Chapter 2:
The shrill beep of the alarm jolted Ryan awake once again. He groaned, his body stiff from yesterday's routine. Despite his reluctance, he swung his legs off the bed and forced himself upright.
"Second day," he muttered. "Only 199 more to go."
The cool splash of water on his face helped shake off the grogginess. After brushing his teeth, he threw on his school uniform, grabbed his bag, and made his way to the kitchen.
His mom was already up, humming softly as she flipped pancakes. "Morning, Ryan. Ready for round two?"
Ryan smirked. "Barely. Any coffee?"
She handed him a glass of milk instead. "You're too young for coffee. Pancakes will have to do."
Grumbling under his breath, Ryan dug into his breakfast. The warmth of the food helped him wake up further, and soon he was out the door, heading for the bus stop.
The streets were quieter than yesterday, the first-day excitement having worn off. Ryan stood with a few other students, waiting for the familiar rumble of the school bus.
Marco greeted him with his usual grin as Ryan climbed aboard. "What's up, dude? Survived yesterday?"
"Just barely," Ryan said, sliding into the seat beside him.
"Today's gonna be better," Marco declared. "I mean, it can't get worse, right?"
Ryan wasn't so sure but nodded anyway, his thoughts drifting as the bus carried them toward another day.
---
The school felt less chaotic than it had the day before. Students seemed to move with more purpose, already slipping into their routines. Ryan made his way to his locker, stuffing his bag inside and pulling out the books he needed for the first class.
Marco leaned against the neighboring locker. "Did you finish the English homework?"
Ryan groaned. "Barely. Why do they always start with essays?"
"At least it's out of the way," Marco said. "Now we can focus on more important things, like not falling asleep in class."
They walked to their classroom together, settling into their seats as the bell rang. The teacher began the lesson with a quiz—something Ryan hadn't anticipated this early.
"Great," he muttered, picking up his pen.
Marco glanced over and whispered, "Told you it couldn't get worse. Guess I was wrong."
Ryan could only sigh as he turned his attention to the paper. It was going to be another long day.
---
After the quiz, Ryan and Marco made their way to the cafeteria, where they found Ethan at their usual table, already halfway through a pack of chips.
"Hey, brainiacs," Ethan greeted, smirking. "How was that quiz?"
"Brutal," Marco said, dropping into his seat. "I think I answered one question right, and it was my name."
Ryan chuckled as he unwrapped his sandwich. "Could've been worse."
Ethan grinned. "Could've been better, too. Anyway, you hear about the new PE teacher? People are saying she's super strict. Like, military-level strict."
Marco raised an eyebrow. "PE? Strict? Isn't it just running laps and playing dodgeball?"
Ethan shrugged. "That's what I thought, but rumor has it she used to train athletes or something."
Ryan wasn't sure if he believed it, but the idea intrigued him. "Guess we'll find out after this."
---
PE turned out to be… intense. The new teacher, Ms. Vega, was everything Ethan had described and more. Tall and commanding, she had the class organized and moving before most of them even realized what was happening.
"Alright, everyone! Line up!" Ms. Vega's voice carried across the field, commanding instant attention. "We're starting with basic fitness assessments today. I need to see where you're at so we can build from there."
The class groaned collectively.
"Is this even legal?" muttered Chloe, one of Ryan's classmates, as she reluctantly got into position. "I'm not a soldier. I can't do push-ups to save my life!"
"Same," added Mia, stretching halfheartedly. "I thought PE was supposed to be fun, not boot camp."
Ms. Vega's sharp whistle interrupted their complaints. "No excuses! Let's move! The faster we start, the faster it's over."
The next hour was a blur of running, push-ups, squats, and sit-ups. Ryan found himself pushing harder than he expected, partly because of Ms. Vega's watchful eye and partly because Marco wouldn't stop challenging him.
"Bet I can do more sit-ups than you," Marco said between breaths.
"Didn't you lose the last challenge?" Ryan shot back, smirking.
Meanwhile, Bea collapsed on the grass beside Chloe, her face flushed. "I think I just saw my life flash before my eyes."
"Same," Chloe wheezed. "If this is PE now, I'm transferring schools."
Ethan jogged past them, looking surprisingly composed. "You're all acting like this is the end of the world," he teased.
"It might as well be!" Chloe retorted. "Why do we need to do these every day anyway? Can't we just stick to dodgeball and call it a day?"
"Agreed," added Mia. "Who even enjoys this?"
Marco grinned as he passed by. "I do. PE is essential for maintaining our bodies, you know."
Chloe shot him a glare. "Oh, please. The only thing motivating you is the PE uniforms."
Marco raised his hands defensively but didn't deny it, earning a collective groan from the girls.
As the session finally ended, Ms. Vega clapped her hands, calling the students back together.
"Good effort, everyone," she said, her voice firm but not unkind. "I know today was tough, but this type of exercise is only twice a month. Regular PE will be more relaxed—basic warm-ups, physical activities, or games."
The class visibly relaxed at her words.
"You mean we're not doing this every day?" Bea asked hopefully.
"No," Ms. Vega replied. "I'm only your PE teacher twice a month. I volunteer here to ensure you get a taste of more structured fitness training. The rest of the time, your regular teacher will handle PE."
"Does our regular teacher believe in dodgeball?" Chloe asked, her tone hopeful.
Ms. Vega chuckled. "Yes, and probably basketball, volleyball, and other games. You'll be fine."
"That's a relief," Ryan muttered to Marco, who nodded.
"See? Not so bad after all. We also get to see our female classmates in PE uniforms," Marco said.
Chloe overheard him and rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless, Marco. Absolute trash."
Marco shrugged, unbothered. "And proud of it."
As they headed back to the locker rooms, the atmosphere was lighter. Ethan walked alongside Ryan and Marco.
"Well, you survived," Ethan said, smirking.
"Barely," Ryan replied. "If she's this strict twice a month, I don't even want to think about what she does on her off days."
"She probably trains for marathons or climbs mountains," Marco joked, earning a laugh from both Ryan and Ethan.
"Hey, at least we know it's not every day now," Ryan said. "Though, if I can't lift my arms tomorrow, I'm blaming both of you."
"Blame Marco," Ethan said. "He's the one who turned it into a competition."
"Hey!" Marco protested, but he couldn't help laughing as they made their way back inside.
---
The rest of the day felt like a cooldown after PE. History passed in a haze of note-taking, and Health was a brief lecture on nutrition. By the time the final bell rang, Ryan was ready to collapse.
"Tomorrow better be easier," Marco said as they walked to the gate.
Ethan snorted. "Keep dreaming. You know they're just warming up."
Ryan sighed but smiled. "At least we survived another day."
As they parted ways, Ryan felt the familiar weight of his bag on his shoulders. The second day of school was done, and while it hadn't been easy, it wasn't all bad.