A roar of applause went up in the crowded auditorium as Nina's name was called. The slender giantess gasped, hands flying to her mouth in disbelief. Her? Out of everyone, she had the top score?

For a moment, Nina could only stand there stunned. Then a joyful realization swept over her. She, Nina, would be the one going to the human world! All her studious efforts had paid off - this dream was now a reality. 

As Nina strode up onto the towering stage on shaky legs, she thought her heart might burst from happiness. This meant a chance to study the tiny folk firsthand, to turn her academic passions into real experiences. Already her mind whirled with her plans - so much to learn about the alien species! 

The principal smiled and shook Nina's hand warmly as she came to stand beside him. "Congratulations, Miss Ryst. You made the top score, over 20 marks above the second placing."

Nina could only nod, too choked up to speak. Out in the audience, she glimpsed Selena and Tina absolutely beaming with pride. Even Mia offered an approving thumbs up, seeming genuinely happy for her bookish friend's victory. 

"Thank you sir, I'm so grateful for this opportunity," Nina finally managed. She gazed out at the ocean of Envy faces, while her own glowed with joy and gratitude. This was the start of her adventure, everything she had imagined. The world she knew would soon be left far behind, but Nina stepped forward eagerly towards the unknown future awaiting in the human realm.

"Alright", the principal began, You earned it, can you give Nina here a round of applause " the principal said pointing at Nina

The hall buzzed with clapping with faces filled with forced smiles, wishing it was them who was at that podium at that moment 

"Alright, you will be leaving next week" , the principal continued. "make sure you've finished your preparation by then " the principal said as he gestured Nina to go back go her seat

The event was concluded and the students left the auditorium whiles giving nina the look, mias was to excited to even care she just made her way to her friends chest held high

"You see, I won"nina said puffing her chest with pride

"Yey whoooo," mia cheered

"Yey, the nerd gets to experience adventure" Tina said with an ironic look

"I know you'll be jealous, hmm" Nina scoffed

"We are not jealous, at least I'm not, just a little bit envy that all" Selena said

"That is the definition of jealousy" mia chimed in

"Shut up mia, you don't know anything" Selena fired back

"You know I warned y'all about this" mia folded her arms" I told you all not to get attached, and yet you did, now you're heart broken" mia said

"Shut up" Tina bumped Mia on the head."we are happy for her, at least she gets to tell us her experience" Tina scoffed

"Besides, our school would be chosen again sometime in the future, we still in the junior league so we still have a chance to be here when that happens" selena said trying to console her self

The next few days breezed by ever drawing closer to the departure date, everything was going smoothly, Nina was making all possible preparations, it seems nothing was going to go wrong until it did

It was morning, Nina's eyes blinked open slowly, head pounding. At first she thought the drumming was from her heart hammering with uncontrollably joy. But as she shifted upright with a groan, nausea churned her stomach

"No, no, I can't get sick. Not now!" Nina whimpered aloud. She had only 2 days before departing to the human world. How could she get sick at a time like this?

The sunlight piercing through her curtains made her wince. God darm immune system, shy would you fail me now, common you can fight it 

With a pathetic whimper, Nina curled onto her side. She was supposed to meet with the school administrators today to finalize everything. How could she make it through briefings and paperwork feeling like death warmed over?, that's it "I can fight through this, it's not that bad.

A soft knock at the door made Nina cringe. She croaked permission to enter, Mia's mom appeared around the door.

"Hey, just wanted to see how you were..." Her words trailed off as she took in Nina's haggard appearance. "Oh Nina, you look awful! What's wrong?"

Nina tried to respond but could only manage a weak cough. Mia rushed over, pressing a cool hand to her burning forehead. 

"You're burning up! Here, what's wrong honey, don't worry, it's alright honey, I'll call the doctor immediately" the mom said as he ran out of her run with blinding speed.

"No, please no," Nina groaned, curling into a ball beneath her blankets. She had worked so hard and now the opportunity of a lifetime was slipping through her fingers. Fate couldn't be so cruel as to make her miss out due to some germ.

Despair flooded through Nina as she shivered miserably. All her hopes and dreams rested on making this trip. She couldn't let some measly illness steal that away.

With bleary determination, Nina forced herself upright. She would just walk this off. Maybe it's just a temporary thing. She refused to surrender her chance.

Nina gritted her teeth against the pounding in her skull. Each movement sparked fresh flares of pain, but she pushed stubbornly onward. She hadn't bested everyone in school only to be defeated by a microscopic invader. 

Despite the crippling headache and nausea, Nina summoned all her willpower to stand up. She couldn't let this illness defeat her. As she made her way to the bathroom, her legs felt like jelly, and she clung to the walls for support. Each step was a battle, but she couldn't give up.

The soft knock on her bedroom door came again, Nina's mom with a worried expression. "Nina, the doctor will be here soon. You should really let them check you out."

Nina managed a weak smile, her voice trembling but determined. "Thank you, but I'll be fine. I just need to shake this off. I can't afford to miss this opportunity."

Mia's mom looked unconvinced but left her to continue what she was doing. Nina knew she had to make it to those final briefings and paperwork. She couldn't afford to let her sickness delay her departure.

With great effort, Nina got dressed, her fingers fumbling with the buttons. She forced herself to eat a bit of breakfast, but it tasted like cardboard in her mouth. Her head throbbed relentlessly.

As she stood up to leave for school, her legs wobbled, and her vision blurred. Determined to push through, she took a step, but it was as if the floor had shifted beneath her. Nina collapsed onto the table, dishes clattering around her.

Mia's mom rushed over, panic in her eyes. "Nina, you need to lie down. This is serious."

Nina could hardly argue now. She nodded weakly, allowing herself to be guided back to her room. As she lay in bed, the room seemed to spin around her. The minutes dragged on like hours, and she knew she couldn't continue like this.

Finally, the doctor arrived. After a thorough examination, the diagnosis was clear: a severe infection that had taken a toll on Nina's body. The doctor recommended immediate treatment and a period of rest. It was evident that Nina couldn't travel to the human world in this condition.

Tears welled up in Nina's eyes as the reality sank in. Her dreams were slipping away, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She would have to wait, recover, and hope for another chance in the future.

As the doctor prescribed medication and left the room, Nina's mom sat by her side, comforting her. "I know it's hard, sweetheart, but your health comes first. You'll get another opportunity when you're well."

Nina nodded, her voice weak but filled with determination. "You're right, Mom. I won't give up. I'll recover, and I'll make sure I'm even more prepared next time."

For now, the dream of exploring the human world would have to wait.

Later in the day, Mia's friends, Selena, Tina, and Mia , gathered at Nina's house, concerned about her absence from school. They knew how much Nina had been looking forward to the trip, and her sudden absence was a shock.

Selena knocked on Nina's bedroom door gently. "Nina, it's us. Can we come in?"

Selena pushed the door open slowly, and they entered the room to find Nina lying in bed, looking pale and weak. The sight of their friend in such a state sent a wave of worry through them.

"Nina, what happened?" Mia asked, her voice filled with concern.

Nina mustered a faint smile. "Hey, guys. I... I got sick, really sick. It hit me hard this morning."

Tina's brow furrowed with concern. "Sick? But you were fine yesterday! What's wrong?"

Nina sighed, her voice trembling. "I don't know, but the doctor said it's some kind of infection. I can't believe this is happening now, right before the trip."

Selena couldn't hide her frustration. "This is so unfair! You worked so hard, and we were all excited for you.We eventually did but Now this?"

Mia, who had been holding back tears, finally broke down. "Nina, I genuinely think this whole human thing is over hyped, but I see you really wanted it and worked hard to attain it, and I really respect your decision and would support you but, now look what happened"

Nina weakly shook her head. "No, don't blame yourselves. It's just bad luck. I was so close, and now it feels like everything's falling apart."

Tina paced back and forth, her frustration evident. "We can't just accept this. There must be something we can do. Can't we reschedule or ask for a delay?"

Nina sighed again, but this time it was filled with resignation. "I wish we could, Tina, but the opportunity was a one-time thing. The school won't wait, they'll probably choose someone else since I can't travel in this condition."

Mia nodded, wiping away her tears. "And we won't let you go through this alone. We'll visit you every day, and we'll make sure you're not alone."

The next day dawned, and Nina found herself confined to her hospital bed, feeling a mixture of disappointment and lingering illness.

As the day wore on, the news of Nina's illness had spread throughout the school. Classmates sent cards and well wishes. It was heartening to know that her classmates cared, but it also made her feel like she was letting everyone down.

In the afternoon, there was a knock on Nina's hospital room door, and it opened to reveal the principal. He wore a concerned expression as he entered, carrying a bouquet of flowers.

"Nina, I heard about your condition, and I wanted to come and check on you," the principal said, his tone warm and empathetic.

Nina managed a weak smile. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate your concern." The principal placed the flowers on the bedside table and pulled up a chair to sit beside Nina's bed. "I can't express how sorry I am that you won't be able to make the trip. It was clear that you had worked incredibly hard for this opportunity."

Nina nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. "It's just so frustrating, sir. I was so close, and now it feels like it's all slipping away."

The principal reached out and patted her hand gently. "I understand, Nina. Life can be unpredictable, and sometimes, despite our best efforts, things don't go as planned."

They sat in silence for a moment, and then the principal spoke again. "Nina, I wanted to discuss something with you. Since you won the competition, technically, you have the right to choose your replacement."

Nina looked puzzled. "Choose my replacement, sir?"

The principal nodded. "Yes, that's right. You can select the student who will go in your place. It's not ethical but given your circumstances, I thought it might be fair. You've earned that privilege."

Nina was taken aback by the offer. It was unexpected, and she hadn't considered the possibility. She mulled it over for a moment before responding, "That's very generous of you, sir. But I'm not sure who I would choose."

Mr. Anderson smiled kindly. "Take your time, Nina. Think it over. And if you decide to go through with it, let me know. I'll make sure the arrangements are made accordingly."