The Immigrant Who Played Basketball

Chapter 2-"But you are disappointing Ella and breaking her promise."

Chapter Two

"But you are disappointing Ella and breaking her promise"

Maria's words makes my mind drifts away from what is currently going on into a daydream. However, instead of normal daydreams that is a place of entertainment and interest, this one is a collection of memories from the past, starting from wonderful ones and ending with awful ones. After the conversation before, Maria and Chloe give me space for the rest of lunch and the afternoon lessons.

Maria POV

Today was the first day back from the summer holidays and Luna's first day at an American school since she moved here. Everything started well with Luna making friends with Chloe because their partners in Italian until lunch.

We are all sitting at a table together eating our lunch casually, Chloe and I chatting about the school events and the clubs for the academic year whilst Luna didn't take part. I thought this was best because after Ella's death, Luna seems to have made a pact on never playing basketball (or any sport, I think) ever again. Unfortunately, I forget to give Chloe warning signals and she asks Luna what clubs she's looking for.

This is where it all goes wrong and I mention something that stirs(not deliberately) haunting memories for Luna and she storms off, with her not talking to neither Chloe or I for the rest of the day. I really am sorry and I've texted her this ever since I arrived home but I'm still left with no answer. Watching Luna crumble after Ella's death has caused me sorrow but I thought I did what I should today by confronting her about it. It has been six months since the terrible night and I believe that if she doesn't start facing what happened to Ella, then she might never face it.

Mum drove me home and I start learning the Italian vocabulary we have been set as homework. An hour later, the sound of moving tyres crunch on the driveway and a couple of minutes later, the key is turning in the lock and my twin brother, Logan and my dad is greeting my mum.

His heavy footsteps then plod onto the stairs and he knocks on my bedroom door.

"Come in."

"Hey, sis. Already got homework on the first day back?"

"Ugh, yes unfortunately. Italian."

"Sad."

"Tell me about it. How was your day?"

"Great. I've managed to get a lot more boys signing up to join the basketball team."

"Oh. How long is signing up for the team on offer for?"

"Since when did you have an interest in basketball?" Logan asked me, jokily.

"It's not for me, it's for Luna."

"Oh.I didn't think she still played."

"She doesn't want to take part in any club, especially basketball. But I think it's a great way to deal with her past and get her back into basketball. She's really good and she should play it at college, but she's not keen on going there either."

"Ok. This is a complicated situation because it's not what Luna wants and she might not feel comfortable because the team is all boys."

"Oh, but please think about it."

"Ok. Look, can we talk about it another time? I'm going to meet up with my friends."

"Ok. Thanks."

Logan leaves my bedroom and I hear yet again the plodding of his footsteps as he enters his own room.

"What was that about?" Dad asks.

"Doesn't matter."

Two hours later...

I've finished eating dinner and I am looking through my album that starts from the baby me to the teenager me right now. Before I realise it, I'm looking through the photo of me, Luna and Ella at the beach. I feel like crying because I remember that I can never take another photo with Ella again and Luna was a happy, confident girl but after that night, she is a sorrowful, sensitive teenager troubled by the past. It' only me that knows of what happened that night. Logan doesn't know of Ella's death, because otherwise he would be another member of the pity club as Luna called it.

This gives me motivation that if I don't get Luna to play basketball ever again, then she would stay like this for the rest of her life.

Luna's POV

I am lying down in the grass and the sun is blinding and scorching me to death. There is shout:

"Luna!"

Sitting up, I realise that I'm not alone. It's Ella. She approaches me with a picnic basket(she is always the one who brings our picnic for our Saturday feast).

"In ebiollizione, vero(Boiling, isn't it?" Ella comments. Whenever we meet, the first subject she talks about is the weather.

"Si. Cosa hai portato per pranzo oggi(Yeah. What have you brought for our lunch today) ?"

Ella grins, her whole face lit with joy.

" Ho portato ali di pollo piccanti, insalata, panini, cioccolato, dolci, marshmallow, frutta, succo e una grande bottiglia di Coca Cola da condividere.(I've brought spicy chicken wings, salad, sandwiches, chocolate, sweets, marshmallows, fruit, juice and a big bottle of Coke for us to share)."

"Suono delizioso(Sounds delicious)."

Ella laughs. The same laughter that sounds straight from the heart.

"Ha un sapore ancora migliore(Tastes even better)."

All I could hear from then on until we were so full that we could barely walk was the munching and the sounds of:

"Questo e cosi bello(This is so good)."

When we were finished our glorious feast, Ella said:

"Andiamo a giocare a basket(Let's go play basketball)."

I wake up. My forehead is dripping with sweat. This wasn't my first dream about Ella but it was different from all the others I've had. All my other dreams about her would turn into nightmares and replay the moment she said her last words before her body became lifeless. Why now did I dream about our lovely picnics before playing a game of basketball?

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Second Chapter up. What are we thinking about Maria? What plan has she got for Luna? Continue reading to find out.