PRE-DEBATE PRACTICE

I remember my primary school days when I had this friend, Anita, who thought she could steal my thunder. We did stuff together when we were little and we were so close, everyone called us besties.

Source

The practice day came and we were all prepared for the debate while the rest of the school were seated for it.
My teacher had planned for us to present a debate on our graduation day and had us practice before a number of times before the main event.
My friend Anita was to speak before me, we were both on the opposing team.
It was her turn to speak and she walked up to the stage.

I was extremely shocked when everything she said was a photocopy of what I had written, like literally, she was holding and reading from a photocopy of my work.
I kept my composure and allowed her to finish her speech.

Quickly in my head, I planned how this would go down. I knew Anita and to be honest and truthful she wasn't that bright so whatever she planned wasn't going to work.
She finished her so-called presentation and sat down. I stared at her directly in the face but she made sure not to look my way because she knew what she had done.
I don't know what she expected to happen after she stole my work.

It was my turn and I went up to the stage and began my presentation exactly how I had planned it and didn't change a single thing, it was the same thing she presented. I reeled it out exactly as I had written out. Same way as she had presented it.
I was almost halfway when our teacher stopped me and pointed out that I was presenting what Anita had already presented.
"Soka, what are you doing? Did you not go home and do the work independently as I asked you to?" My teacher asked in anger.

"Ma, I can..." I started to say but she cut in.

"Anita, come here," she called Anita who was already shaking at her spot with the rest of the team where she was seated.

"the two of you should start explaining yourself," our teacher said angrily as she instructed a pupil in the crowd to go fetch a whip.

"Ma, i did my presentation independently and don't know what happened," I said calmly ,with all boldness and not a single flinch

Meanwhile, Anita who was still shaking said "I did my own."

"So how did the two of you come up with the same thing,?" she asked as she pointed her cane at us.

"Bring them let us see," anotherteacher asked for our papers.

She took them and then began to smile and then she said, "Anita, at this young age you already have learmed to steal someone's thunder. Hmm" and as she couldn't hold it any longer she busted into laughter. I too had a strong urge to laugh but I held it in.
Anita was smart enough to ask me to study with her during break time and then have me help her get snacks while she stole my presentation but wasn't smart enough to know that the photocopy still had my handwriting.

My teacher told me to go while she and Anita handled their business.

Later when school was over, Anita came to me and apologized for stealing my work, she said she forgot about it during the weekend and was confused about what to do as she had prepared nothing.

I accepted her apology and we both agreed that I would help her with her presentation in time before the next practice.

Thanks for stopping by.
SOKA🖤