Amara had always worked alone. Group projects were her nightmare, and partnering with someone else meant risking her perfect grade. So when Ms. Patterson paired her with Malik for the upcoming debate competition, Amara felt her stomach drop.
"I've already researched our topic," she announced during their first meeting. "I'll write both opening statements. You can just read yours."
Malik raised an eyebrow. "Did you even ask what I think about the topic?"
"It doesn't matter what you think. I've already figured out the best arguments."
Malik was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "You know, my uncle is a city councilman. He's dealt with this exact issue. But I guess you don't need that perspective."
Amara paused. Real-world experience from a city councilman? That could make their argument much stronger. She hadn't considered that Malik might bring something valuable to the table.
"What did your uncle say about it?" she asked reluctantly.
For the next hour, Malik shared insights that Amara had never encountered in her research. By the end, she realized her "perfect" arguments had significant gaps that Malik's contributions filled.
"I'm sorry for assuming I had to do everything myself," Amara admitted. "Your ideas actually make our case way stronger."
Malik smiled. "That's what partnership means. We're supposed to make each other better."
On competition day, their collaborative presentation earned first place. But more importantly, Amara learned that sometimes the things she feared most, like depending on others, could lead to her greatest successes.