An uncomfortable silence settled over the group as the thought of exclusion loomed, like a pink elephant everyone could see but no one wanted to mention.
Anna, struggling to swallow the lump in her throat, glanced at Leo, hoping for a sign that he would leave on his own, just as he had done throughout the week.
But to Anna's surprise, Leo stayed, watching her with an unreadable expression, as if waiting for her to deliver the final verdict.
Inside, Anna cursed his sudden decision to stay.
'Does he really want to be part of the group... or is he just waiting for me to reject him?' she thought, feeling the pressure of choosing between him and Ethan.
Edrick, Paul, and David also seemed tense, but none of them dared to break the silence.
'Wow... I guess I really do have to decide,' Anna concluded, realizing that no one else would speak up.
Finally, she let out a sigh and, motioning for them to wait, said,
