Against the Edge

The Role-Playing Exam Begins

Miguel took his seat, surrounded by his classmates who murmured with excitement and nerves about Professor Sean's exam structure. He leaned forward in his seat, intrigued as Professor Sean stood at the front, his calm gaze settling on the students.

"Today's exam," Professor Sean began, his voice authoritative yet steady, "will be a simulated debate where each of you will take on the roles of either a defense lawyer or a prosecutor. You will be assessed on how effectively you present your arguments, how well you apply legal principles, and your adherence to the professional codes of ethics."

The class fell into a hush, the seriousness of the task sinking in.

"For our first round," Professor Sean continued, glancing down at his attendance sheet, "Louis Hamilton and William Lemington, please come forward."

Louis' face lit up with amusement as he rolled his eyes, muttering, "Of course, I'd get paired with the Student Union President." He caught sight of Mia and James, who were grinning at him.

"Hey, don't lose too badly now," James called out, earning a laugh from a few nearby students.

Mia added with a mock-serious tone, "Louis, just try not to incriminate yourself, okay? We're already counting on you to mess up."

Louis gave them both a playful scowl before turning to William, who was already heading toward the front, adjusting his suit jacket. As Louis joined him, he winked at Miguel, who mouthed, "Good luck."

At the front, Professor Sean handed them each a document summarizing the details of the case they'd be debating. "Louis, you'll be acting as the prosecutor, and William, you'll represent the defense."

Louis took the document, glancing over it with an exaggerated sigh. He was clearly struggling to keep a straight face as he read through the details, already amused at the inevitable outcome of his "prosecution."

The case was a classic mock trial involving a fictional character accused of financial fraud, a white-collar crime case requiring an intricate understanding of evidence and legal nuance. William, taking a deep breath, quickly scanned the document, his face tightening with concentration. Louis, however, was far more relaxed, throwing William a smile as he rolled his shoulders and faced the classroom.

"All set?" Professor Sean asked, glancing between the two.

Louis raised an eyebrow at William, leaning in and whispering, "Ready to lose, Mr. Lemington?"

William smirked. "Let's see what you've got, Mr. Prosecutor."

As Professor Sean signaled them to start, Louis began, launching into a wildly animated opening statement. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice full of mock conviction, "we're here to expose the despicable acts of our accused. This defendant—" he pointed dramatically at an imaginary person in the middle of the classroom "—has swindled our citizens, drained their bank accounts, and left families in despair!"

Several classmates stifled their laughter, while William rolled his eyes.

Trying to keep a straight face, William began his opening for the defense, his voice steady and serious. "As the defense, I urge you not to be swayed by my opponent's... colorful exaggerations," he stated, giving Louis a pointed look. "The burden of proof lies with the prosecution, who must demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that my client is guilty of these crimes."

Louis feigned shock, placing a hand over his heart. "Oh, come on, William, what more proof do you need? I've got...uh, I've got witness testimonies!" he declared, though his voice wavered, clearly making things up on the fly.

"Witness testimonies?" William countered, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't see any in the documents provided. Perhaps the prosecutor has invented these imaginary witnesses to strengthen his otherwise shaky case?"