Domino Effect

Chapter One: What's For Dinner?

Not that I'm biased at all, but my brother was right and his point smashed the face of the 2nd year high school student named George as they try to argue which part of the society is senseless. Pete, my brother pointed out that what is nonsense in this society is the government itself. George's belief, on the other hand was the people itself. "The people should not be afraid of the government", Pete asserted, "the government should be afraid of its people." The crowd went uproar as their voices filled the mini theater where the debate was being held. I was sitting on the second row of the middle column together with the participants' relatives. I was Pete's only relative that could witness his points of clarification. "Aren't you aware that the government itself IS its people?" asked George, "If the government should be afraid of its people, doesn't that mean that the people should be afraid of the people? Or the government should be afraid of the government?" The crowd was now silent. And so was my brother. George had a point and it was well asked. The mediator seemed to exist physically but was absent mentally as she tried to decipher the puzzles of the two participants. "Times up!" said Ms. Diaz as she removed her circular glasses from her sight and placed them on the podium. "You two did very well. It's my honor to be your mediator for this year's school debate." she proudly stated this words like she really had a wonderful time listening to them but actually obviously she didn't. I knew this because she was my teacher way back 2008. She likes to say something so irrelevant that me and my classmates would make her stick into the previous topic she was previously discussing. "These two gentlemen deserve a round of applause," she continued. My brother and George shook their hands but everybody could tell that Pete was not satisfied. George had a small grin across his face. I decided to go to Pete as the audience exited the hall after giving claps and cheers. I walked through the door towards the backstage and saw the sophomores congratulating the two. But Pete saw me so he ran towards me. "Hey Crackhead!" he liked to call me this stupid term. "Hey Sissy," I told him to get back at what he said. "You were great. George had the last boom, though," "Yeah, I know. Thanks Frank but Ms. Diaz had to stop the time. Too bad I didn't had the chance to say any word to counter-attack what he said. I looked like a few-second idiot." he said as he made scratches at the back of his head. "It's okay man. You don't need to cry like a baby hippo." I joked him. "Yeah, right. Like you were there up stage" "I was. I was at the same stage when I was your age, silly," "So..what's for dinner?" Pete had to ask this question to shift the conversation as he saw George walking towards us. "Hey bro. That was good. Sorry we ran our of time," George said as he made a high five gesture. There was a voice in my head that said "Why become sorry for running out of time? You weren't the timekeeper,". "Everything's cool man. No worries. We have to go. See you soon man." Pete replied as he rubbed his tummy. "We better get going. Good game." I said giving George a fake smile. I didn't like him. I felt like there's something creepy in him. The way he talked, the way he smiled, just fucking familiar. I knew someone who had the same personality as he did but I couldn't remember. Damn.