Chapter 95: Rumors and Realities
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The morning sun lit up Crawley with a golden glow, but the air was still cold as Niels walked to the club's training ground. His boots crunched on the gravel, each step reminding him of the pressure he felt. He could still picture Sunday's victory parade the crowd shouting "Craw-ley! Craw-ley!", Max holding up the FA Cup, Luka dancing on top of the bus, and red scarves waving everywhere like flags.
But after the talk about his contract extension, the surprise emails from Barnsley and Nottingham Forest left Niels feeling uncertain. A tight knot formed in his chest. His phone buzzed non-stop in his pocket, each notification a sharp reminder of the big decision he now faced, as heavy as the trophy they had just lifted.