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Cheryl Goodwin squinted as she walked out onto the field, momentarily blinded by the early afternoon sun. Once her yellow-green eyes adjusted to the light, the corgi hybrid was able to fully take in her surrounding, and they left her breathless. The Rhode Island state track and field tournament was under way, and she had managed to run her way to the finals, once again. Although it wasn't her first time here, she didn't think she'd ever get used to this massive outdoor stadium, so much larger than her high school's. The stands were packed with the friends and family's of all the competing athletes, here to watch the teens put there all for the gold and try to find a slot in the nationals competition. Cheryl had never quite made it that far, but she had a feeling that this might be here year. It had to be; she likely wouldn't get another shot at it ever again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please give your attention to the track as we prepare for the woman's four hundred meter dash!"

That announcement, and the cheering it brought, had Cheryl's heart racing, a nervous grin spreading across her face as she approached the line, waving to the hundreds of people gathered. Her parents were in that mess, somewhere, but there were far too many people for her to find them. She knew better than to try, keeping them in her heart as she readied for the race. Like the seven young teens around her, she started stretching out her legs, mentally going over the track and her practiced techniques. She would win this year, she just knew it.

"Racers to their marks!"

Her sandy fur quivered as Cheryl set her paws in position, taking a moment to glance at her competitors. She was in the sixth lane, with a dalmatian to her left and a cheetah to her right. "Of course there's a cheetah." She internally groaned. "We'll see who as the faster land speed when I beat you across the tape."

The racers all tensed up as the starting gun was raised, ears strained to hear that bang over the crowd. All had their eyes forward, Cheryl's dilating as she focused on her line like it was her prey.

"On your marks! Get set!"

They were off the moment the bang echoed through the air, the young women sprinting from the starting lines like corks from a champagne bottle. The cheering of the crowd became background noise to Cheryl as she forced her muscles into full speed, staying near the front as early as she could. The Torgi never liked trailing in the pack, pumping her legs to keep up with the others as they approached the first turn. Especially the cheetah, who was leading the way.

She grit her teeth, already feeling her heart beating faster in her chest as she pushed to keep up. Cheryl knew she had the slight advantage of the more inside lane. If she could keep level with this other girl, she could pull ahead on the turns. "Stay focused. Eyes straight. Leave something for that final push. You can do this."

She channeled her breathing, even breaths in and out as they hit the turn. She caught up to the cheetah quickly, the two of them leaving the other racers behind, but to Cheryl's annoyance they came out of the turn dead even. The two girls shared a glance before lowering the heads, both determined to outpace the other on the back straight. Cheryl could feel her muscles starting to burn from the strain, but she fought through it. The pain was part of the glory, and she knew victory would not come easy.

She managed to keep pace with her new rival, refusing to back down. Her heart raced along with her, blood pumping loud in her ears as they hit the turn. This was where she could pull ahead, growling as she pushed her muscles to pump even harder. Cheryl called on her second wind, her reserve of energy, to boost her even faster on the second turn, blocking out everything but the finish line as she pulled ahead.

"This is it! This is it!" She cheered herself on, refusing to give in to the ache or slow down for even a second. Her muscles her beyond fatigued, but she could see that ribbon, and she wanted to break it too badly to give in now.

Then, from the corner of her eye, she saw her. Another of the racers, a gazelle, had managed a last minute push as well, challenging Cheryl for the victory. "No you don't!" Cheryl growled, once again making an all out push. But her reserves were low, her leg muscles screaming for her to stop. Her heart beat painfully fast in her chest, but she ignored it all. She paced this new rival, neck in neck as they neared that finish line. It would be close. She just had to edge her out at the last second.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the first racers crossed the finish line, gradually slowing their pace to catch their breaths. The others caught up quickly, until all eight young women had completed the run, panting as they waved to the crowd and painfully limped off to the locker rooms. The announcer was already congratulating them for a close race, but Cheryl already knew who the winner was.

She hadn't even felt the broken tape as it loosely fluttered around her.

Cheryl quietly kept her chin up through the rest of the event, accepting the second place medal with a forced smile and gratitude. She even managed to congratulate the winner without showing any disdain. She was a good sport if nothing else, just as she had been raised and trained.

Once home, later that afternoon, Cheryl went to her room, asking her parents for a moment alone. She placed the medal alongside all her others, won from various races throughout her schooling career. As she looked at them all, her heart sank, and with a whimper the girl finally broke down. She wailed as her tears fell freely over her cheeks, Cheryl collapsing to her knees as her heart ached from more than just fatigue. She cried over all the medals, and what they all represented. For each on said the same thing: Second Place.

For her entire career, she had only managed to ever place second. And now she was graduating high school, with no intention of going to college. This had been her last chance, she knew. Her last chance to be more than second place. Her last chance to go for the gold.