Leon sat in the quiet café.
In front of him were two objects that represented two entirely different universes.
On one side, the business card, cool and elegant, a key to a future of Premier League glory, immense pressure, and unimaginable fame. On the other, his sad, cold, forgotten cheeseburger, a symbol of the simple, anonymous joy he had been chasing.
He looked at the card. He looked at the burger. He thought of the roaring crowd at Anfield. He thought of Sofia's easy, brilliant laugh. He remembered his own decision at the pizza party, his refusal to choose between being a machine and being a man.
The system was trying to force his hand, to make him conform to its rigid logic.
A slow, defiant grin spread across his face. He picked up the business card.
He picked up his burger. He stood up, walked out of the café, and dropped the cold burger into a nearby bin.
Then, he got in his car, placed the Liverpool business card safely in his wallet, and pulled out his phone.
