Dayo slowly opened the folded paper in his hand.
For a moment, he couldn't breathe. Then his eyes landed on the number written inside 3.
He exhaled, almost smiling. This was a huge relief not just for him but for his teammates. He didn't want to put such pressure on them, even though they had prepared.
Across him, Lucas Rivera opened his paper and saw the expected No. 1 staring back at him.
Lucas's shoulders dropped instantly. He sighed, looking at the number while shaking his head.
The whole hall went quiet for a second. Everyone knew how much pressure came with performing first.
Dayo walked towards Lucas and patted him on the shoulder.
"Hey, I know the pressure you're under, but I also saw the effort you and your team put into working, so don't let this weight pull you down. Lucas, you're the leader, and your team follows you. If you're scared, they're scared. The choice is yours, buddy."
Lucas looked at Dayo, surprised. "Thanks, bro. It means a lot."
