Chapter 35: The Debate

Alexander found himself leaning forward.

That was irritating.

He was supposed to be rooting for Dominic.

He was rooting for Dominic.

But Giovanni was making a very good argument.

Dominic apparently thought so too, judging by how quickly his pen was moving.

When Giovanni finished, only a few seconds remained on the clock.

The class applauded.

Dominic stood next.

Unlike Giovanni, he didn’t remain behind the lectern.

"The proposition has explained why same-sex couples deserve equal legal protection," Dominic began. "The opposition isn’t disputing that."

He looked toward the class.

"What they haven’t proven is that equal protection requires changing the legal definition of marriage."

That earned him several interested looks.

Dominic continued, arguing that the government could provide equivalent protections through civil partnerships while society considered whether a long-established institution itself should be redefined.

Then he turned Giovanni’s argument back on him.

"Giovanni asks why there should be two legal categories. I would ask why changing an existing institution should be treated as the only acceptable solution. If two legal frameworks provide the same protections, obligations, inheritance rights, and recognition before the state, then the proposition still has to prove that different terminology creates an actual legal disadvantage."

Alexander smiled despite himself.

There he was.

That was the Dominic he knew.

Confident.

Quick on his feet.

And whenever Giovanni Mercer happened to be standing on the opposite side of something, considerably more determined to win.

Dominic finished just before the bell.

His eyes immediately found Alexander’s.

Alex gave him the smallest nod.

Nobody else would’ve thought anything of it.

Dominic did.

His smile widened.

Unfortunately, the debate wasn’t over.

Albert gave a strong rebuttal for the opposition, defending the idea that different legal classifications weren’t necessarily unequal if the rights attached to them were genuinely equivalent.

Then Giovanni stood again.

This time, he didn’t bring his notes.

"Albert is right about one thing. Different doesn’t automatically mean unequal."

Albert looked mildly surprised by the concession.

"The problem is that the opposition still hasn’t established why the difference is relevant."

Giovanni turned toward the class.

"If both relationships receive the same legal protections and carry the same responsibilities, then creating a separate institution requires some reason beyond the fact that we’ve traditionally kept them separate."

He paused.

"Tradition explains why a distinction exists. It doesn’t automatically justify keeping it."

Dominic’s jaw tightened.

Alexander noticed.

So did half the class.

The warning bell sounded.

Giovanni continued without rushing.

"If the opposition agrees that same-sex couples should receive equal civil recognition, then the question becomes very simple."

He looked toward the judges.

"Why should that recognition be separate?"

The final bell rang almost immediately after his last word.

Perfect timing.

Damn it.

Even Alexander had to applaud.

Dominic looked at him.

Alex immediately lowered his hands.

Too late.

Dominic’s final rebuttal was excellent.

He argued that legal equality didn’t require every institution to become identical, and he challenged the proposition to prove actual inequality rather than assuming it from different terminology.

He finished within time.

By the end, even their teacher admitted the decision had been close.

The team result almost became irrelevant.

Not that the teams had been particularly equal to begin with. Giovanni’s partner had been absent that day, leaving him to defend the proposition entirely on his own while Dominic still had Albert beside him.

Everyone was far more interested in the individual rankings anyway.

"Third place, Albert."

Albert looked pleasantly surprised.

Then he seemed to remember there were only three speakers.

His expression became considerably less pleased.

A few people laughed.

"Second place, Dominic Sebastian."

Dominic’s smile disappeared.

Only briefly.

But Alexander saw it.

There was only one person left.

"And today’s best speaker is Giovanni Mercer."

The classroom applauded.

Dominic did not.

Technically.

Alexander leaned toward him when their classmates started packing up.

"You did well."

"I lost."

"By barely anything."

"That still means I lost."

Alex glanced across the room.

Giovanni was collecting his papers as though being declared best speaker had meant absolutely nothing to him.

That probably wasn’t helping.

"You had better delivery," Alex offered.

Dominic looked at him.

"The teacher said so."

"Yes."

"And I was more persuasive."

"She said Giovanni had the stronger rebuttal."

Dominic stared at him.

Alexander realized his mistake approximately one second too late.

"I was trying to make you feel better."

"You’re terrible at it."

Alex laughed.

Under the desk, safely hidden from everyone else, his fingers briefly found Dominic’s.

"Second place isn’t terrible."

"It is when Mercer came first."

Alexander didn’t have much to say to that.

Even back then, Giovanni Mercer had possessed the unfortunate ability to make second place feel considerably worse.

Dominic lowered the old paper.

All these years later, very little had changed.

Giovanni still had that same irritating habit of remaining calm while making everyone else look unreasonable.

Except now the stakes were considerably higher than a classroom debate.

Mercer Group was working with Vance Holdings.

Giovanni was standing beside Alexander in photographs that should never have included him.

And Dominic, once again, seemed to be the one watching Giovanni Mercer take first place.

He folded the paper and shoved it back into the box.

Ridiculous.

They weren’t in high school anymore.

This wasn’t some stupid competition.

Dominic closed the cabinet harder than necessary.

Then why the hell did it still feel like Giovanni was winning?