Chapter 41: Game on
David spent nearly three hours playing on his PS4. Despite the temptation to keep going, his discipline kicked in. He reluctantly turned it off and went to bed. The next morning, a Saturday, he woke up feeling refreshed. After a quick bath, he got dressed, slipping on the new shoes he'd just bought. Curious to try them out, he paired them with his team's training kit. He grabbed his new iPhone 11 Pro, slid it into his phone pouch, and put on his headphones. The familiar notes of "Hall of Fame" by The Script filled his ears, the song always giving him an extra boost of motivation.
Energized, David stepped outside for his morning jog. Determined to make up for skipping yesterday, he pushed himself harder than usual, completing an extra lap. As he jogged past the park where he'd previously played against some teens, he noticed the group was at it again. This time, he decided not to join and focused on his run.
As he jogged by, a tap on his arm made him pause. Turning, he saw Max, the guy who'd invited him to play last time. Max was panting heavily, clearly having chased after him. David took off his headphones and greeted him.
"Hey, Max! What's up?"
Still catching his breath, Max held up a hand. "Hold on... been calling you since!" he managed between gasps.
David chuckled. "Sorry, man. I didn't hear you over my headphones. What's going on?"
"The guys wanted to know if you'd play with us again. We've been looking for you," Max said hopefully.
David gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, not today. I'm busy right now. Maybe another time?"
Max sighed, disappointed. "That's a bummer, but okay."