The First Debate

And so I find myself in the Debate competition again.




Before this, Felicity and I had little to no reason to interact, past the weekly Debate Club meetings. When I said spend time with her, I forgot that we weren't dating yet. We only really started dating after a moment we shared after the First Debate.

Felicity and I met at Debate Orientation in early 2008, and the point of time that Ming and I arrived at, Felicity and I already met. We're friends, but not super close.

We only got closer recently, and now that we're on the same debate team, I have a chance again to talk to her one-on-one.

I have a second chance now.

Felix and I broke up when I was abusive to her. Emotionally, I would black mail her with threats, and generally never made her feel safe in my presence. She was a person I cared for, but I never lived up to the things I promised her.

Somewhere along the line, I introduced to Nimbus, my online friend from a Pokemon fan community. Behind the online moniker, was a mate named Arthur. Artie was the guy I modeled almost every bromance after. Artie taught me how to play Pokemon competitively, and we became close friends through our hobbies. Artie was also Felix's second boyfriend.

So, I walked into the club room today, late. Mrs Tan frowned, and then continued whatever she was saying.

"And the leader of the 2nd Debate Team, is Theodore."

I looked up from wherever I was, and noticed that the motion was already written on the board!

This House Believes that Co-Curricular Activities should be abolished.

The subtitle underneath that read "B-Team-Proposition".

I remember this debate very well. I remembered that we lost due to the content we used in our arguments, and I remember that I managed to screw this up terribly.

The level of debate that we played at was prepared. Teams in the Division that we debate in, were given the motions and the side on the Monday of that week, and the debate itself takes place on the Friday of that week.

Mrs Tan dismissed the rest of the club, and requested the A and B Teams to stay behind to discuss the motions we were given.

"Ted, I hope you have a game plan?" asked Eddard. Eddard was someone I was close to in Secondary school, and as such, he knew me well.

I nodded, and gave out the same orders and points that I submitted previously in my timeline. Eddard ran with the ball, and I just sat back and observed the room.

The discussion droned on and on, and I was just distracted by Felicity. Did she always have hair so brown? I forgot how she looked.

She had been dead for 4 years in 2016.

She waved a hand in front of me, when the meeting ended. The rest packed up and walked out in their small groups. Marianne and Nadiah left with Eddy, and my own crew started to fan out the room. I was still lost, remembering losing Felix

"Yo, you in there, Teddy?"

I smiled, and held her hand back briefly. I lingered, and let go.

I think she noticed, because she smiled.

"I am. I'm just kinda tired."

She ruffled my hair.

"Come on, let's head home."

I forgot she lived a few blocks away from me. I packed up, and we walked out the room together.

-Ted.

(originally published 23/4/2016)