He was way too good!

Zac the Mac was ready. His name was really Zacchary MacDonald. He was in his final year of Deadbeat High School, in some leafy green suburb. He was the only son of his single mother, a nurse. She had brought Zac up to be a good Christian lad. He had stepped up to the plate to be the prayer leader of his local youth group at his church.

Unfortunately for Zac the Mac, as he was nicknamed by his classmates, he was the shortest guy in their last year of high school. He had found it hard to compete in football and other sports. But he was a nifty runner, so he had been practicing.

"I'm in your corner!" his mother had told him, when Zac shared that he wanted to train for the cross-country regional championships. So Zac and his mother had daily set their alarms, so he could train and develop his speed and endurance in running. His mother, with her simple faith, had always been there, in any sort of weather, timing him on her stop watch.

Zac the Mac surprised the other athletic students by being chosen as the last runner on the Deadbeat High School mixed cross-country team. He made it! The competition day soon arrived, Zac the Mac was lining up at the start, he nervously eyed off his own team mates. They were truly giants, like Goliaths of track running. But they had all grown up together.

Indeed, Zac the Mac felt like little David. That had always been his favorite Bible story, from way back. God was on his side, he had his mother in his corner, cheering him every step of the way. She had the loudest voice, but her cheers and pep talks kept him going through thick and thin.

The bus from their opposition school had showed up in time. Their traditional rivals today were Posh Christian College,from over the hill in their little town in the world. They naturally thought they were superior, in snow white running gear. They too lined up, start time was drawing near.

By the way, Zac the Mac had always fancied himself as a ladies' man too. But, even more bad luck there. All the girls in his classes at Deadbeat High School towered over his short self. They snickered if he ever tried to chat them up, let alone ask them to dance at teen socials. Still, that was not an issue today. Zac the Mac had to run his best, he was in the team.

But, amazing. As Zac the Mac was doing his stretches, delayed by the starter for some reason, he glanced across at the Posh Christian College team. Their last runner on their team was a tiny chick. For once, Zac the Mac had noticed a girl even shorter than he was. She had a mass of brunette hair, tied in a swishy pony tail, big blue eyes, a lovely, pretty face. All over, a beautiful little package.

Zac the Mac smiled, a bit hesitant. Chicks like her usually had large, protective boyfriends. Very possessive, some teen males. Her name tag read, "Ebony." Zac the Mac was even more amazed when this bundle of cuteness walked over to him. What could he say?

"Haven't seen you around her before! My name is Zacccary, but everyone calls me Zac the Mac." He attempted his winning smile. Surprise, Ebony wanted to chat to him, not some Goliath.

"Hi, I'm Ebony. I'm the new kid in town, just started in final year. I think I saw you in church the other day, my first time there. Are you the Zac that leads the youth group? Can I join?"

"All welcome," Zac the Mac replied, "Have you been training too?"

"Absolutely, I love running, especially cross-country."

"Line up, teams." The starter held up his pistol, all were ready.

"Hey," said Ebony, "Do you want to run together? Short stuff like us have got this. Best foot forward, Jesus is in our corner." One of the large Goliaths made embarrassing kissy noises at Zac and Ebony.

Just then, Zac the Mac's mother yelled, "Come on, Zac the Mac. You have got this." That set the crowd of parents off to cheering and mild applause. Ebony said, "Don't worry. There's my mother, clapping the loudest. Some teens have mothers."

Zac the Mac grinned. Maybe God was walking at his side, presenting him with a cool short chick like Ebony. Was Zac having emotions? Not quite appropriate, on with the race.

The starter pistol fired, and the runners were off. Only a few miles, for mixed cross country. The large Goliaths of teens in final year galloped off, very confident that Zac the Mac would not be a concern.

"Well, der," Ebony muttered, as she and Zac the Mac started in last place, level with each other, but running at a steady pace. They kept in touch with the flashy front runners. They raced through the sloping fields at the back of their leafy green suburb, past one patch of forest, then into the large pine plantation. The runners had to follow the flags, round corners, up hills, then across a swinging bridge over the local river.

The path they were all following so keenly turned into gravel, and uphill. This was harder to run along, but Zac the Mac was very fit. This little Ebony was holding her own, definitely no slouch, and a great runner with it. Their breathing was getting a bit harder, but the pair of short stuff clung to the heels of the giant teens.

Disaster! The leading largest teen boy appeared to stumble at the top of the hill. Soon, there was a massive pile up of collapsed teens. Zac the Mac was going to run past them all and claim victory. But he caught a glimpse of little Jesus in his heart. He and Ebony paused, reached their hands to raise the front runners, who all had gravel rash.

"Come on, "Zac the Mac told them," "You've got two legs, use them. We're in this team together." Then he and Ebony ran on, and finally crossed the finish line together, level all the way. The others staggered in behind. No one could believe that incredible victory, of Zac and Ebony over the teen Goliaths. Zac the Mac's mother was ecstatic. Phone photos were taken, as the medals were awarded.

Zac the Mac was still the shortest male there. Apart from that, he was completely happy.

Ebony placed her phone number in Zac the Mac's phone. Maybe his love life was looking up. One last wave as Ebony boarded the bus back to Posh Christian College, over the hill. Zac and his mother blessed themselves. It is very cool to be grateful. Zac the Mac was in his prime, Jesus had been at his side. Zac the Mac put on his hoodie jacket, like Jesus had worn a hood. Jesus had been way too good. That made Zac the Mac a winner!