The Next Big Thing
Chapter 110: past week

Chapter 110: past week

The past few weeks went by in a flash—well, more like a blur of pain and agony mixed with brief moments of excitement. For David, it was a constant battle to focus on his leg, the source of all the discomfort. He’d wake up in the middle of the night, sharp pains shooting through his injured knee, and he didn’t hide them from the doctor. His discomfort had been normal, the doctor assured him. Ice was his best friend during those moments, and he followed the advice, even though it never seemed to help enough.

It wasn’t just the injury that weighed on him. Moving around his big house—so big that sometimes, it felt like he was living in a maze of empty rooms—was a struggle, especially alone. Sure, he had the money, but David didn’t have much of a motivation to move boxes, assemble furniture, or fix the place up. Why bother? he’d tell himself. The house was huge, way bigger than he ever needed, and yet it seemed to swallow him whole. The real issue was his foot.

He couldn’t blame himself for not fixing anything. Every time he tried to get up and do something productive, the pain would remind him he wasn’t ready. And then, of course, there was the whole Covid situation—making it even harder to find workers to help him. "Yeah, it’s not laziness, it’s just... bad timing," David reasoned, trying to console himself as he let the clutter pile up.

Despite the mess, David couldn’t help but enjoy his extravagant spending spree. He’d bought all the things that seemed necessary in the moment: a large-sized tennis table (because who wouldn’t need a full-size table when they had the space for it?), a brand new MacBook to complete his tech ecosystem, and the pièce de résistance—an LG CX OLED TV, a screen so stunning it had people online fighting to get their hands on one. Well, technically, he got it for a steal.

His gamer friend Notzoeyblack had recommended the TV, saying it was the best in the world. And while the 77-inch monster did cost a pretty penny—$5,000—David, with his rich new lifestyle, could care less. It was worth it, right? Sure, he could’ve gone for a 49-inch one for just $1,500, but why not go bigger? He had the space, and the money. He also grabbed an Xbox Series X, something he’d argued against for years, claiming PlayStation was better. But now? Well, now that he could afford it, he bought both systems. Best of both worlds Rigth?, it was broke people who argued over what was better.

For all the excess, though, David couldn’t help but feel proud that, at 16, he was living what most could only dream of. He was in Manchester, living alone in a house of his own, eating whatever he felt like at the moment. And, sure, it would have been easy to take full advantage of the junk food lifestyle—he loved his takeout, his junk food, and all the sugary cereals. But somewhere in the back of his mind, David knew his career mattered more than anything else. He was following the advice of his doctors, making sure to stick to a high-protein and zinc-packed diet to aid his recovery. So, while he still indulged every now and then, he was balancing it out with healthy meals: grilled chicken, salmon, spinach, eggs, quinoa, nuts, and Greek yogurt. All the right things to keep him on track while his body healed.

Despite the injuries, the struggles with the house, and the occasional frustration of being unable to get back to the field, David knew he was living the dream. But the real kicker? That wasn’t even the best part yet.

The best part? Well, David had been in Manchester for three weeks now, and the highlight of it all was watching his club—his club as a fan, and his club as a player. Despite the frustration of not being able to fully join the team yet, the excitement of being so close to the action made everything feel worthwhile.

Since arriving, Manchester United had played eight games, and while David had only been able to watch three of them live, the experience was unforgettable. The rest of the games had been away, and with his injuries, he couldn’t travel with the team. But those three home games? They were nothing short of electric. Manchester had won six of those eight matches, drawing two—both away games. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been there for the draws, one against Tottenham and another against Southampton. But the wins were what mattered most.

Although David couldn’t be on the field, he had been getting closer to the first-team players. Well, not exactly close, but they knew him now, at least by name. Paul Pogba even acknowledged him one day, calling him by name as he passed him by. David didn’t let it get to him. He knew once he started playing for real, they’d definitely remember him, but for now, he was still just the untested injured teenage kid on the bench.

The injuries were still there, of course, gnawing at him when he moved too quickly, but nothing could really dampen his mood while he was at those games. It wasn’t just the wins; it was the atmosphere, the electric energy that surged through the stadium, even with no crowd. Covid had kept the fans away, but it didn’t dampen the intensity on the field. With fewer distractions, the players seemed laser-focused, giving their all in every match. There was a certain rawness to the games, a drive to prove themselves not just to the fans, but to themselves, and David could feel that hunger in every play.

Each game he witnessed live felt like it was building to something bigger. The first one was a dominant 3-0 victory over Sheffield United, a match that would forever stick in his memory. Anthony Martial had been the hero of the night, scoring a brilliant hat-trick. The significance of the hat-trick wasn’t lost on anyone, especially not on David. It had been years since Manchester United saw a player score a hat-trick—since 2013, in fact, when Robin van Persie did so in the final year of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign as coach. That hat-trick had been against Aston Villa, and it had been just as thrilling. But now, here was Martial, breaking the curse, bringing that same excitement to the fans and the club, and David felt the weight of that moment as if it were his own.

The entire internet exploded with the hashtag #UnitedHatTrickCurseBroken, a symbol of the team’s rejuvenation under the management. David couldn’t help but get caught up in it all. He remembered how he briefly appeared online after the match, his crazy reaction to Martial’s third goal going viral. He’d been sitting on the edge of his seat, shouting in pure excitement as Martial put the ball in the back of the net. The next thing he knew, he had fallen off his chair, still in disbelief, his arms flailing around like he’d just seen a miracle. Fans were laughing about it online, and David had become a part of the club’s history in his own way.

For him, it wasn’t just about watching the team play. It was about being a part of something bigger, being there when they made history, even from the sidelines. This was the life he had always dreamed of, and despite the pain in his leg, every moment was worth it.

The other matches were memorable too. The first was against Bournemouth, a thrilling 5-2 victory. David couldn’t stop laughing at how the game unfolded. It hadn’t even been two minutes when Bournemouth scored the first goal, sending a jolt of disbelief through the stadium.

But Manchester United responded quickly, equalizing, and the match only got better from there. The main reason why David found the match funny was because Mason Greenwood started and scored the first goal around the 20th minute. After scoring, Greenwood ran straight to the home team bench, walking slowly while pointing to the name on the back of his jersey, a show of acknowledgment of his contribution. Marcus Rashford, who had assisted Greenwood’s goal, added a goal of his own, and then Anthony Martial scored, with Bruno Fernandes providing the assist. To top it off, Greenwood scored again, bagging two goals in that game, leaving David buzzing with excitement oblivious to the backhand meaning of his celebration.

The next match was against Crystal Palace, a solid 2-0 win. Rashford and Martial both scored, and this match was crucial because it confirmed Manchester United’s third-place finish in the league by the 36th round, trailing only their city rivals, Manchester City, and league champions, Liverpool. David couldn’t help but feel proud of how his team had pushed through, even without full fan support in the stadium.

But now, all those matches were in the past. David was in a rush, hearing his phone ring. "I’m coming, I’m coming!" he shouted into the phone before tossing it onto the bed. Despite his injury, he moved quickly to get dressed, eager not to be late for the big day ahead. He hurried out to the parking lot, shouting at Prakesh, the driver, "Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!" Prakesh only chuckled in response, "No problem."

Arriving at the stadium, David jumped out of the car, waving a quick "bye" to Prakesh before walking slowly toward the entrance. His injury still affected his gait, and he had to be careful not to put too much weight on his leg. As he reached the gate, he saw the familiar guard who laughed, "As always, why are you late?"

David rolled his eyes but didn’t waste time with a reply, muttering, "Not funny," as he hurried inside. His mind was already on the blockbuster FA Cup semi-final match that was about to unfold: Manchester United vs Chelsea FC. His body tingled with anticipation, knowing he was about to witness another unforgettable clash of giants.

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