CHAPTER 156: LOCAL MARKET.

Leo slipped into the small corner of the café where Noah had set himself up.

The place wasn’t too busy, just a few people nursing late lunches or tapping away on laptops.

Noah pushed his chair back when he saw him and gestured for him to sit.

"Good to see you," Noah said as Leo settled in.

"How’ve you—"

He stopped himself with a small shake of the head.

"Actually, no. I won’t ask that. We both know you’re doing well, but this is only the start. So let’s talk about what matters."

Leo let out a quiet breath.

"That’s pretty much where my head’s at too."

"Good." Noah leaned forward a little, elbows on the table like he was switching into a different mode.

"It’s time to make yourself indispensable to that team. You’re edging toward it already. Coaches, staff, a few analysts online, they’re starting to call you a kind of young leader. Not officially, but in how you play. You look calmer than half the older boys."

Leo gave a small nod.

"I’ve heard bits of that. I just want to keep doing my job."

"That’s what will make it stick. And because that’s naturally who you are on the pitch, we don’t need to manufacture any brand image. No fake ’new prodigy’ nonsense. Let’s just let your football build the story and leave the world to think whatever they want of you."

"We shouldn’t mould you into something specifically, but you should be a player everybody can see themselves in, in short, just a chill guy."

Leo didn’t say anything, but he eased into the chair, clearly listening.

"Now, with that out of the way", Noah went on, flipping open a folder, "I’ve had two offers come in. Nothing huge, but good indicators that people are paying attention."

Leo’s head lifted slightly. "Already?"

"Yeah. First one was from a betting company near here."

Noah caught the look on Leo’s face and cut in.

"Don’t worry. I turned it down before we even reached the second line. They were trying to insist, but they pulled it off the table when they realised you’re underage."

"Even if I wasn’t," Leo said, "I don’t think I’d touch anything like that."

"Good," Noah said. "I wouldn’t have let you anyway."

He set that sheet aside and slid another toward him.

"This one is different. A coffee chain. Big in Wigan, plenty of branches around Manchester. They wanted to use your face for a few local promotions here in Wigan first."

Leo leaned in and scanned the first few lines.

"A year-long deal?"

"Yeah. A simple representation agreement. Posters, a couple of appearances, and some photos for their ads. Their foothold in Wigan has been a bit under fire recently, so what better way than to partner with Wigan’s upcoming darling boy? They offered twelve thousand pounds for the year."

Leo’s head came up.

"That’s... honestly really good for a first one."

Noah gave a short laugh and pulled the paper back out of his hands.

"The first step in being great is learning to value yourself properly. Twelve is nice, sure. But that’s not your ceiling."

He flipped to the next page and tapped the numbers written in clean type.

"So I renegotiated. Twenty-five thousand. And another ten if your influence grows in the area like they expect."

Leo raised a brow. "Seriously?"

"You need to dream big," Noah said, smiling at him.

"Because you can. And because some people already see the potential. You don’t settle for the first number someone throws at you."

Leo sat back, unsure what to say, the weight of the news settling in slowly while Noah closed the folder and rested his hand on it.

"This is where it begins, Leo. Football first. Everything else comes because of that. And right now, you’re on the right track."

Noah let the numbers settle between them for a moment before he asked, "So. What do you think? It’s a clean deal. They don’t need you running around doing twenty appearances or filming some awkward promo. A couple of shoots, a few scheduled bits here and there, and that’s it. Good money, light workload, and it gets your name in the local market. A proper start."

Leo gave a short snort. "Honestly? It’s great."

"Thought so," Noah said, pleased. "So I’ll take that as a yes."

Leo nodded. "Yeah. Let’s do it."

"Excellent." Noah slid the folder to the side and leaned back, the stiffness of business melting from his posture while Leo murmured a quiet thank you, but Noah shook his head gently and gave him a small smile.

"Thank you. You’re doing the work. I’m just making sure things move in the right direction."

He tapped the folder once.

"I’ll tie everything up with them first. Once it’s all formalised, I’ll walk you through the process so there’s no surprises."

"Okay," Leo said.

Noah pushed his chair back and stood.

"Alright, I won’t steal any more of your afternoon. You’ve got another session later, don’t you?"

Leo blinked.

"How do you even know that?"

"I’m your agent. I need to stay in the loop," Noah said, lowering his voice in a half-whisper.

"Also, Nolan mentioned it to me this morning."

Leo shook his head with a quiet laugh as they walked out of the café together.

The cold air rushed in the moment the door swung open, a sharp contrast to the warm smell of roasted beans behind them.

Leo now had a cappuccino in hand, the cup warming his fingers, and Noah eyed it as they reached the pavement.

"Don’t start drinking that stuff like it’s water."

"I only get it twice a week," Leo said.

"Good. Keep it that way."

Noah stepped back, adjusting his coat. "I’ll see you later."

Leo raised the cup slightly in farewell as Noah headed down the street.

When he turned the other way, a long breath escaped him, rising into the cold air in a pale cloud before fading.

Leo stepped off the curb and started down the long road toward the complex.

The cold bit at his cheeks, and the wind kept slipping through the gaps in his jacket.

He lasted five minutes before slowing.

He glanced ahead, saw the stretch he still had to cover, and quietly gave up on the idea of walking the whole way.

A cab rolled toward him from the lights, and he raised a hand.

The driver pulled in, and Leo slid into the back seat with a tired exhale.

The ride was short and quiet.

By the time he reached the gates of the training complex, the sky had shifted into a dull afternoon grey.

He paid the driver and stepped out, finishing the last sip of his cappuccino before tossing the cup into the nearest bin.

Inside, he made his way toward the accommodation wing just as Dawson appeared from a side corridor with a tablet tucked under his arm, and he spotted Leo almost instantly.

"Oh, Leo. Good timing," Dawson said. "When are you getting back to your one-on-ones with Thompson?"

Leo paused. "Whenever he’s ready. I haven’t heard anything yet, so I thought he might be busy, you know, with the U21S and all that."

"Fair enough." Dawson nodded, thinking for a moment.

"If that’s the case, you’re excused from the main session later. Thompson’s coming in, and he wants you with him when he arrives."

Leo blinked. "You sure?"

"Yes. He asked for you, so that’s that."

Leo gave a short nod and shifted his bag higher on his shoulder.

"Alright."

"Good. Go get ready then. You start soon," Dawson said, already glancing back at the notes on his tablet.

Leo shook his head with a quiet sigh as he walked off, towards the accommodation wing.

....

Leo dragged himself along the hallway, rolling his shoulders as if that alone could shake off the thought of Thompson’s intensity.

"I forgot how hardcore that man is," he muttered as he pushed into his room, where Jake and Ezra were still inside, sprawled across their usual spots with no hint they planned to head back to their off-complex apartment anytime soon.

They looked comfortable enough that Leo didn’t bother questioning it.

He just walked past them without a word while Jake glanced up.

"Thought training ended an hour ago?"

Before Leo could answer, Ezra cut in with a grin.

"He’s getting special treatment. One-on-ones with Coach Thompson. Perks of being the darling boy of Dawson."

Jake’s eyebrows lifted, the picture clicking in his head.

"Ah. So that’s what’s going on."

He shifted his attention toward the bathroom door where Leo had just entered.

"Leo, hurry up. We’ve got to get down early if we want the good stuff at dinner."

There was no reply.

Only the steady sound of the shower starting up behind the door.

Jake let the silence sit for a moment, then shrugged and reached for his phone, thumbing through notifications while Ezra nudged him.

"What good stuff do you mean?" he asked, to which Jake just smirked, not bothering to answer.