Total Drama Oneshots

3. The debate showdown

requested by @ale_eme
you can interpret this oneshot in a platonic or romantic way i dont even know lol

---

Noah and Heather had been academic rivals since the moment they set foot in Wawanakwa High School. From the first day of freshman year, they competed for the top spot in every class, every exam, every extracurricular. Noah's sharp, dry wit and encyclopedic knowledge made him a formidable opponent, while Heather's strategic mind and relentless ambition ensured she was never far behind—if not ahead. Their rivalry was the stuff of legend, a constant back-and-forth that the entire school watched with a mix of awe and amusement.

They both knew it, too. There was a certain satisfaction in having someone who could keep up, someone who made the victory feel earned. But neither would admit that out loud. Admitting it would be like waving a white flag, and neither Noah nor Heather were the type to surrender.

Their junior year was no different. Honors classes, student government, academic clubs—if there was a competition to be had, they were at the center of it, always looking for the next opportunity to outshine the other. But despite the tension, there was an unspoken rule: their rivalry was strictly academic. They never let it spill over into personal insults or petty sabotage. They didn't have to. Their intellectual battles were more than enough to keep things interesting.

So when their history teacher, Mr. Roberts, announced the final project of the year—a debate on the most influential figure of the 20th century—everyone knew it would come down to Noah and Heather. The catch, though, was that the pairs would be chosen at random. It was the first time the class had ever seen Mr. Roberts smile when he reached into the hat.

"Noah and Heather," he said, drawing their names with a dramatic pause.

The classroom erupted in murmurs and a few stifled laughs. Everyone knew this was the showdown they'd been waiting for, though no one could have predicted they'd be on the same side. Noah and Heather locked eyes from opposite ends of the room, a silent challenge passing between them. Neither one flinched.

"Well, this should be... interesting," Noah said, raising an eyebrow.

Heather crossed her arms, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Don't think I'm going to go easy on you just because we're on the same team."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

They had a week to prepare, but despite years of rivalry, they had never worked together. Their academic competition had always been about besting the other, not collaborating. Still, they were nothing if not professionals, and they agreed to meet after school to start planning.

The library became their battlefield. Books and papers were strewn across the table as they debated strategy, each determined to steer the direction of the argument. Noah wanted to focus on the scientific and technological impact of Einstein, while Heather insisted that Churchill's leadership during World War II had a more profound influence on history.

"We need to focus on the broader implications," Noah argued one afternoon, leaning back in his chair with a book in hand. "Einstein's theories didn't just change physics; they changed how we understand the universe."

Heather, sitting across from him, tapped her pen against her notebook, a sign she was deep in thought. "But without Churchill, there might not have been a world left to understand. His leadership was crucial in one of the most defining moments of the century."

Noah looked up from his book, meeting her gaze. "So, we focus on both. Einstein's impact on science and Churchill's impact on global politics."

"Two-pronged approach?" Heather asked, raising an eyebrow.