THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
Name is in use

The internet speed in the cafe was quite fast, and within seconds, a Twitter app page filled its screen after searching for it. He did not waste time quickly installing it and starting the account registration procedure.

But he had a problem after completing the registration process. Twitter did not give its own name but instead forced it to use handles like @ZacharyBemba22, @ZacharyBemba23, and so on. He even tried to turn it into @ZacharyBemba_33, but the handle had also been taken.

Inevitably he wondered how his name became so common and widespread that it was no longer available on Twitter. He sighed, shaking his head as he lost all motivation to open an account.

"What's going on?" Emily asks when she sees him putting his phone on the table. "Are you opening an account?"

"No, yet" Zachary replied, a wry smile adorning his face. He then went on and told her about the issues she faced when signing up for the Twitter handle.

"Oh," said Emily, smiling, hearing her explanation. "That must be people trying to make a quick buck using your name. That'll be easy for us to handle. We just need to prove that the person using your name is a fraud and a parody that has nothing to do with it. That way, Twitter will verify your account and offer a handle with your name back to you."

"Oh," said Zachary, raising an eyebrow. "People can use someone else's name to make money on Twitter! How can you make money on Twitter?"

"They really did," Emily replied, her voice full of confidence. "If they can use a celebrity's name to gain a large following, then they can use the account to make a lot of money through marketing gigs, among others. As long as their hold is famous, others will offer cash for Tweets about their business to market it." He paused for a while when the waiter finally brought their two cappuccinos.

Emily and Zachary thanked the waiter and took a sip of their warm-hearted cappuccino before continuing their discussion.

"So, since your fame is still growing, I'm sure some people will use your name for such a purpose" Emily continued, putting down her cup. "That's one of the few reasons I'm so adamant that you open a Twitter account and verify it as quickly as possible. When it is on the web, all your fans will realize it in no time and become followers. . That way, you will cripple fake accounts that can damage your reputation in the future."

"Then how should we handle this?" Zachary asked, leaning back into his chair.

"Don't worry" said Emily. "I'll use your details and ID to get you a verified account on Twitter. You will be able to obtain a handle with your real name in just a few days, at most. Which handle do you want to use, by the way?"

"ZacharyBemba_33," replied Zachary.

"Oh," said Emily, raising an eyebrow. "Why number 33? Do you intend to wear the number 33 for the rest of your football career?"

"If possible, yes."

"The number-33 shirt is rare" Zachary replied. "Not many famous players use it. So, I will be able to get it easily anywhere in the world. That way, I will have my unique brand name like Zachary-33 in the future."

"I suggest we go with ZacharyBemba instead" Emily said with a smile. "It's purely from a marketing standpoint. Clubs usually make better jersey sales with smaller shirt numbers. So, I'm pretty sure that any team will want you to wear a number from 1 to 18 as long as you're still a star on their team. Even your current team, Rosenborg, may suggest that you switch to number eight or six immediately. That's if you keep on performing well."

"Oh," said Zachary, leaning into his chair. "Then, let's go with ZacharyBemba if that's the case."

"That's a lot better" said Emily, her face beaming. "I will soon be sending an email to Twitter from my work account. We should be able to give you a verified grip in a few days, or even sooner."

"Okay, then," said Zachary, putting down his cup. "I will now move to Lerkendal to train for two hours. I can't let myself relax because I'm probably going to start the next game. I have to say goodbye for now."

Emily smiles. "Then, I hope you enjoy your training. You will still find me here after your training. In the meantime, I will begin the procedure to verify your Twitter account. But please come back before 13:30 because the meeting starts at exactly 14:00. We don't want to be late for the signing of our first endorsement contract."

"Don't worry" Zachary replied, smiling back at him. "I won't be late."

"Okay, see you then," said Emily, throwing him off the table.

"See you soon" Zachary said before standing up and walking out of the cafe.

On his way out of the cafe, he pulled his hat-protector further down and broke through human traffic in Trondheim Square as he walked towards Trondheim Torg, where he left his vehicle. He got there in less than five minutes—and without lingering, got into his R8 GT and drove to Lerkendal Idresspark like the wind. Just twelve minutes later, he parked his machine in one of the empty spaces in the stadium parking lot before heading to one of the training grounds and starting his physical training.

He hopes to improve his speed so he will get more flexibility on the pitch. He was confident that he would gain the ability to defeat most defenders in Tippeligaen if his agility stats could break through to S rank. So, over the previous few days, while he was on the bench, he started undergoing some agility-enhancing exercises.

It was just another day of his training regimen, and he didn't want to relax his training just because he was about to sign a deal. So, she spent the next two hours going through some fitness exercises to improve her running speed, body control, and reaction speed.

Be it running exercises with high knees forward, lateral pliometric jumps, and back-and-forth running—he goes through it all with an intensity that suits his sports maniac. By the time Emily called her to remind her of the encounter, she was already sweating and out of breath. So, she quickly cleaned herself up and rushed back to Trondheim Square with her R8 GT to join Emily once again.

****    ****