Everybody had one topic in every corner of the campus—the elimination round. They called it the first round of the debate. The presidential candidates were not literally having a discussion, but more of a speech about a particular question from the students. The debate occurred in the audience between their heart and mind.
Cade wanted to be prepared for the elimination round in the afternoon, but he had no idea about the possible question. He hid behind walls and trees, listening to the students, hoping to hear something useful.
"I think Curt is kinda cute."
"He also defeated Luke. Not bad."
Cade grinned while eavesdropping on some grade eight students. No matter how hard I try to hide my true self, I'm still oozing charisma. Girls are really reliable.
"But don't you think Stan is the new hottie?"
"Oh, that brazen boy. He turns me on."
"Isn't he like the typical male protagonist in a novel?"
"He looks like a fictional character."
"And he has no girlfriend since birth. That handsome face and smart ass should be mine."
"I see. He's quite preserved. Challenging."
"If he wins the election, we can easily approach him."
"We'll have many reasons to see him."
"Sounds fun! Let's vote for him."
Cade shook his head. These girls are useless.
Cade went to the library to check out some school magazines from the past years. They usually publish magazines connected to trending events and issues on campus. Cade was hoping to find some articles about the presidential debates. While he was scanning the pages, he heard the giggling sound of girls not far away.
He sneaked through the shelf and saw Dexter in between two girls. They looked like flirting with him.
"I'm hungry. Let's go grab some snacks," Dexter said.
"No need. I have a chocolate bar here. We can share," the girl on his right said.
"We can't eat inside the library," Dexter replied.
"She's not watching us. We'll do it quick and gentle," she whispered. She put the chocolate inside her mouth while facing him. Dexter then took a bite of the chocolate.
I'm jealous. I used to be famous. Girls used to cling to me wherever I go. When can I go back?
Cade tapped his shoulder. Be patient, Cade. You'll get back there soon. Curtis will not remain at the bottom. I'll make sure of it.
Cade showed up in front of Dexter and waved his hand. "Hi."
"Hey, Curt," Dexter said.
"Can we talk? I'd like to ask you something important."
Dexter glanced at the girls beside him. "Please excuse us, ladies. It's boy's talk."
The girls slithered their fingers through his arms as they left.
"So, do you have any idea about the topic for our speech later? I did crowdsourcing earlier, and I got nothing but pointless arguments," Cade said.
"I heard the topics were not serious matters. Most of them were not related to being the campus president. The questions came from the students, so it's really random and unpredictable," Dexter explained.
"You're famous, right? Can't you ask your fans for help? Maybe they can sneak around and figure out the question."
"Are you suggesting for me to cheat?"
"Ugh... Well. It's not cheating. I just want us to be prepared."
"After Luke's removal, the officers have gotten tight. They keep an eye on confidential matters and make sure that the election process is smooth and transparent. We cannot bribe anyone. Besides, I never thought of doing that. It's an impromptu speech. What do you expect?"
Cade was silent. He thought Dexter was someone that could become his partner in crime. It turned out he was not as clever as he looked.
The afternoon came, and so was the first elimination round. Only two candidates would survive for the last speech. The students gathered in the gym after their classes. Cade, Dexter, and Stan stood on the stage with individual microphones.
"The question came from the grade eleven students in the ABM strand. This question will contribute to the decision of the students whether or not to vote for you. This is a tricky question, so brace yourselves," Alison said.
Cade gulped as he roamed his eyes to the audience, trying to calm himself until he saw Elsie. And his sight stuck on her. He remembered the first day she showed up. Who would have thought that she would appear in his pitiful moment? It was a shame. But the thought of her made his heart restful. The way she looked at him with angst. Her manner of defending him hurt his pride. But in his inner core, he liked the way she cared for him.
Elsie was smiling while looking in a different direction.
"You can do it," Elsie mouthed.
Cade gazed at his side where Elsie was staring, and there he saw Stan. Stan was calm as he nodded in response to her cheer. Cade looked away and turned to Alison.
"Your question is... Is a romantic relationship an asset or a liability?"
Cade tightened his grip on the microphone as he spoke. "Thank you for that question. I think a romantic relationship is a liability. Why? Because as a man, we spend most of the money on dates, monthsaries, anniversaries, Valentine's day, and on regular days when we give gifts to our partners. This is not a rant, nor am I complaining. It's a fact that a man is seen as someone who is chivalrous. He is labeled as the provider in a relationship. Girls also do their part and some girls pay for their own bills. But for the most part, men spend a lot more than them. This is society's standard for a 'gentleman.' Personally, I do not feel obliged to do all these things because I know I am capable and I only date those who are worthy. That's all. Thank you."
The audience applauded him.
"Thank you for that concise and practical answer, Mr. Fleming. Let me repeat the question for Mr. Frost," Alison said as she looked at Dexter. "Is a romantic relationship an asset or a liability?"
"Thank you, Alison. I think a romantic relationship is a liability."
Some girls gasped in disbelief.
"When we are in a relationship, we don't just invest money, but we also invest time and trust. You see, a lot of aspects are involved and put at risk when you're in a relationship. This kind of connection is uncertain and we usually end up broken one way or another. Imagine putting a huge amount of money in a bank and someone hacks the bank and steals all your money. Will you still put money in that bank? No. Much worse, you would get traumatized and not put money in any bank at all. In conclusion, a romantic relationship is a liability that is too risky to invest in. That would be all."
They heard a few claps from the audience. The rest seemed unsatisfied with his response.
"Thank you, Mr. Frost. People with trust issues can relate to that. Now, let's hear a thing or two from Mr. Carline."
Stan stepped forward. "Good afternoon, everyone. Assets provide future economic benefits, while liabilities present a future obligation. I believe romantic relationships are assets. If I were to have a girlfriend, I will view her as an asset that provides me with benefits. She makes me smile with her laugh and makes me breathless in her hugs. I do not feel obliged to show her my love language because she deserves it. She is not a liability to me because being loved by someone is priceless. And if it comes with a price, I wouldn't mind being in a huge debt for the rest of my life. That's all. Thank you."
Stan received a thunder of applause from the crowd.
"Wow. Stan Carline is romantic, isn't he?" Alison said while putting the strands of her hair at the back of her ear. "Our candidates delivered wonderful speeches with unique ideas. I hope their responses helped you in deciding who to vote for. Now, let the elimination begin. We will post the result on Wednesday. Everyone, thank you, and have a nice day."
The next day, the gossip didn't die down. It became louder. Cade had been hearing his name a hundred times. He didn't know if it was a good thing. He sat at his desk after eating his lunch. His classmate, Dorothy, arrived with good news.
"Hey, guys. Listen up!" she said.
The students stopped what they were doing and looked at her.
"The newest issue is out!" she said while waving the magazines in her hands. She was the editor-in-chief of the school publication. The students hurried to get their copies from her. The Presidential candidates were on the cover page.
'I look so cool here,' Cade thought while rubbing his finger on his picture. He scanned the pages and read the articles. It was about bullying and Luke's removal. But most of it was about the presidential candidates. There was also an article about their speeches in the elimination round.
Cade frowned while reading the special section about Dexter's speech. The article had negative ideas about it. The readers' feedback was also on the downside.
Cade went outside to watch the students playing on the field. He wanted to breathe some fresh air. The magazine didn't make him happy. It added fuel to the fire. He saw Dexter washing his face at the water fountain faucet.
Cade stood beside him and drank some water. "Hey. Are you okay? I read the magazine."
Dexter paused for a second. "It's the disadvantage of being popular. One wrong move and everyone will judge you. They will stab you in the back without hesitation. In whatever you do, you must consider your supporter's feelings."
"If you know that, then why did you say those words? You should've played safe and said what they want to hear," Cade said.
Dexter wiped his face with a towel. "Because it was a speech for the presidency, not a pageant. I spoke the truth and my principles. I left my image as a star and stood there as the president."
Dexter tapped Cade's shoulder. "In life, you must learn to choose your path wisely. Choose which weighs more. Think about what you value the most. What are you willing to sacrifice? What can you live without? Popularity? Or honesty? If I get eliminated because of this, I wouldn't mind. Maybe this battle is not for me and it's okay. You and Stan are good competitors, so I'm confident that the school is in the right hands when one of you wins. Good luck."