He sat at his desk, fingers hovering over the mechanical keyboard. The rhythmic tapping of his foot betrayed his calm exterior. On his desk sat a cold cup of coffee, completely forgotten. Two browser tabs were open to different online retailers, and his phone display showed a countdown timer ticking away the final seconds. Three. Two. One.

He clicked it instantly. A small loading animation appeared. Leo held his breath, praying to the sneaker gods that the site wouldn’t crash. A green checkmark appeared. The relief was intoxicating, but the race was only half won.

Leo clicked refresh. The loading wheel spun. It felt like an eternity. His heart hammered against his ribs. The screen finally updated, replacing the countdown with a bright, enticing button. Add to Cart.