He knew he shouldn't read them. He knew they were meaningless, the bitter words of small, jealous people. But they stung nonetheless. He put the phone down and stared at the ceiling, the doubts creeping in like shadows in the night. Had he been selfish? Should he have passed? Was he really good enough for this level?
The System, sensing his distress, flickered to life.
Emotional State: Negative.
Confidence Levels: Declining.
Recommendation: Engage positive reinforcement protocols.
Review performance highlights. Focus on achievements, not setbacks.
But he dismissed it with a thought. He didn't want algorithms and data. He wanted answers. He wanted to understand why football, the thing he loved most in the world, could be so beautiful and so cruel at the same time.
