"I warned you once not to look back... But here you are, tempting me again to ruin your happily ever after with her."
My words hung heavy between us, but his smirk only deepened as he leaned in, so close our lips nearly touched. "Maybe I like the ri...
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Late afternoon sunlight streamed through the auditorium windows, casting long shadows over the polished stage. The hum of anticipation was palpable as the audience settled in for the final debate. Teachers, students, and a few parents watched from the rows of polished seats, waiting for the final round to begin.
I sat at the debate table, fingers brushing the edges of my index cards, though I hardly needed them. My mind was clear, and focused, just like always. I've done this a hundred times. I had debated countless times, winning almost every competition. I knew what to do. The sunlight was bright, the stakes high, but none of that fazed me. I wasn't here for them, the judges, the audience, my opponent. I was here for her. Make her proud.
Across the stage, my opponent, a tall boy from a rival academy named Carter grinned confidently. He hadn't beaten me yet but it looked like he was already celebrating victory. Typical. But I had no intention of losing. Not ever.
"Miss Hart," the moderator announced, snapping me back to focus, "you have the final rebuttal."
I nodded, my expression calm, and collected. I rose from my seat, smoothing down my skirt as I did. I glanced at the panel of judges, then let my gaze sweep across the audience. Somewhere in the crowd, there were parents cheering on their children, but mine wasn't among them. No familiar faces. Of course, she isn't here. She never is. But it's fine. I'll bring the medal home, and show her I won. Maybe this time... maybe this will be the one that finally makes her proud.
But before I could speak, Carter interrupted with a grin. "Before you start, I just want to say whether zoos exist or not, I think we can all agree meat is best served medium-rare, am I right?"
The audience chuckled, and I caught a few eye rolls from the judges. His little joke was meant to lighten the mood, but all I could think about was how I would love to chop his annoying mouth into tiny little pieces just like how little respect he had for this topic, something that actually mattered.
I didn't rise to the bait. This wasn't about humor. This was about proving to my mother that I could win, that I was worthy. I took a deep breath and began.
"My opponent," I said, letting the words hang for a moment, "claims that zoos are necessary for education, research, and conservation. But let's be honest, what are zoos really? They are prisons. And those animals? They're prisoners. Except unlike criminals, they didn't do anything wrong. They were simply born into a world that thinks it's okay to cage them for entertainment."
I let the silence hang for a second before pacing slowly across the stage. Every step was calculated, every word practiced. Perfect, like always.
"Let's not forget that keeping animals behind bars is unnatural. These creatures are meant to roam freely in their natural habitats, not be confined to small enclosures that mimic those environments. My opponent wants you to believe that zoos are beneficial to these animals, but the truth is, zoos exist for human amusement."
