Bitten

CHAPTER THREE.

Coach Maleek rang the bell. The sound echoed in the multi-purpose hall while the stage lights lit the entire hall. He reached for the clip microphone, and adjusted it to sit perfectly on his T-shirt.

"Olivia Diego," Coach Maleek cleared his throat, then continued. "The stage is all yours."

"Not so fast!" Zain interrupted, walking to take his seat beside Coach Maleek. "My apologies, but I'd like Megan Trainor to open the stage for our senior gymnasts this evening." He looked at Coach Maleek pleadingly, then fixed his gaze at the arena, searching for Megan. "Miss Trainor?"

Megan frowned. Was there an end to Zain's tantrums? She whispered into Aria and Tanya's ears, "You see why I don't like this man? I'll talk to my dad to get him fired or transferred to another district, I can't deal."

"Just ignore him," Aria whispered back.

Tanya frowned. "He is..."

"Miss Trainor your time starts now." There was finality in Zain's voice. "If you are not ready for Olympics this year then pack your bags and go home, not everybody is destined for greatness, and not everyone will make it to the Olympics as well. Know this and know peace."

Megan smiled charmingly as she walked to the stage. While on stage, she looked at Zain for a moment. "You're new here, Sir, ask about me, I'm the biggest name in Ocean Academy. No one comes close."

Zain chuckled mockingly. "Let's see you flop."

"Zain!" Coach Maleek turned off both microphones to express his displeasure. "Stop being insensitive. I won't let you bully any of my students."

"But she can bully others?"

"Stay out of students rivalry."

"Favoritism?"

Coach Maleek faked a smile, fully aware that his students were watching. "I love all my students equally."

Zain turned on the microphones. "Miss Trainor, the stage is yours."

Megan Trainor's performance was exceptionally excellent, captivating and mind-blowing. She first started with aerobics, fiercely stealing everyone's attention. Then suddenly, though beautifully, she switched patterns to rhythmic gymnastics. At that very moment, Zain and Coach Maleek's eyes popped in shock. They didn't see her coming.

Megan wasn't a rhythmic gymnast.

Jordan Sparks couldn't hold back any longer, she paced around the arena. With each move Megan displayed, she threw a wicked smile at Jordan, praying for Jordan to hop on the stage and create a scene.

"Everyone knows the rhythm is our thing, she's trespassing right now." Alex whispered into Jordan's eyes.

"Relax." Jordan looked away from the stage, holding Alex by the hand. "We've got this."

"No, we haven't. Don't you realize what she's doing?" Alex looked at Megan. "Look at her, what else is left for us to perform that she hasn't?"

"We'll still do the same, but in a different pattern. Let's try the new moves we were practising yesterday, yeah?" Jordan questioned hopefully.

For an answer, Alex nodded her head.

Megan Trainor didn't stop even when Zain blew the whistle for her to leave the stage. She performed five official types of gymnastics; Rhythmic, Acrobatics, Trampoline, Aerobics and finally ended her show with Power Tumbling. Her performance was too good to ignore, Coach Maleek kept clapping with the audience as Megan made her iconic exit from the stage.

"I'm so proud of you." Mr. Trainor hugged his daughter tightly backstage. "Do you even realize what you've done? You've broken a record in Ocean Academy. No one, I mean no one in the history of Ocean Academy has ever attempted to practice or perform five official types of the gymnastics sports."

"She killed the show tonight," Coach Maleek interrupted. He had scurried right after Megan when she left the stage. "The best."

"We can't be sure about that, the show just started, and the night is still long." Zain walked backstage staring at Mr. Trainor. "Regardless, I'm proud of her."

"Thank you," Megan replied.

Zain and Coach Maleek left the backstage to continue the audition. Megan tried to walk out, probably to go cheer up her friends. Mr. Trainor held her left hand softly and pulled her back.

"Hey," Mr. Trainor's voice cracked with emotion. "You made tonight shine. I am proud of you. Congratulations, there's no doubt you've made it to the Olympics this year."

"Thank you." Megan looked at his hand on hers, then gently brought it down. "You know why I'm doing this, right?"

Mr. Trainor nodded helplessly.

"I'll see you later then, I need to go stay with my friends." Megan walked out, sad.

This moment was precious, iconic. She could hear the crowd still cheering and clapping for her performance. She ought to be happy, she knew, but she wasn't. Sadness and gloom clouded her face. She moved quietly to her friends.

Olivia Diego performed, then Monica. One by one all gymnasts performed. Jordan Sparks and Alex performed last, they performed as a duo. The only duo that performed tonight.

Two things were obvious to everyone, Megan had already qualified for the Olympics, and Alex didn't make it. From being nervous to lacking confidence in herself, Alex flopped hard. Even Monica the known epic failure did better. Jordan didn't even look at Alex while performing, she did exceptionally well.

Coach Maleek clapped when Jordan and Alex left the stage, the same he clapped for all his students. Zain was impressed, but did not clap, neither did he smile.

"Tonight was a great night," Zain started, "Good luck to all of you."

"I am proud of you," Coach Maleek pointed at Jordan, then Megan and the rest of his students. "I am proud of all of you. Go home and rest, you deserve it."

Aria raised her hand. "Coach!"

"Yes, Aria." Coach Maleek paid attention.

Aria reached for a microphone and spoke boldly. "When will the list come out?"

"Go home and pray you make it to the list." Zain answered sharply. "Good night."

The stage lights went off.

Tory ran to embrace Jordan. Everyone was already leaving the hall, some left in tears, some left in joy, and some were just sad.

"I wish Dad was here tonight," Tory said.

Jordan smiled. "Was my performance that good?"

Tory nodded. "You will definitely make it to that list."

"I need to," Jordan said hopefully. "We need this money."

"Everyone needs money." As they walked towards the exit door, they argued quietly.

Megan was still seated at the arena, staring at the big empty stage. Tanya interrupted her thoughts.

"Megan?"

"Hi," Megan responded without looking at her. "Have you seen Aria?"

"She's in the bathroom crying." Tanya sat beside Megan. "Jasper is still not cooperating."

"Poor girl!" Megan said with empathy.

"Can I come and stay at your place this weekend?"

"Not now, Tanya, my mom is having some relatives over this weekend." Megan lied.

"Okay." Tanya frowned, looking around.

***

Megan spent the weekend having series of fights with her father. He was being selfish, and she wasn't prepared to ignore any of it.

"I am following all your instructions, the least you can do is allow me to spend this weekend out."

Megan was frustrated and homesick.

"Out to where?" Mr. Trainor questioned.

"Out with my friends."

"Which of your friends?"

"You do not know them."

"Then you cannot go." Mr. Trainor turned to leave. "And that is final."

Megan watched angrily as he walked away, then replied loud enough for her father to hear her. "Then prepare for a burial." She stood at the balcony staring at the sky.

The infection that could have at least been treated with antibiotics now ran rampant throughout their almost wasted bodies. If something didn't change soon...

Mr. Trainor turned away, trying to pretend that he'd been distracted by a noise from the television. He couldn't bear to see his family crying and groaning on the couch in so much pain.

"Megan! Megan! " Mr. Trainor yelled out in frustration.

As Megan walked down the stairs to the living room, her eyes met Mr. Trainor's, conveying what looked like sympathy. "I would let me go if I were in your shoes."

"You will never know what it's like until you walk in my shoes," Mr. Trainor replied.

Josie looked up, brows lifted in inquiry. "Megan what are you saying?"

"Nothing." Mr. Trainor scratched his head as he paced up and down the living room.

"Nothing?" Megan questioned. "Did you say nothing?"

"Megan, please..." Mrs. Trainor struggled to speak. "Don't do this."

"Do what?" Josie moved his gaze from his father, then mother, and finally steadied it on Megan, hoping to get a clear explanation.

"I'll make it brief Josie." Megan eyed her parents. "Your beloved parents are the reason why you are in this horrible state."

"How?" She wasn't making sense to him.

Megan waited until Josie appeared a bit prepared. "Tell your dad to let me go. I do not belong here. If he doesn't let me go I will damn the consequences and put an end to your lives."

"You will do no such thing!" Mr. Trainor screamed.

"What is happening here, can somebody be nice enough to tell me what is happening here?" Josie struggled to get on his feet, but fell to the floor almost immediately. "At least let me have an idea of what you are arguing about."

"I am a werewolf. I do not belong here. Tell your parents to let me go and live my life, on my own terms." Megan explained. "Else you will continue to suffer in till you die. No one except me can cure the infection. And if you wait too long, death awaits you right after I turned all of you into one of my kind."

Josie drew one of the chairs surrounding the dining table, covered with maps and papers. He sat, trying to process what he had just heard. He took a deep breath.

"Don't listen to her, Josie, she is insane." Mrs. Trainor managed to sit up. "We were at the rehab earlier this week and the doctors diagnosed her with serious mental issues." Mrs. Trainor looked at Josie, she knew he wasn't buying the story.

"The good news is, there's a solution," Mr. Trainor quickly added. "We'll move your sister to rehab."

Not bothered, Megan leaned against the wall. There was no point in trying to convince Josie or get validation. Actions louder than words, they say, but Megan was going to let her silence speak louder at the moment.

"Megan has a mental disorder?" Josie asked in shock. "How possible?"

"Drugs," Mr. Trainor answered. "Lately, she's been seen in the company of some drug addicts. But do not worry or fear, son, we will fix her."

"I still don't understand, Dad." Josie was finding it hard to believe that Megan could ever be involved in drugs.

"What don't you understand?" Mr. Trainor yelled at Josie unintentionally. "I am already paranoid, cut me some slack. Your sister has been doing drugs with a handful of kids on the other block, and now she is mentally affected, and we will be moving her to rehab. Which part of this is hard to understand, Josie?"

"All of it," Josie answered calmly. He looked at Megan. "She doesn't look like an addict, Dad."

"Oh, so now you're a psychiatrist?" Mr. Trainor mocked. "It's not written on the forehead."

"Or do you seriously believe aliens, werewolves, and vampires, still exist? In this century? Come on, Josie, do better." Mrs. Trainor said. "You think she is the cause of our illness?"

"I don't know what to believe. You guys, she looks sane." Josie directed his gaze at Megan. "Are you just going to stand there and say nothing or do nothing?"

"You are living on borrowed time, be careful." Megan left the living room, ignoring the strange eyes Josie threw at her.

***

It'd been less than an hour since Megan had the face-off with her family. Her bags were already packed. She pushed aside the curtain in her bedroom, ready to walk out of the house and their lives. Mr. Trainor who had been standing guard over her stepped further inside the bedroom through the opening, his rifle trained on Megan's chest.

One look at his face and she had known that whatever this was, it was something serious and bad. "Dad?"

"Shut up." Mr Trainor tried to control his temper. "Now I'm your dad? Where are you going to with your bags packed?"

"Let me go. I will give you the antidote."

"You know if you leave I will blackball you, your career will be over."

"I agree."

"You are ready to give up your career and life just to be a dirty cave person living in abject poverty?"

"I want to break out from you and Mom so I can live my life on my own terms and do everything that makes me happy, which includes relating freely with my blood, my kind."

"We had an agreement. You've passed the audition and made it to the Olympics, win that medal for me and I will let you go wherever you want to go and do whatever you want."

"Why is this medal a big deal for you, and what if I don't win it?"

"The medal in exchange for your freedom, so?"

"Deal!"