Chapter 87: Manchester united contract
David Jones sat on his bed, his mind racing. For weeks now, he’d been wrestling with a decision that had been weighing heavily on him: joining Manchester United. It wasn’t just about the move itself, though—his parents’ disapproval had been tough to handle, especially his father’s. The last phone call they had shared ended in silence, and David hadn’t reached out since. He knew his father was stubborn, but he also recognized that he, too, had inherited that same trait. It bothered him, but he refused to be the one to make the first move. After all, he was the child. His father should have been the one to make peace.
Despite the tension, David continued sending part of his paycheck home. The rest sat idly in the account his mom had opened for him. The money was stacking up, and though he had always craved wealth, now that he was making thousands of pounds every week, he found himself at a loss. He was too young to fully enjoy the luxury, and he didn’t quite know what to do with it all except for a few purchases he was planning on making and.
David knew exactly what he wanted next: a sports car. He was saving up for it, money felt so liberating. Growing up working in his father’s shop, not knowing what the future held, had shaped him. Now, with his Manchester United salary expected to be at least double what he was earning, he couldn’t wait to splurge on the car of his dreams.
Despite the fallout—the disappointment from his father, his coach, the loss of his best (and only) friend, and the tension with his teammates—David couldn’t shake the excitement of playing for his childhood club. He imagined himself in the iconic red and white, playing in Manchester. The rest of his worries seemed far less important in comparison.
Wayne, while still a little distant, it wasn’t too bad with them talking a little since their talk in the locker room. As for Jason, David had never really been the type to make close friends or even friends in general, so losing Jason hurt—enough to bring him to tears—but he knew he’d get over it. Maybe his ability to make friends had been another thing sacrificed along with his academic talents as compensation for his God given talents in the world of football, but thinking about the gamer girl he’d been friends with made him dismiss it all. As for his teammates—well, his soon-to-be ex-teammates—he could care less. To hell with them. They were just salty people who hated him because they weren’t him.
As for his dad, David didn’t think much needed to be said. They were family, and somehow, he knew it would get sorted out—especially with his overbearing and loving mother still in the picture. There was no real possibility of him and his dad falling out for good. Speaking of his mother, he’d been talking to her a lot recently. She had been incredibly worried about him, even volunteering to break lockdown rules to come see him. But he’d managed to talk her out of it.
While everyone expected David to be salty and upset over losing everyone around him—yes, he was but today wasn’t one of those days. Today, he was waiting for the phone call that would decide his future.
And, just like that, his iPhone 11 Pro buzzed. It was a phone he had always dreamed of owning before he finally bought it. He picked it up without hesitation.
"Is it ready?" he asked.
He heard a hearty laugh from the other end of the line.
"Kid, we are about to be rich—rich, I tell you!" Jonathan, who had taken over the role as his agent, said, his voice full of energy. "I told you this would be worth it. Once you see what they’re offering, you won’t have a single regret. Even your dad will be thanking me afterward, saying, ’Thank you for bringing this deal.’"