Chapter 71 - 69 - Answer the call

Chapter 71: Chapter 69 - Answer the call

Rafael was waiting for one of the bikes to free up when the England U18 announcement appeared on his phone again.

He had already seen it on Friday.

The same names filled the screen when he opened the post. A few belonged to players he had crossed paths with in younger England groups, while others came from academies that always seemed to have somebody around the national setup.

His name wasn’t there.

On Friday, he had gone through the list once before locking his phone. Saint-Étienne were coming to Saint-Symphorien the following evening, and Rafael had been more interested in getting back onto the pitch for Metz than wondering why England had gone elsewhere.

The player in front of him stepped off the bike and wiped the handles.

"All yours."

"Cheers."

Rafael pocketed his phone and climbed on.

Recovery moved at the usual Monday pace around him. Caron was somewhere behind the bikes arguing with a physio about an ice bath, while Perrin had taken over one of the mats with a towel beneath his head and his eyes closed.

By the time Rafael finished the bike and moved through the rest of his work, the England post had stopped occupying his attention.

He was rolling up his mat when one of the first-team staff came through the room.

"Rafa, come and find me before you leave."

Rafael looked up. "All right."

The man continued toward the treatment area.

Rafael finished, collected his bottle and headed toward the changing room with several teammates. He hadn’t made it there before the staff member appeared again.

"Good. Come with me first."

They walked farther down the corridor and entered one of the smaller meeting rooms. Another member of staff was already seated at the table with a laptop open.

Rafael noticed the England crest on the screen as he sat down.

"England contacted us this morning," the man behind the laptop said. "They’ve had withdrawals from the U18 group going to Switzerland and want to add you as a replacement. We haven’t accepted anything on your behalf, but if you want the place, we’ll release you and get the travel sorted today."

Rafael read enough of the email to see Nyon, the UEFA Friendship Cup and the first fixture against Colombia.

"I want it. When do they need me?"

"Tomorrow if we can finish everything in time. Their camp has already started, so they want the replacements there quickly."

He scrolled farther down.

"We’ll handle your end from Metz and England will have somebody meet you when you arrive. Your mother needs the itinerary and the release forms because you’re still seventeen, so we’ll speak to her this afternoon as well. School will go through the arrangement we’ve already got in place."

Rafael nodded. "Okay."

"There are three group matches. Colombia first, then Egypt and Korea Republic. We’ll send everything once the booking is confirmed."

The staff member near the door smiled.

"Not a bad way to spend the break."

Rafael looked at the England crest again.

"No."

He stood, thanked them and stepped into the corridor.

Blue light appeared before he reached the changing room.

[NEW CAREER MISSION]

[ANSWER THE CALL]

[Objective: Make one competitive appearance for England U18 during the UEFA Friendship Cup.]

[Bonus Objective: Register one goal contribution.]

[Reward: Free Attribute Point ×1]

[Bonus Reward: Composure +0.2]

[ACCEPT]

[DECLINE]

Rafael selected the first option.

[MISSION ACCEPTED]

The panel faded, and he pushed open the changing-room door.

The final itinerary reached Rafael before he left Frescaty.

Metz had already contacted his school, England had sent the reporting information and his mother had received the documents she needed.

Moreau called while Rafael was walking home.

"I’ve seen the call-up. Everything sorted?"

"Looks like it."

"Good. Then go and enjoy it. It’s useful exposure, but don’t turn one England window into something bigger than it is."

Rafael shifted his bag higher on his shoulder.

"I won’t."

"You’ve still got the same contract and the same fight for minutes when you come back. Train properly, and if they use you, make it difficult not to use you again."

"That sounds familiar."

"It should. Saves me inventing new advice every week."

Rafael smiled.

Moreau paused briefly before adding, "Congratulations."

"Thanks."

They ended the call there.

His mother had taken over one end of the dining table by the time Rafael came downstairs later with his travel bag.

Printed forms sat beside her notebook, and the England email was still open on her phone. She was reading it with a small smile that disappeared only when she reached for the paperwork again.

Rafael put the bag beside his chair.

"Your club called," she said. "They went through tomorrow with me, and England sent another contact number in case anything changes after you arrive. I’ve written it down too."

"I’ve saved it."

"I know. The paper version doesn’t run out of battery."

Rafael sat opposite her and picked up the pen she had left beside the forms.

His mother glanced toward the bag.

"How finished is that?"

"Nearly."

"Charger?"

Rafael’s pen stopped against the page.

She looked at him.

He laughed. "I’ll get it."

"And take the school folder while you’re upstairs. If I see it on your desk tomorrow morning, I’m sending it after you."

"You wouldn’t."

"I would."

Rafael headed upstairs and returned with both.

The charger disappeared into the side pocket while the folder went into the front compartment. His mother waited until he had closed the zips before pushing the next page toward him.

"Sign there."

Rafael scanned it and signed.

She had already filled in her part.

There had been England camps before, so she didn’t inspect every line or ask him how it felt to wear the badge. She stacked the completed papers, tapped them straight against the table and reached for the folder.

"You were easier to pack for when you were younger."

Rafael looked up. "You mean when you packed for me."

"Exactly. Much more efficient."

"You still basically are."

"Yes, except now you pretend you’re helping."

Rafael smiled and handed back the pen.

His phone vibrated beside him.

Lucas had finally seen the news.

ENGLAND???

Another message appeared while Rafael was opening the first.

you’re leaving the country AND missing school again. this football thing is getting ridiculous

Rafael typed:

I’ll send you the work I miss.

The reply came almost immediately.

blocked

Rafael laughed.

His mother looked over from the papers. "Lucas?"

"Yeah."

"I assumed."

She slid the documents into the folder and held it out.

"Put this somewhere you can reach tomorrow."

Rafael opened the front of his bag.

The car arrived while Rafael was finishing breakfast the following morning.

His mother had been awake before him and was already dressed for work, although her coffee had gone cold beside the travel itinerary.

Rafael rinsed his plate, collected his bag from the stairs and came back into the hallway.

She handed him the folder and watched him put it into the front compartment.

"Good. At least you’re not burying it under your boots."

His phone buzzed with another message from the driver.

Rafael pulled on his jacket.

His mother noticed the collar folded underneath itself and fixed it before he could move away.

"Call me when you’re settled. I don’t care whether it’s straight away or an hour later, just don’t disappear until tonight and make me start wondering."

"I won’t. I’ll call."

She looked at him for another second, then stepped back and opened the door wider.

"Go on. He’s waiting."

Rafael picked up his bag.

"See you."

"Play well."

He smiled and headed outside.

By the time Rafael reached Nyon, England already moved like a group that had been together without him.

Players crossed the corridor in small clusters while staff checked documents, handed out equipment and pointed people toward changing areas. Two midfielders were discussing an academy game from the weekend, one defender had emptied half his kit bag onto a bench looking for something, and somebody near the door was trying to swap a training top that was too small.

The staff member who had met Rafael on arrival took him through the last of the check-in before handing him over to the team staff.

Rafael received his equipment and was listening to the afternoon schedule when someone slowed behind him.

"Rafa?"

He turned.

It took him another second to place the midfielder from an earlier England camp.

The player smiled. "Knew it was you. You’re at Metz now, aren’t you?"

"Yeah. How’ve you been?"

"Good. Saw you’d been playing first team."

"Getting some minutes."

"Nice. I’ll catch you after. They’re waiting for us."

Someone called the midfielder from farther down the corridor, and he jogged away.

Rafael finished changing and followed the others outside.

Will Antwi gathered them briefly before the session.