My Family

Chapter 5

Kipo stood in the gymnasium. Today is the first day she's doing gym. She wasn't allowed in the gym because of the anger issues she had shortly before getting expelled. She would lash out at people and even throw something at one time. Kipo had her reasons for doing these things, but like the mutation, she kept it secret. Maybe she might finally tell her therapists about it. She is going to her weekly session after school.

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The teacher is making them run laps around the Gym for 10 minutes, after some stretches, then they are gonna have some free time. This is the same for every Monday.

At Kipo's last school, the Gym teacher made everyone run the entire time unless it was a physical test day or there was a sub.

Ms. Labél the Gym teacher put on some school-appropriate music and started the stretches. Kipo loves running. It makes her all sweaty and exhausted, but she loves it. The feeling of her feet smacking against the ground as it pushes her forward. The wind on her face and adrenaline keeps her going. Overall she loves the freedom of it. it's the aftermath that she hates.

Kipo and her classmates took off running around the gym. Some gave up instantly and walked. Her old teacher would have followed them and yelled until they started running.

This teacher just let them. She kept her pace slower than her top speed. This isn't about coming in first. A few are running with all their might in the front, quickly lapping people in the small area. A few lingered in the back just walking or slowly jogging. Then there were the ones in the middle. Running but not putting effort into it.

Something pushed into Kipo. It's an average-sized gym with over 20 kids running. She's bound to be bumped into. Couldn't avoid it, but this had a lot of force in it. Something bumped into her again from a different angle. She stumbled under the weight but balanced herself out. The anger in her chest bubbled up.

This is the same thing that happened at her old school. A lot of people targeted her, pushing her around literally, and teasing her. Okay it was only four people, but they were everywhere.

As the jaguar got closer to showing, her emotions got harder to contain. Kipo took a deep breath and started running a bit faster. The jaguar loves running, it normally gets her to calm down.

Something bumped into her again, this time accompanied by laughter. A guttural grunt came from the base of her chest. Someone slammed into her back and she fell onto the ground. She caught herself. Most people stopped running or slowed down to see her on the ground.

"Get up, you got this. No quitting yet!" Ms. Label yelled clapping her hands.

Kipo pushed herself from the ground. The jaguar bitting inside her consciousness trying to push itself out. It's never been fully out before. Too afraid of what it will do. Kipo felt it gnawing in the back of her mind. The tingling that always accompanied when it showed itself.

Kipo ran out of the Gym, the teacher calling out to her. Carton is racing after her. Kipo ran into the bathroom and shut the stall door. Her breathing labored as she fought the beast inside her.

"Not now, please. I can't do it again," Kipo muttered to the beast, with tears in her eyes. The door softly opened and Carton slowly walked up to the closed stall.