their legs out, placed their hands on their left feet and leaned forward. May was excited to do this while Tifara reluctantly did so. The girls behind Tifara disgustedly looked at her, gossiping behind her back while she was stretching.

Even though Tifara was glad that school gyms were gender segregated in secondary school, it didn't prevent her from experiencing persecution. She hated taking P.E. and considered it one of her worst school subjects in her compulsory years.

Her memory images reminded her of the bullying and the harassment she received in Upper Elementary from both some boys and girls alike. She had to take it and complete it for a year, as a credit hour of P.E. was required for her to graduate from secondary school. She won't even have to worry about taking it ever again.

Tifara's face was saddened when she heard that and immediately sat back up, even when the radio lady wasn't done counting yet. Oh, Elohim. Please help me! she sadly thought, looking up at the ceiling.

May noticed this and moved her head up a little towards Tifara's attention. "Uh, are you alright, Tifara?"

"Yeah, these girls behind me talk shit about me, and I'm having a hard time focusing on my stretches," Tifara answered, turning to May.

May quickly turned around and glared at the girls gossiping about Tifara. "Why don't you guys jus' knock it off and stop bullyin' my best friend already?!"

Those girls sucked their teeth at May with one of them saying, "Screw off, May! Nobody wants ya!"

"Ooooo, that's it!" May roared, getting ready to pick a fight with two girls.

Then Ms. Willard's whistle echoed across the gym.

"That's enough ladies and keep stretching!" Ms. Willard yelled at May and those girls near Tifara, as the rest of the class was ready to stretch their other legs the same way.

Tifara, May and those girls followed suit and Tifara happily looked at May. Recalling May and Dalila stood up for her in Upper Elementary years, Tifara whispered to May, "Thanks, May. I appreciate what you've done for me."

"You're welcome," May whispered and smiled back at Tifara.

****

After Ms. Willard's class performed their stretches, Ms. Willard announced, "Alright, ladies. We're going to do the last stretch and we'll be running outside on the track. So let's go!"

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Tifara expressed her annoyed look on her face. Great, do we seriously need to run around the track as the final stretch?! Why can't we jus' end the stretches already?! Ugh! She thought while most of Ms. Willard's students exited the gym, crossing her arms, moving her eyes to the right.

May didn't even go with the students and looked at Tifara. "Tifara, are you okay?"

Tifara turned to May. "Yeah, I'm fine. I jus' hate runnin' more than anything else in this course." She then saddened her face. "I really don't feel like doin' this exercise."

"Tifara, Meireia!" Ms. Willard yelled before Tifara and May turned to her, pointing at the door. "Outside now!"

"Yes, ma'am," Tifara said, uncrossing her arms, walking towards the door.

"But Ms. Willard, can you please call me May instead of my real name? I hate being called that," May pleaded.

"Oh, is that so?" Ms. Willard curiously asked. "I apologize and I'll call you by your preferred name next time."

"Thank you, Ms. Willard," May exclaimed, turning around, heading for the door.

"You're welcome, May," Ms. Willard said, smiling at May, also heading for the door.

Once Tifara and May exited the gym and ran around the track, Ms. Willard's class ran at a normal pace. Tifara ran at a much slower pace than May which made May run near her. Her embarrassed cheeks were reddened while her eyes twitched a little bit, focusing on the track. They heard the rest of the girls just chatting with one another while they also ran, minding their own business.

May looked around before she noticed Tifara's embarrassed face. "Uh, Tifara? Are you alright? I haven't even heard any other girls gossip about you yet."

"Ugh! Just look at Titsfara's breasts!" One girl gossiped, disgustingly looking down on Tifara's breasts with another girl.

Glaring at Tifara's breasts when they jiggle so hard, even when Tifara was wearing a sports bra, Tifara quickly moved up her arms while she ran around the track. Mekurian girls were required to bring their sports bra to P.E. course and wear them for support during their exercises.

Yet Tifara's sport bra doesn't fit her because her mom couldn't even afford to buy her a new sports bra. Tifara's mom gave all her sports bras away to charity that she wore in secondary school when she was younger.

Tifara's aunt gave her sports bras to Tifara. Those bras didn't even fit Tifara, but that's all her aunt could ever afford. Man, this sports bra sucks, that for sure, Tifara annoyedly thought

Another girl turned to one girl, "I know, right? She's called Titsfara for a reason, y'know."

"Yeah, broh! Tell me about it!" One girl said as she and another girl laughed viciously.

May quickly turned her angry to those girls as several girls followed suit, raising her fist up. "Alright, you guys. Y'all better knock it off, or I'm gonna-"

Tifara's eyes broadened when she heard her best friend say that, putting her hand over May's mouth. She embassingly closed her eyes when turning her head to the crowd. "You know what? Don't worry about what she said! Jus' keep runnin' and we'll stop this stupid stretch soon enough, okay?"

Ms. Willard's class chuckled at Tifara, while May looked at Tifara and talked as Tifara's hand covered her mouth. Why, Yeshua Hamashiach! Is May tryin' to get herself and I an office referral or somethin', after she hypocritcally accused me of gettin' into trouble yesterday?! On the second day of school?! Seriously?! Tifara angrily thought, looking May in the eye.

Ms. Willard blew her whistle at her class. "Alright, ladies! That's enough! And keep runnin'!" Then she angrily turned to Tifara. "Tifara, let go of May this instant, or you get an office referral, is that understood?!"

Tifara quickly turned to Ms. Willard out of fear. "But, Ms. Willard! I-"

Ms. Willard angrily closed her eyes and put her head down. "One…"

"Ms. Willard!"

"Two…"

"Ms. Willaaaard-duh!"

"Don't make me get to three, young lady. You know what happens when I get to three, do you?!"

Realizing it's useless to explain her situation to her gym teacher, Tifara sighed and let go of May. "Alright, Ms. Willard. I let go of May."

Ms. Willard opened her eyes and grinned at Tifara out of relief. "Good, now jog, you two. Or you'll be doing some extra work after school."

"Yes, ma'am!" Tifara and May fearfully said when they continued running around the track at a much slower pace.

While they ran, May angrily turned to Tifara. "Now why the hell did you do that back there?! I was tryin' to help ya out, y'know!"

"I know you are, but-" Tifara roared, glaring back at May. "I was tryin' to keep ya out of trouble on your second day of school, that's why! I jus' can't risk ya get into fights and I get blamed for it! "

"But, Tifara-" May cried.

"Remember you, Sam and Dalila warned me to stay out of trouble in the hallway yesterday, when I gave the girl her book back and Calpurnia and her friends? Plus, the Bible tells us in Matthew 7:1-5 not to hypocritically judge others. And here you are tryin' to do the same thing that you accused me of!"

Recalling her agreement with Sam and Dalila about not helpin' others out of fear of gettin' into trouble, May guiltily frowned at Tifara. "Yeah, you're right, Tifara. Please forgive my behavior today."

Tifara smiled at May and shook her head. "Mhn! I totally forgive you, May."

Once Tifara and May ran around the track in last place, Ms. Willard's students happily ran inside the gym, curiously wondering what they would do next in P.E. that day.