Mia folded the crisp white paper with precision, her fingers working along each crease with the skill of someone who had made hundreds of paper planes before. The classroom was buzzing with excitement as Mrs Chen announced the annual paper plane competition.

"Remember," Mrs Chen called out, "it's not just about distance. We're judging on accuracy, creativity, and flight time too."

Mia's best friend Jake was struggling with his design. His plane kept nose-diving into the floor after only a metre or two. "I don't understand why yours flies so well," he complained, watching Mia's prototype glide smoothly across the room.

"It's all about the balance," Mia explained patiently. "The weight needs to be distributed evenly, and the wings have to be symmetrical. Plus, you need to throw it with just the right amount of force."

As the competition began, Mia felt her stomach flutter with nervous excitement. She had been practising for weeks, but seeing the other creative designs made her wonder if her simple dart-style plane would be enough to win.