Stealing Back

Is stealing back something that was originally yours considered stealing if it has already been given to someone else? or is it merely reclaiming what was mine in the first place?

I was involved in Mock Trial in high school and had worked all winter long on practicing for the competition in the spring. I would deliver the cross examination of a plaintiff witness and I was not about to let the opposition win. The day before the competition my teammates, coach, teacher, and I loaded up in the travel bus with bucket seats to begin our three-hour journey to Bend, OR. School trips were always fun. I sat down among my friends and began talking about what movie we would see that night.
"Jamison, can I speak with you for a moment?" It is my teacher/coach Ms. K. I follow her to the stern of the bus. As we sit down on the last seats. "I want you to give your cross to Tilli."
I stare back at her Steven Tyler face with poofy grey hair, uncertain of what she has just asked me to do.
"Why should I do that?" I question. She had been at every practice, every late night trial run and had seen me try and try again to perfect my cross examination.
"I think that the team would do better if you give up your cross to someone more confident."The black marble statue sits across from me, awaiting my reply.
"Sure, I guess so," I finally give in. She wouldn't take no for an answer, I think to myself. For the good of the team. The statue stands up and, thanking me for my openness, walks cautiously up the swaying bus between the grey seats. I now become the stationary figure while my brain chewed on this sudden change of events. I feel my face harden and my eyes dry out from not blinking. I decide to stand up and move back to my friends. I plop down in my seat. If I gave up my cross, I would only be partially competing. Was competing or winning more important to me?
"What was that about?" asks one friend, Rebecca.
"Ms. K wants me to give Tilli my cross."

We arrive in the Comfort Inn in Bend and we split ourselves up into rooms. Before we head out for some activities, the entire team of students meet together to discuss our plans. "Also, something else," announces Rebecca, "Ms. K has asked that Jamison give up his cross to Tilli." Chatter erupts out of the students like a flock of starlings on a telephone wire. "I don't know about the rest of you," she continued as the students continued to whisper, "but we have all worked really hard this year and I think that Jamison should still get to do his cross."
This is a new idea. Deliberately defying the received orders would not yield a happy ending. Conflict arose in me. Do what is right. Do what I want.
"Ms. K only mentioned this to me. I would rather not do it since I am already doing so much," interjected Tilli from the couch across the room.
"Well, thanks for your support," I finally found my words after considering the consequences. "I will go tell Ms. K that I will still do it."
"No, I don't think we should tell her," said Rebecca.

We burn the midnight oil by revising and rewriting my note cards for the next day. The following morning we come into the courthouse and take our seats at the long council table in a dome-shaped courtroom. The dome was transparent, allowing natural light to fall on the students and volunteers that now flooded the room.  The chairs are very large and comfortable as the trial begins. It will be some time before I begin my cross. Opening statements are given by opposing council and my friend Caleb. I feel the blood begin to warmly pump through my carotid arteries. I am doing what should do, because I worked for it, I reassure myself, but the pumping continues to force blood to my head. My Pilot pen keeps clicking as Tilli begins her direct examination. There were still twenty minutes before I would begin. I watch the students, dressed in suits and dresses, ready to perform their duties.
I watch the minute hand on the wall clock so closely it nearly burns a hole at the back of my retina. I had forgotten up until this point about the spectators behind us, but now my mind is wondering. I think of Ms. K sitting behind us, waiting for Tilli to one again stand. This is her moment, to finally win and move on to the more glorified state competition. She reminded us constantly of this goal. I prepare myself mentally my part in the play where I would enter stage right. She, as the director did not expect this stage hand to enter in opening night. The witness is telling the story. Do I stand up and object if the witness lies, or is that Tilli's job? I keep quiet. I shuffle through my note cards instead. My shirt gets tighter around my neck.
"Cross examination," the judge announces from his lofty pedestal.
I shoot up out of my seat like a mortar shell. "Yes, your honor." I begin by looking at my carefully chosen arsenal of words. I am not listening to my words. Instead I feel a pair of eyes searing my back through my black suit coat and blue shirt. I was secretly defying one of the laws of a sport: listen to your coach. No matter how the next few minutes would be remembered, I'm sure they would be different. I continue my cross. Longest four minutes of my life. Sitting back down relieves my now drenched back. It is over, the deed was done. What a relief. My collar regains its ability to stretch and my neck stops throbbing. The chair becomes a La-Z-Boy and I slouch back, probably not looking very official, but hey, life isn't all serious. I know someone who is seriously pissed though.

After the grueling six-hour competition comes to an end my team mates come and congratulate me on my triumph. Ms. K swiftly closes the distance. "What was that about?" I can tell how this is going to go.
"We all thought that, because Jamison had worked on his cross all winter, he should be the one to do it." responded Rebecca quickly. We expected confrontation to happen at one point or another. We stood sternly awaiting the response.
Her eyes were always hard to see the emotion in. Today is different. The bottomless well was not full of water but fire, acid, anything that would cause harm. "Well, I hope you are happy with yourselves." And with that she didn't speak another word to us the rest of the trip back. We take a team picture together. We didn't win the competition, but a different victory had been won today.