One Month Extension

Jace Holloway had faced pressure before.

Stepping onto the football pitch for the first time after his injury.

Proving he wasn't just a track athlete trying to fit in.

Scoring the winner in the championship match.

But nothing compared to this.

This was bigger.

This was the next level.

Brighton & Hove Albion Academy. A Premier League setup.

A chance to prove he belonged.

A chance to take his football journey to new heights.

And it all started today.

---

Arrival at Brighton Academy

Jace barely slept the night before. His nerves were shot.

He'd woken up before his alarm, packed his boots twice, and still checked the time every five minutes.

By the time he arrived at Brighton's training ground, his heart was hammering.

The place was immaculate.

Top-tier facilities.

Perfectly cut grass.

Players moving like professionals.

It was nothing like Harrowgate's modest pitch.

This?

This was a different world.

As he walked through the gates, he spotted a group of other trialists.

Some looked relaxed, chatting with each other.

Others were like him—quiet, focused, determined.

Jace adjusted the strap on his bag.

This is it. No turning back.

As he stood turning and twisting, a voice rang throughout the pitch.

"Alright, lads, listen up!"

The coach, a tall man with a sharp gaze, stood before them.

"You're here because someone thinks you have potential. That doesn't mean you've made it. You're going to prove, right now, whether you belong or not."

Jace's stomach twisted.

"No excuses, no second chances," the coach continued. "You perform, or you go home. Understood?"

A murmur of agreement went through the group.

Jace clenched his fists.

The first drill was speed testing.

Jace's comfort zone.

One by one, players sprinted down the length of the pitch, being timed.

Some were fast.

Some weren't.

When Jace's turn came, he took a deep breath and exploded forward.

The world blurred.

His muscles burned.

For the first time since his injury, he felt like himself again.

When he reached the finish line, he turned toward the timer.

He wasn't the fastest.

But he was close.

A few nods from the coaches. A couple of players whispering.

Jace let out a breath.

"Step one: complete," he muttered as he walked away.

The next text was all about technique but this? It made his stomach churn.

This was where things got tricky.

Passing drills. Dribbling exercises. One-touch play.

Everything had to be perfect.

Jace worked hard.

Every pass, he focused on accuracy.

With every dribble, he controlled the ball with precision.

He wasn't flashy.

He wasn't the most technical.

But he was efficient.

Still, as he watched some of the other trialists move—players who had been in academy setups their whole lives—doubt crept in.

Am I good enough for this?

A mistake.

A slightly mistimed touch.

Jace cursed under his breath.

He needed to lock in.

There was still time but time as they say, waited for no man.

After the tests, the coaches gathered the players around before telling them what followed.

A small-sided game.

Trialists vs. Academy players.

It was brutal.

Fast-paced.

Relentless.

The academy players were on another level.

Their chemistry. Their movement. Their understanding of space.

Jace struggled at first.

The pressure was overwhelming.

No time on the ball.

No easy passes.

No mistakes allowed.

Then all of a sudden, something clicked.

Don't overthink. Just play.

Jace started moving smarter.

Finding space.

Trusting his instincts.

A loose ball rolled toward him—he took a touch and spun away from his marker.

A defender closed in—Jace flicked the ball past him and sprinted into space.

He saw a teammate making a run.

A perfect through ball.

A goal.

Jace exhaled.

I can do this.

When the session ended, Jace was exhausted.

He walked off the pitch, dripping with sweat, legs aching.

Now came the hardest part.

The wait.

Some players would get called in right away.

Others wouldn't hear back at all.

Jace had no idea which category he fell into.

As he sat in the locker room, staring at the floor, he heard his name.

"Holloway. Coach wants to see you."

Jace's chest tightened. If they were calling him right after the match, it could mean two things.

Either he had made it or he was being dropped.

This was it.

He stood, wiped his hands on his shorts, and followed the academy staff member down the hall.

Every step felt heavier.

When he entered the office, the coach was waiting, expression unreadable.

Jace sat down, trying to steady his breathing.

The coach folded his hands.

"You surprised me today, Holloway."

Jace didn't speak.

"Fast. Hard-working. Raw, but coachable. You don't have the polish some of the others do, but you've got something just as important."

Jace swallowed.

"And that is?"

The coach smirked.

"Hunger."

A pause.

"That's why we're offering you a trial extension."

Jace's eyes widened.

"A trial extension?"

"One month," the coach said. "You'll train with the U18s. We'll see if you can adapt. If you prove yourself, we'll talk about a permanent spot."

Jace's pulse skyrocketed.

A chance.

Not just a one-day trial.

A real shot.

He met the coach's gaze and nodded.

"I won't waste it."

The coach grinned.

"See that you don't."

--

Jace barely made it outside before pulling out his phone.

He dialled Theo first.

"Well?" Theo answered immediately. "How'd it go?"

Jace took a deep breath.

"They're keeping me for a month."

A pause.

Then—

"YOU'RE JOKING."

Jace grinned. "I swear, man. A full month with the U18s."

Theo yelled so loud Jace had to pull the phone away from his ear.

"Mate, do you understand what this means?! You're on the edge of going PRO!"

Jace bit his lip.

Yeah.

Yeah, he did.

"Look, I gotta call my mum. I'll see you when I'm back."

"Bro. We're celebrating. Just saying."

Jace laughed.

"Yeah, yeah. Talk later."

He hung up and dialled again.

The call connected.

"Jace?" His mum's voice was warm and concerned.

"Hey, Mum."

"How did it go?"

Jace exhaled.

"They're keeping me for a month."

Silence.

Then—

"Oh, Jace."

His mum's voice was thick with emotion.

Jace felt his throat tighten.

"You did it," she whispered.

Jace closed his eyes.

Not yet.

But he was on his way.

And for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be.