David sat in his apartment, lost in thought. While he firmly believed he played football for his family and himself—and knew that joining a club like Manchester United could do wonders for his career—he couldn't shake the pit in his stomach. The uncertainty brought on by COVID-19 only made things harder. Would he even get to finish the season with Derby before moving, if he took the deal?
Surprisingly, he wasn't worried about the usual concerns of a young player moving to a top club: starting time, fitting in, or getting minutes on the pitch. After his recent match, he was convinced he was the best player out there on that pitch that day and would earn a starting position without question. Still, the decision weighed on him.
"Enough of this overthinking," he muttered to himself. "Let me get some advice."
His first thought was Jason, his one true friend on the team. Despite their age difference, Jason was the only teammate David felt close to. He dismissed Zoey's advice—too harsh—and dialed Jason's number.
After four rings, Jason picked up. "Hello?"
"Hey, dude, how're you doing?" David asked.
"I'm fine, man, but going insane!" Jason replied. "My sister's on lockdown with me, and she's driving me slowly insane I miss my girl so much. Why'd she have to leave right before this whole lockdown mess?"
David chuckled. "Imagine being stuck in the same apartment with both your sister and your girlfriend."
Jason groaned. "Yeah, maybe it's for the best. No way I'd survive that combo."
David laughed before asking, "Speaking of your sister, how's Chloe?"
Almost as if on cue, David heard a sharp voice in the background. "Jason! How many times have I told you to clean your dirty plates after eating? Why must you be such a pig?" Chloe's voice rang through the phone.
"I said I'll clean it later!" Jason shot back.
"Just like you cleaned the last batch, right? Honestly, how've you even survived on your own? You can't wash, can't clean, can't cook—"
"I'm rich!" Jason interrupted. "I'm a footballer! I've got a maid who comes every week! Now leave me alone—I'm on the phone with David!"
Jason returned to the call, muttering, "Sorry, man. She's insane. Like I said, I'll clean up later."
David burst into laughter, but before he could reply, he heard another commotion.
"Hey! What are you doing? Give it back!" Jason yelled.
"Jason, are you okay?" David asked, only to hear a sweet, familiar voice respond instead.
"Hi, David! How are you? It's been so long!"
"Oh, hey, Chloe! Yeah, it's been a while. I'm doing fine—missing the pitch, but what can you do? How about you?"
"I'm good," Chloe replied. "As long as I don't strangle =or get strong of that this teammate of yours one night, I'll survive."
David laughed.
"Honestly, if I wasn't here, he'd live on nothing but Chinese takeout," she added. "You're eating real food, right? You know how to cook, don't you?"
David glanced guiltily at the stack of takeout boxes surrounding him. "Yeah, I can cook," he lied, his voice wavering.
"Good to hear!" Chloe said. "By the way, I watched your match against Manchester United. You guys were brilliant—especially you. Too bad you couldn't pull off the win."
"Yeah…" David murmured.
"Well, it was lovely talking to you, but Jason's glaring at me like he wants to kill me, so I'll hand the phone back. Bye, David!"
"Bye, Chloe. Nice talking to you too."
The line shuffled before Jason's voice returned. "Sorry about that, man. She doesn't respect privacy."
David laughed. "It's fine."
Jason groaned. "See what I deal with every day? And don't listen to her—I can cook. I make the best noodles ever."
"Sure you do," David teased. Then he paused. "Hey, man, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"If, in the middle of the season, you got an offer from a big team—like Bayern, Liverpool, Arsenal, or maybe Manchester United—what would you do?"
Jason was silent for a moment, then burst out, "What kind of hypothetical is that? Of course I'd leave! A contract with a club like that could change your life!"
He stopped suddenly. "Wait… Did someone try to poach you? Because if they did, please don't leave. We're ninth in the league, and you're a big reason for that."
David laughed. "I thought you just said I should leave."
"I was joking!" Jason said quickly. "Seriously, though, has any team approached you?"
"Nah, man. No team. Rams for life."
After a few more pleasantries, David hung up. He sighed, sinking deeper into his chair. Somehow, the call had left him more conflicted than before.