The room buzzed with soft conversation, pages turning, and the occasional clack of laptop keys.
Fluorescent lights glowed above, casting a sterile sort of calm over the group of four seated around the square table.
Noel sat with his back straight, fingers laced neatly in front of him as he listened to one of his groupmates speak.
His laptop sat open, a few handwritten notes placed beside it, his pen tapping gently—once, twice—before he finally spoke.
"I think we're overcomplicating it," he said, glancing toward the shared slide deck on the screen.
"This section doesn't need that many charts. If we tighten it, keep it visual but clear, it'll hit harder."
Across from him, Sam—an overachiever with a tendency to take over—frowned slightly. "But I already pulled the data. Cutting it makes it feel incomplete."
"It's not about cutting," Noel said calmly. "It's about focus. If we spend too long explaining every angle, we'll lose their attention before the second part even starts."
