Friday: The Debate Trials
The auditorium was packed. Ten students had signed up for the trials, but everyone knew it would come down to two people: Neel and Shanaya.
Round 1: Neel argued that technology isolates us. His points were sharp, his examples personal. He talked about people hiding behind screens, creating fake identities, losing touch with reality.
Shanaya watched from the audience, nodding despite herself. He's good. Really good.
Round 2: Shanaya argued that technology connects us. She spoke passionately about finding genuine connections online, about how people who struggle with face-to-face interactions can find their tribe through screens, about how anonymity sometimes allows for more honesty.
Neel listened from the front row, feeling every word resonate. Why does she understand this so well?
The Results
"And the two representatives for St. Xavier's College will be... Neel Sharma and Shanaya Rajput!"
The auditorium erupted in applause. The two looked at each other from across the room. They'd have to work together now. As a team.
Shanaya's expression was unreadable. Neel's was carefully neutral.
But both were thinking the same thing: This is going to be a disaster.
That Night
S to A:
S: Guess what? I made it to the debate team
A: CONGRATULATIONS! That's amazing!
S: Thanks... but there's a problem
A: What?
S: That guy I told you about? He made it too
S: We have to be partners now
A: Oh
A: Maybe this is a chance to actually get to know him?
S: Maybe...
S: Why do you always see the good in situations?
A: Because you're always so dramatic, someone has to balance it out 😂
A to S:
A: I have news
S: Good news or bad news?
A: Both? I made the debate team
S: That's great! What's the bad news?
A: I have to partner with my rival
S: The loud popular girl?
A: Yeah, her
S: A, serious question
A: What?
S: What if she's not your rival? What if you just decided she was because you're scared of people who are different from you?
A: ...
A: I hate when you're right
S: You love it 😊
A: Maybe a little