The Immigrant Who Played Basketball

Chapter Seventeen-"Let's party!"

Where Lara lives is a part of town I've never been to. The most obvious advice when you're in a part of town you've never been in is that you should make a good first impression. Now, I've completely gone against that suggestion and guess what I'm doing.

I'm running with streaked mascara, messy eye shadow, out of ordereyeliner and eyes as red as blood down the middle of the road after a car,yelling like a lunatic. You might be thinking why on earth am I humiliatingmyself when I could be in a car with my classmate's mum, feeling sorry formyself, waiting to arrive home, curl up in my warmest pyjamas(even though itfeels like the hottest day that I've spent in this country so far) and stuff mymouth with popcorn as I watch Netflix, lying lazily on the couch. Unfortunately,it seems like normal isn't in my dictionary. Also, I want to live in Ella'smemory. Ella was my only friend and for her the same to me so we barely gotinvited to parties – outside the family ones – therefore when we did, it waslike we had both won the lottery. If she was in my shoes today, she would have definitely accepted the invitation.

"Wait! Stop!" I cry croakily, my heart pounding and my lungs in my chest bursting.

Eventually, when my legs are burning so much that I can barely run anymore, the driver stops and I bend over to catch my breath and I pant as relief fills me.

"Luna, what the hell!"

Logan is the first to exit the car, confused but amused.

"I changed my mind."

"About what?" Lara questions, the next to leave the car.

"About the party. I want to come."

"Lol. Luna, there's something called mobile phones," Logan laughs heartily.

Heat rises up my neck.

"Well, tell me Logan, would you more likely listen to me if I called you or ran after your car, shouting to wait like a complete psychopath!"

Logan smirks and opens his mouth as if he's about to respond but Lara beats him to it.

"Whichever option you chose to contact us, we would still have said yes. Budge up, guys. We're following the original plan. Luna's coming along!"

"Thank you," I just about manage to whisper as I'm led into the air-conditioned car(thankfully).

"Any other change of plans, Lara?" a girl, couple of years older, asks sarcastically, seated at the wheel.

"No, Naomi. Sorry for the trouble. This time I promise no more dramatic changes," Lara answers, squashed next to me.

"That's hard. Luna brings drama wherever she goes. We should nickname her 'The Drama Queen'," Logan chuckles irritably that I want to throw one of Lara's high heels at him.

"Well, your insult has gone sour. I definitely don't act like a queen and would never want to be one. You'll never see me dressed up in one of those royal outfits," I answer back, smirking at my victory.

"Speaking about dressing up, the whole smeared-makeup-look is the opposite of the on-fleek-look. Luckily, your favourite magician always carry makeup in her purse everywhere she goes," Lara criticises, rummaging through her purse of makeup products.

"Favourite? Please!" Logan mutters under his breath.

Even though the car hits a few speed bumps roughly, Lara, once again, has worked her magic from how I was looking before.

"Voila!" Lara exclaims, when she finishes my makeover as we park," You're the judge, Logan. What do you think?"

"Yeah, Luna you look...," Logan comments distractedly but stops talking when he turns around fully to see me.

"Look...?" I ask, annoyed that I don't have a mirror to look at myself because Logan going speechless is not helping.

"Wow!" Logan finishes.

"Wow how?" I question, irritation rising in me every time Logan answers vaguely.

"I mean wow you look amazing!" Logan compliments.

Heat rises in my cheeks. Am I blushing? I hope my makeup is not showing.

"Guys, I came here to drop you off at a party not to listen to the whole compliment-gushing-conversation," Naomi sighs, frustrated," You're not the only youngsters who have plans for the night."

"Jeez, sis. Take a chill pill," Naomi's brother/one of Logan's friends remarks," Let's go, guys."

We all follow him out of the car and Rihanna's mini mansion comes into sight, noise and music wafting out of the windows and the doors.

"Let's party!" Lara shouts and she grabs my hand and pulls me through the front door.