Settling In

After the contract was signed and the photos were taken, there were a few more handshakes and a short chat with one of the staff. Then it was time to head home.

In the car, Sebastian sat in the back seat beside Sara, holding the academy folder that contained his documents, schedule, and the official letter welcoming him to Malmö FF.

Once they got home, the rest of the weekend moved quickly. There was a buzz in the house, a mix of excitement and quiet preparation.

His parents helped him sort out his clothes and essentials. His football boots were cleaned, socks paired and folded, and the things he would need for school too. Everything was packed neatly into his travelling bags.

By Saturday night, the bag sat zipped and ready near the front door. Sebastian stood in the doorway for a moment, just looking at it. The thought of being away from home felt strange, but it was also thrilling. He couldn't wait to get started.

On Sunday afternoon, the entire family packed themselves into the car once more. This time, there was no tension or uncertainty. The mood was bright. His mum had made his favorite rice and meatballs earlier that day, and they left around four in the evening.

They arrived at the academy just after six. The sun was still up, casting a warm glow across the lawns and buildings. The boys' hostel stood at the far end of the campus, a broad two-story building with long balconies running along each floor and wide windows that reflected the sky.

As the family pulled up to the drop-off area near the entrance, a man in a Malmö FF tracksuit stepped out of the building. He spotted them immediately and walked over with an easy smile.

"Sebastian Falk?" he asked.

"Yes," Sebastian said, stepping forward.

"Great. I'm Tobias. One of the dorm managers. Coach Henrik asked me to meet you and take you through your induction."

Sebastian's parents greeted him briefly. The whole atmosphere was relaxed. Tobias gave a short explanation of what he would be covering and then gestured toward the entrance.

"Alright, Sebastian, let's head in so we can get you settled."

But before they moved, Sebastian's dad pulled him into a quick hug and looked him in the eye.

"You've worked hard to get here," he said. "But it doesn't get any easier from here. It's not easy to go pro as a footballer. You already know that. I don't need to tell you. Just keep working hard, and I know you'll achieve your dreams."

Sebastian nodded. "I will."

Then his mum stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

"Make sure you call us. Even if you don't need anything. They told us the dorm has phones for boys to call their parents, so don't hesitate to use them, okay?"

"Okay, Mum," he said with a smile.

Sara stepped up last, holding the snack bag she had packed. Her eyes looked a little glossy as if tears wanted to fall out of them.

"I'll miss you," she said softly.

Sebastian gave a small laugh and hugged her.

"I'll be back during the holidays. Don't cry."

"I'm not crying," she muttered, scrubbing at her eyes with the back of her hand.

With all the goodbyes said, they finally stepped back toward the car. His parents gave him one last wave as they climbed in. The car started and pulled away slowly.

Sebastian turned and followed Tobias through the building's front doors into a wide common area with couches, a wall-mounted TV, and a few notice boards pinned with printed schedules and announcements. A staircase ran up along the far wall.

"You're on the second floor," Tobias said as they started climbing. "It's a shared room setup with two boys to a room. But the rooms are big, though, so you'll have nothing to worry about. You'll be roommates with one of the other new boys."

Sebastian nodded, glancing around. Everything felt clean, fresh, and simple. White walls, tiled floors, and a quiet hum of life in the background.

"All four of you that came in today were from the trials last week. I'm not sure which teams any of you were from, but you'll be seeing each other a lot. Two of the other boys are in the room right before yours."

They reached the second floor, and Tobias pointed to a door just ahead on the left labelled 213.

"That's them right there. You should introduce yourself later and get to know each other. You'll be teammates after all."

They walked a few more steps before Tobias stopped at the next door.

"Here we go. Room 214."

He unlocked it and pushed the door open.

Sebastian stepped inside and blinked. The room was larger than he expected. Two beds stood on opposite sides of the room, each with its own desk, chair, lamp, and wardrobe. A single bathroom was tucked neatly into one corner, the door slightly open. One of the beds had already been claimed, as there was some luggage beside it and some belongings on it.

Tobias nodded toward the other bed.

"Looks like this one's yours. First come, first served."

Sebastian dropped his bag beside it and looked around again.

"I thought they'd be here."

Tobias shrugged. "They probably stepped out to look around the hostel. It's a big place. There's the lounge, the games room, the laundry block, the cafeteria, and some other places too. They'll be back soon."

Sebastian gave a small nod.

"Do you have any questions?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm good."

"Alright. If anything comes up, I'm downstairs. You'll find me or another dorm manager at the front desk."

"Thanks," Sebastian said.

Tobias gave him a thumbs-up.

"Welcome to the academy."

He closed the door behind him.

Sebastian turned back to the room. It was quiet now.

"Let's get this over with," he muttered to himself, pushing off the bed and unzipping his bag.

He walked over to the wardrobe and opened it. Inside were hangers, a shelf, and a couple of drawers. One by one, he began placing his clothes on hangers, lining up his folded shirts and training gear.

Halfway through unpacking, he heard footsteps and voices echoing from the hallway outside his door.

I guess that's them.

He was curious as to who else got in, and deep down, he hoped Martin was one of them.