CHAPTER FIVE- WHEN THE BED BUGS BITE
Megan and Sebastien ventured outside of their hotel room a few hours later. The reality was that even in the face of all their quiet desperation, they still had a tournament to win. They alone knew just how important the next two weeks would be- both their families depended on them to win. After stopping by the hotel front desk to ask directions, they took a walk down the road to a tennis club. Sebastien carried along his old tennis racket, looking with some envy at the other players and their clearly superior equipment. Megan saw a few parents hovering along the sidelines and prayed that she'd get to see her family after the tournament, and that they'd be willing to see her. They finally found an empty court, and started warming up.
"Sebastien?" asked Megan.
"Yea?"
"I'm gonna cream you!" Megan jumped up and grabbed her racket.
"Oh right! Not a CHANCE, O'Connor!" Sebastien raced across to the other side of the court, just in time for a ball to bounce right on the corner of the line and zoom past his head.
"Whoa."
"I told you I'd cream you!"
Megan and Sebastien played their best tennis that day, revelling in their love of the game, and their love for each other. They could only hope that they played as well the next day- for their first match of the Hamstead Tournament.
As the crickets and fireflies began to come out, they decided to turn in for the day. Most of the other players had already left, so they started the walk back to the hotel alone. Slowly all the stars came out to greet them, two lovers wrapped under a cloak of moonlight. They walked along in comfortable silence, until Megan's soft sobbing pierced the night.
"Megan?" Sebastien turned around to face her, and took both her hands. In that moment, he understood how Squib had conquered his fears that night on Memphre Lake, and kissed Cody. Megan was beautiful, despite the tears that streaked her face and her soul. Sebastien released her hands and held her in the dark of the night, as she had done for him that very day. "You'll never be alone, my love."
Megan and Sebastien made their way back to their hotel room and got ready for bed.
"Megan? Are you sleeping?" asked Sebastien.
"No…I just can't sleep. I'm too nervous…I'm too awake!" she replied.
"Then…you want to come over here and talk for a little while?" There was silence while Megan contemplated the offer.
"Sure. I can't just lie here all night!"
Megs climbed over to Sebastien's bed, and got under the covers. For a while, they just talked about Cascadia and all their memories, their friends, their coach, the awful food. Eventually, they talked themselves to sleep.
Sometime in the night, Sebastien dreamed of his mother. He was just about to reach out to her when he woke up. Megan's fingers were digging into his skin and she was trying to call his name. It only came out as a soundless whoosh of air, and each time she looked for scared. Sebastien sat up and jumped out of bed to Megan's bedside. For a split-second his mother's gentle face flashed behind his eyes, gasping for air the same way Megan was. Suddenly, the light in her eyes died and she fell back onto the pillow. A strangled cry escaped Sebastien's throat as he saw his mother lying there instead of Megan.
"Megan! Wake up! Megan! You have to wake up!" Sebastien's woke from his waking nightmare and to get Megan to wake up. He checked for a pulse- but instead of none at all, he found her heart racing. Her chest was rising too fast, her body was beginning to shake and Sebastien had no idea what to do. His own heart was breaking when Megan's eyes opened and she yelled his name.
"SEBASTIEN! SE-" she was looking around wildly for him when she saw him standing by their bed, tears streaming down his face.
He took her hand and said, "Never, never do that again! Megan, you need to see a doctor! Please!"
"I can't go. They'll kick me out of the tournament!"
"Megs, you were practically having a seizure. What happens if this happens on the court? Or when you're alone? I can't lose you…" Sebastien's tears overtook his voice.
"Seb…you're not going to lose me. I'm…I'm fine. It always stops after a little while after, and it doesn't even hurt in between. You know that no matter how sick I am, I have to play this tournament." Megan stopped after seeing the look on her love's face.
"Oh Megan…" He couldn't explain to her why he was more shaken up than ever. He could only gaze at her, hoping she'd know just how much he needed her to be ohkay. Megan felt awkward under his eyes, and invited him back into the bed. This time, they slept with their arms wrapped around each other, thinking that maybe they could protect the other from any kind of harm.