David sat back in his gaming chair, the controller gripped tightly in his hands as he tried to focus on the screen. The game was intense, but his mind kept drifting, his thoughts lingering on how quickly everything had changed. A few weeks ago, he was playing at Old Trafford, under the bright lights and the roar of the crowd. Now, he was holed up in his small apartment, in his boxers, with a Chinese takeaway on the way. The mighty had fallen, indeed.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Ugh, finally!" David groaned, throwing his controller on the couch. He stood up, stretching and grabbing his mask from the table as he headed to the door. He didn't know why, but he couldn't shake the habit of taking precautions, even if it was just for a food delivery.
As soon as he opened the door, he shouted, "Stay five feet away!"
The delivery person, startled by the sudden outburst, fumbled with the bag of food and dropped it on the floor. "Sorry!" the delivery person called out, quickly retreating down the hallway.
David rolled his eyes but couldn't help but chuckle. "Right, thanks for the food," he muttered, bending down to grab the bag.
He shut the door behind him, taking a moment to stare at the Chinese food like it was a long-lost treasure. His stomach growled, and he eagerly set the bag down on the table, looking for the fortune cookies.
As he started to dig in, he couldn't help but think about how quickly everything had changed. From playing at Old Trafford to sitting in his apartment, scarfing down takeout in his boxers, the contrast was almost laughable.
"How the hell did I end up here?" he muttered, taking a bite of his egg roll.
Suddenly, his mic crackled on.
"Hey, have you gotten your food yet?" Notzoeyblack's voice came through the speaker, breaking the silence.
David grinned, leaning back in his chair and holding up the food like a trophy. "Yep, just about to eat it. You know, I might just drown my sorrows in this greasy goodness."
"Well, it's better than being stuck in a locker room," Notzoeyblack said, her voice a bit playful. "Besides, at least you're not getting yelled at for missing a goal."
David snorted, shaking his head. "Right? As if I needed any more of that. With all these so-called 'smart' scientists, one can't even figure out how to cure a freaking pandemic."
"Yeah, it's like they've all been reading the wrong textbooks," she laughed. "I mean, they can send a rocket to Mars, but they can't figure out how to get people to stop coughing on each other. Classic."
David leaned back, resting his feet on the table, looking out the window. "And here I am, supposed to be on top of the world, and instead, I'm playing video games and eating Chinese food in my underwear."
"Hey, we all have our low points," she replied, a soft chuckle in her voice. "At least you're still killing it in the game. Who needs football, right?"
David let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, right. I'm really killing it, huh? More like I'm a professional button pusher now."
"Hey, don't knock it that's a real profession and should you really talk you get paid for kicking a ball around. You're doing great, as long as you're not stuck in the same situation as some of us," she teased.
"Yeah, I'm living the dream," David replied, staring at the screen but not really seeing it. His mind drifted, reflecting on the sudden halt to everything. Football was suspended, the world was in chaos, and yet here they were—finding solace in video games and bad takeout.
"Well," Notzoeyblack said after a pause, "at least we have each other to complain to. If that's not a win, I don't know what is."
David chuckled, grateful for the distraction. "True. But if this pandemic goes on any longer, I swear I'm going to lose it. The world's just a big joke right now."
She laughed again. "I hear you. Let's just hope the punchline isn't a bad game of Monopoly."
David snorted, shaking his head. "God, don't even mention that. I'd lose my mind."
They both laughed, the absurdity of the situation sinking in. Football had been taken away, the world had come to a halt, but for a moment, it didn't matter. He wasn't alone in this, and at least he had something to focus on, even if it was just the absurdity of the whole situation.
"Alright," he said, sitting up straighter in his chair. "Let's get this game over with. I've got some serious winning to do. I might not be on the field, but at least I can dominate here."
"That's the spirit!" Notzoeyblack replied, and David could hear the smile in her voice.
With that, he picked up his controller again, his focus returning to the screen as he tried to block out everything else. It wasn't the life he had planned for, but for now, it would do.