I stood behind the podium, heart steady, voice firm. The room was thick with anticipation, rows of students and judges watching us as if we were gladiators in a coliseum. Across from me stood her—my rival. The one who always met me in the final rounds. Smart. Articulate. Unshaken. And yet, this topic wasn’t just a debate for me. It was conviction.

I took a breath.

“I believe that it should be illegal,” I said, my voice cutting through the silence. “Abortion is a complex issue, yes, but complexity doesn't erase morality. I believe it is morally wrong and must be made illegal to protect innocent unborn lives.”

I didn’t falter. I didn’t blink. Every word had weight.

“Abortion is not healthcare,” I continued, my gaze never leaving hers. “Healthcare saves lives—it doesn’t end them. We’re talking about human lives, beating hearts, futures that never get the chance to begin. We as a society have a duty to protect the vulnerable and innocent. If we fail them, who are we, really?”

She looked at me, measuring. I could see the flicker of something behind her calm exterior—maybe surprise, maybe irritation. Either way, I held my ground. I wasn’t here to win with volume. I was here to win with belief.

And I believed this with everything I had.