Ethan woke up to his phone vibrating like it was angry at him.
Not one notification.
Not two.
A constant, aggressive hum.
He squinted at the screen, still half-asleep, and groaned.
Trending.
That word should've felt exciting.
It didn't.
He opened the clip everyone was tagging him in.
It was from the weekend's match. A tight camera angle. Commentary lagging behind the play. Ethan receiving the ball, shaping to pass, then adjusting his stride at the last second.
In real life, it had been a smart delay.
On video, slowed down and looped, it looked like he was briefly panicking.
The caption read:
"Is this the future or just vibes?"
The comments were worse.
"Decent player but why does he run like that?"
"Bro moves like he's lagging."
"Messi template my arse 😭"
Ethan stared at the screen.
"I don't run like that," he said out loud to his empty flat.
The system did not defend him.
He scrolled once more, sighed, and dropped the phone on the bed.
So much for a calm morning.
By the time he got to training, the damage was done.
The banter started before he'd even tied his boots.
"Oi," one of the lads said, jogging past him. "Why were you buffering on Saturday?"
Laughter.
Another voice chimed in. "You alright, mate? Looked like FIFA lag."
Ethan shook his head, smiling despite himself. "You lot are hilarious."
Someone did an exaggerated slow-motion run across the pitch.
Even Ethan laughed at that.
Alex Neil watched from the touchline, arms folded. When the laughter died down, he spoke calmly.
"Free publicity," he said. "Play better next time."
That was it.
No lecture.
No defence.
No drama.
Training rolled on.
Ethan felt lighter than he had in days. Not because things were easier—but because he'd stopped fighting the noise. He played simple. Moved well. Didn't force anything.
The system chimed quietly mid-session.
Public Attention: Increased
Emotional Stability: Maintained
For once, it felt accurate.
After training, Ethan stopped at a supermarket on the way home. He still wasn't used to doing normal things after football like nothing had changed.
He grabbed a basket. Milk. Chicken. Pasta.
Then someone behind him cleared their throat.
"Excuse me."
Ethan turned.
The guy looked at him for a second, then smiled. "You're that Millwall lad, yeah? The one off TikTok."
Ethan nodded, unsure whether to apologise.
"Good player," the guy said. "But my missus reckons you look confused when you run."
Ethan blinked.
"…tell her thanks."
They both laughed.
As the guy walked away, Ethan stood frozen in the cereal aisle, suddenly aware that people might recognise him now.
He grabbed the first box within reach.
When he got home, he realised it wasn't the cereal he liked.
He ate it anyway.
The system suggested reviewing match clips later that afternoon.
Suggested Activity: Performance Review (30 mins)
Ethan opened YouTube instead.
Five minutes later, he closed it.
Two minutes after that, he reopened it.
The system chimed again.
Focus Inconsistency Detected
Ethan rolled his eyes. "I'm nineteen. Relax."
No response.
That evening, his phone buzzed.
Josh Zerker.
Josh:
Mate why does the internet think you're allergic to sprinting?
Ethan laughed despite himself.
Ethan:
It was windy.
Three dots appeared.
Tobi joined the chat.
Tobi:
That makes it worse.
Josh:
We're putting lag sound effects on your highlights.
Ethan:
Please don't.
Josh:
Too late.
He locked the phone, still smiling.
The next match came midweek.
No hype.
No big build-up.
Ethan started on the bench.
Alex Neil's decision.
Not punishment.
Management.
When Ethan came on in the second half, the crowd reacted warmly. No chants. Just approval.
He kept it simple.
One touch.
Two touch.
Move.
No lag.
No thinking about thinking.
He didn't score.
He didn't assist.
But he helped control the game.
The kind of performance that didn't trend.
The system responded after the final whistle.
Template Sync: +0.5%
Total Sync: 4.5%
Ethan nodded to himself.
Slow.
But real.
At home later, his bank app updated again.
Match Bonus: £2,000
He smiled, then immediately checked rent.
The smile softened.
He ordered takeaway, then cancelled it, then re-ordered it.
Progress wasn't linear.
That night, Ethan lay on his bed, phone in hand, scrolling through memes made from the viral clip.
Some were funny.
Some were cruel.
Most were harmless.
Ethan's phone lit up once more as he set it down on the desk. A news alert this time — a red carpet photo, flashing cameras, McKenna Grace's name bold in the headline. Film premiere. Overseas. Someone famous, Maston Thames stood beside her, arm around her waist, their names linked in the caption. He didn't open the article. He turned the screen face down instead, letting the room settle back into silence.
He turned the phone off deliberately and placed it face down on the desk.
The system appeared one last time.
Mental Load Test: Ongoing
No judgment.
Just information.
Ethan stared at the ceiling, listening to the quiet.
He was still awkward.
Still learning.
Still nineteen.
But he was figuring out when to laugh—and when to switch off.
That felt like progress too.
END OF CHAPTER 27
Author's Comment
This chapter was about balance.
Not every step forward looks impressive. Sometimes it's just learning how to exist while people are watching.
Next chapter, the pressure gets sharper.
Quick question for readers:
Do you enjoy the lighter, slice-of-life chapters — or do you want more match intensity next?
Let me know 👊