CHAPTER FOUR- EXPLANATIONS
Megan put her head in Sebastien's lap. She turned so she could gaze into his face as they talked, and felt for his hand.
"I'm the happiest girl in the world right now," confessed Megan.
"And I'm the happiest boy! Wait- what'll I tell Squib?" asked Sebastien.
"You can tell Furlong that it's time he followed in your footsteps and asked Cody out!" Megan pulled her hand out of Sebastien's and drew it across his cheek. "He doesn't know what he's missing."
"And what'll you tell Adena?"
"That I'm in love! She'll FREAK," said Megan. "What do you think Squib'll say?"
Sebastien laughed. He put on a 'Squib-Face' and said, "Seb, my man! You're such a player!" Megan and Sebastien both laughed, mostly because although his imitation was accurate, Seb couldn't hide his accent.
"You sound like a French gangsta!" cried Megan.
"Hey! I can be gangsta!" Sebastien huffed up and…"Yo! Wassup, homie-g?"
Megan took one look at him, and burst out laughing. "Yea, totally gangsta Sebastien!"
"Whaaaaaat? Now I'm sad." He pulled the puppy-dog-face again and it just made Megan laugh more. "Hey! Get to bed! You have a match tomorrow O'Connor!" Seb tried his best to be serious.
"Oh right, and you don't." Megan tried to argue more, but she realized the truth in Sebastien's words when she started to yawn mid-sentence. Both of them managed to stay awake long enough to put their stuff away, and find their toothbrushes and things. They took short showers and drifted off to sleep, on separate beds.
When Megan woke up, it was 4:00 PM. She had slept for 10 hours and was fully refreshed, if not a little jetlagged. She made some hot chocolate in the kitchen and set it on Sebastien's bedside table. Then Megan lifted up his bed sheet and slipped in behind him, jolting the bed just enough to wake up.
Sebastien let out a sleepy moan and turned around. "Megan!" He definitely was not expecting her there- they were the most conservative ones in the group. It might have come from needed to focus on the tennis as a livelihood more than as a sport you can play for fun. Megs smiled back at him and reached over to grab the hot mugs of chocolate. "We're not supposed to have chocolate…"
"Come on Sebastien, we can break the rules once!" exclaimed Megan. Sebastien just looked at her in disbelief. "Ohkay fine…it's no-fat sugar-free hot chocolate in skim milk, but it's good enough!"
Sebastien accepted the chocolate gratefully. They both sipped it slowly, until Megan broke the silence. "Sebastien…what's your story?"
"Mon histoire?" he asked.
"Uh…yea." She tried to repeat it, "Moan iss-twah."
Sebastien put his cup down and chucked softly. "Good enough." Seb searched his memory for a good place to start. "When I was 13, my mom…she was sick. My dad had to work because she wasn't strong enough to hold a job, so I stayed at home and took care of her. We couldn't even afford a doctor. That summer…she got worse. She faded in and out…sometimes she didn't know who I am." Sebastien started to cry. Megan reached out for him, but didn't say anything. She knew he needed to continue. "One morning, she woke up and told me she was ready. She told me that she loved me, and to tell my father the same. I begged her to keep trying but…she was gone. After the funeral, my dad sold the house and we moved to Canada. He couldn't stand all the memories. I couldn't…I couldn't leave them. When we got here, I got the scholarship for Cascadia, and my dad got the job at Arnie's. He keeps trying to make things seem better but…" Sebastien wiped away his tears and continued talking. "It can't be. We needed her with us…and we left her behind. She's buried in France. But she'll be here…every time I step onto the court she's there with me. Maybe…this time, with the Hamstead my dad and I can get out this hole. I need this…for all of us."
Megan held him for a long time. It was a little odd, because he was usually the one protecting her. Soon his body stopped shaking and the tears stopped falling. He exhaled and pulled back from Megan.
"Now…it's your turn to tell me ton histoire," he said, softly.
Megan snuggled deeper into the bedspread. Gathering her thoughts, she began to speak. "I picked up my first racket when I was four. Adena was my best friend, and we started playing constantly. When I was 12, I got an agent. He found out about Cascadia, and a year later, Adena and I were rooming in the Swamp. Everything was fine until the night of the Charity Banquet- after I left, I got a call from my mom. She told me that the family was losing money, and the only way we'd be able to keep our house and keep me at Cascadia was if I started going somewhere with my career. For months, I tried to play my best tennis. I had to- you know? Then my dad called. He told me I was costing the family too much money. Then he cut off all contact…said he'd call when I sent a paycheck home. My mom tried to change his mind- she called to tell me everything would be fine if I just got into a tournament. When I didn't get the Junior Davis Cup, she stopped calling too. The whole time I was getting these stomachaches…always at night, and usually only twice a week. Then after my parents stopped talking to me, they got worse and more often. I freaked out. How was I going to win anything with an injury? And if I stopped playing tennis…I'd never be able to talk to my family again. When Gunns told me I got into the Hamstead, I realized how important it was. I called home to tell them…and my dad told me to come home if I won. Only if I won." Megan leaned into Sebastien and a few tears slipped down her cheek. Seb held her tight and they both realized just how much they needed each other.