I'm with you // Adnan Januzaj

Chapter 1 // Ava

AVA

MY grandfather thought it was a good idea to fly my twin brother, Alfie and I to San Jose, California to meet him whilst he was on tour with his boys. He had been travelling with the squad for his pre-season tour in America and only after 3 days in Seattle did he realize that he was short staffed and needed more hands. You would have imagined that a club as massive as Manchester United would have brought enough staff members to this tour. Gramps didn't think it was a good idea to bring over 8 employees excluding the coaching staff and press.

That's why he needed Alfie and I to help Patricia, his personal assistant.

"I'm a bit worried, Gamma. I don't think gramps thought this through. Remember when we helped out during the World Cup in Brazil?" Alfie nervously looked at our grandmother Truus, who was handing my brother his jacket before hugging him goodbye.

"Oh, hush Alfie. You know he appreciated having his grandkids around." Gamma replied while she rested one hand on his back. "Nobody expected him to win third place." She beamed remembering those fond memories in Brazil last year.

"You know I'm not talking about that--He didn't appreciate Memphis fancying Ava behind his back though, did he?" Alfie countered.

"And Stefan, and Gregory and-" he continued.

"Stop that, Alfie." Truus looked at my brother with a disapproving look. "None of that will happen this time, you know he won't allow it."

"Stefan was very, very dreamy by the way." I laughed, much to Alfie's dismay.

Alfie looked at me disapprovingly. "You know I'm only joking, Alfs." I honestly said. "Besides, I don't have time for that, I have a whole career ahead of me, you know that."

He finally smiled back.

My brother Alfie, was never too fond with my choice of boyfriends-not that I've had a lot. He and my other older brother, Darragh, now 21, seemed to disapprove anyone who would ask me out, says "I could do better." My younger stepbrother, Theo, was the only one in my family who did not care who I would date. Of course he wouldn't, he's only 11.

Brenda Van Gaal was 22 when she married my father, Sean Walsh, an Irish man who was 28, widowed with 3 kids; Darragh was 4 while Alfie and I were 2. My grandpa Louis, never imagined having grandchildren at 44, he was thrilled to say the least. Always asking my parents if he could borrow any of us 3 while he was coaching in Amsterdam, later on Barcelona.

My whole family seemed to have a say on everything I would or would not do. Be it education, sports, work, and most importantly, boys. It didn't bother me truthfully. I adored my family, as they're only looking after me.

Gamma held my hand, smiling at us saying, "You two behave, enjoy and don't forget even if you're there to help out, it's still a holiday, alright?"

"Of course Gamma, I'll even buy you those I heart San Francisco t-shirts." Alfie joked.

---

As we stepped out of customs and immigration in San Francisco, I couldn't help but be excited on my 2 week holiday in America before classes would resume on September. "Alfie, help me out please." I asked looking at my brother staring at the airport crowd, well, more likely staring at the American girls surrounding him as I tried to pull my luggage out of the baggage carousel.

"I can't believe we're in San Francisco, Ava. I'm fucking buzzing right now." Alfie replied. "Do you think American girls like Irish-Dutch boys?" He joked only to have me rolling my eyes at him.

We made our way out to the public area to see who grandpa had sent to pick us up. Right on cue, a white haired old Dutch man screamed from afar "Hey! Hey! Hey! Ava! Alfie!"

A little bit too excited, grandpa was shouting with his hands up a few feet away, making a scene, pretending to embarrass us.

"Hi gramps!" I hugged him immediately setting my luggage down to my right. "I've missed you!" Both Alfie and I happily responded. Alfie and I were then led to the black SUV car they rented with Patricia, his PA waiting by the door. "I reckon you had a decent flight, ya?" She smiled.

"Yes, thank you for booking our flight." I thankfully acknowledged.

---

As we arrived in the Fairmont, gramps instructed Alfie and I to settle down in our rooms adjacent to his, then to come downstairs in the function room to join the squad for lunch. I didn't mind sharing a room with Alfie, we're twins after all and it would help save money for this tour.

Alfie rushed to the room a few minutes after I've settled in, excitedly saying, "Holy fuck I just met Schmidfield Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin in the lift, Ava!!" My brothers absolutely love football and meeting the newcomers already made his day.

"I'm scho schappy schright schnow!" He grinned.

"Weirdo" was all I managed to say, laughing at my twin as we changed into more comfortable clothes. We headed down to the second floor of the hotel and stood outside the function room.

"I'm nervous, Alfie..." I looked at him, who appeared to be the opposite of what I was feeling. He was eager to meet the other new player, Darmian, as rightback was his favourite position and to meet the whole squad as well. He had already met Daley and Memphis during the World Cup. He had recently met Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Chris Smalling earlier that month too as he was visiting grandpa when he had his meeting with the club captain, vice captain and third captain before jetting to Seattle.

I, on the other hand, only knew Daley, Memphis, Ryan Giggs, the assistant coach and Frans Hoek, the goalkeeping coach. Well, and Patricia. But that's about it.

"Don't be, sis. They probably won't even notice us since they're all hungry and shit, you know." He said as he opened the door.

And so we entered.

And everyone stopped to look at us.

Fuck.

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First story, hopefully you'll like it x

Januslay