Book 1: It's Time for Africa

Chapter One: Going to Madrid

Alyssa Silvera watched her mother sadly as she brushed back tears as they heard her train being called so that she could go to Madrid and leave behind her home town of Castile-La Mancha.

“Madre… I’ll be fine,” Alyssa said reassuringly as her mother gave her another hug, she glared at her twin brother who made no effort to even stop Amelia from clinging to her.

“You don’t have to go… you could get a job here,” Amelia said trying to persuade her only daughter to stay, she couldn’t understand why the brunette had to take this job in Madrid instead of one closer to home.

Alyssa had just gone through a rough break-up with her boyfriend of three and a half years and she needed a fresh start away from it all.

“Just yesterday you were in diapers and now you’re leaving home, and you're growing up, going to Madrid then to South Africa for eight weeks all by yourself. Without me... without me there…. without me with you… You there without me,” Amelia said as she started to cry again.

Alyssa had never been away from home before and she worried about what would happen with her daughter so far away; they might not have had much but Amelia had done what she could for her children.

Alyssa laughed softly as she hugged her mother one last time, she had already promised to call her whenever she could and keep her up to date with what she was doing.

“That's just about all the combinations of those words you can make Madre,” Alyssa teased holding back her own tears.

Pulling away the brunette smiled at her mother and brother as they called for the passenger’s to start to board the train, picking up her backpack.

Alyssa took a deep breath before she turned away from her family and started towards the train knowing if she didn’t leave now she never would.

***

Alyssa spent most of the one and a half hour trip reading over the briefing that she had been sent by the team manager; he had wanted her to be very informed about her role and what was expected of her.

Yawning as she stepped off the train, Alyssa pulled her suitcase along behind her as she walked towards the exit where she had been told she would be picked up by the assistant coach.

Alyssa bite her lip as she stepped out into the crowded collection point; she had no idea who was coming to collect her just that she was being picked up.

Alyssa couldn’t help but sigh in relief as she spotted a man with greying hair holding a piece of paper with her name on it, as quick as she could she approached him making him smile at her.

“Alyssa Silvera?” the man asked making her nod, before he smiled and took her suitcase for her knowing that Vicente would be pleased that she had made it safely.

The manager had made a rather large fuss about the twenty-one year old and José Antonio was the only person who knew why Alyssa had been hand-picked by Vicente for the job.

“José Antonio Grande… I am the assistant coach,” the man said introducing himself, he signalled for Alyssa to follow after him so that they could head to the apartment where Alyssa would be staying for the three weeks that they were in Madrid.

“I trust you had a nice trip?” José Antonio asked as they approached his car, Alyssa was glad that she had chosen sensible shoes over heels as he walked quickly not wanting to waste time strolling through a car park.

“It was okay,” Alyssa replied softly making José Antonio nod as they arrived at his car; after loading her suitcase into the boot, José Antonio insisted on opening her door for her like a gentleman.

The brunette blushed a little taken back at how he was treating her, she had never been treated so nicely and she knew it was something that she would never get used to.

José Antonio took a deep breath, he really hoped that Vicente knew what he was doing by bringing Alyssa to Madrid; the brunette wouldn’t be welcoming if she knew the true reason that she had been hired.

Hurrying around to the driver’s side of the car, José Antonio wondered just what his boss’s plan was to get close to Alyssa; she was only an intern and wouldn’t be around the main staff much.

***

The drive was quiet as José Antonio spoke about what Alyssa would be doing while she was in Spain and later South Africa for the team; she would be working closely with several departments as an intern.

“We are renting you out an apartment while you stay here in Madrid… it’s cheaper than renting out a hotel room,” José Antonio explained making Alyssa nod as they arrived at the apartment block were most of the international players stayed if they didn’t have homes in the city.

Several of the national team footballers, played in different countries and were offered accommodation just like the staff were for the training period of the tournament.

Alyssa stared at the obviously expensive building making Jose chuckle, he doubted that she had ever lived anywhere as nice as this in her entire life.

The brunette nodded making him smile as they climbed out of his car, she didn’t want to make it too obvious that she hadn’t had much growing up; she’d lived her in mother’s two bedroom crapped apartment for most of her life.

“We have also rented you a car,” José Antonio continued with ease making her nod again; though she doubted that it would be anything fancy since she was only an intern.

José Antonio didn’t waste a moment as he showed her to her studio apartment and carried her suitcase for her since he knew it would only slow her down.

“This is you,” the assistant coach said nodding at apartment 38A as he stopped outside of it, he knew she’d want to relax before she started work in two days’ time.

Vicente was preparing himself for her arrival and he wanted everything to be in place so that he could learn more about the brunette.

“Gracias,” Alyssa said making him smile at her words, he knew this was probably strange for her and that it was possibly her first trip from home alone.

“I’ll see you on Tuesday then,” José Antonio said before turning on his heel and leaving her alone in the corridor.

Alyssa sighed before slipping the key into the lock and unlocked it, she bite her lip as she pulled her suitcase inside and stood for a second in her new apartment.

On her right was the kitchen which was next to the front door with the living room being straight ahead of her from where she was standing; Alyssa closed the door behind her and put the key into her pocket.

Taking a deep breath, the brunette had never felt so alone in her life; she had needed to get away from Castile-La Mancha to prove her ex-boyfriend wrong and that she could do whatever she wanted in life without him pulling her down.

Alyssa pulled her suitcase and headed straight for her bedroom wanting to unpack a little, she had a good feeling about this internship and she was sure that whatever happened after the world cup would be good for her.

The brunette would miss her mother and brother but she needed to stand on her own two feet right and prove she could do this.