I'm a zombie as I walk home, that I don't notice Mamma lying on the couch in the living room, the TV blaring.
"Hey, Mom!" I greet, settling down, next to her.
She removes my head off her shoulder and climbs up the stairs, leaving me confused.
What's going on? That's when I notice the state of the table. There are candles, shrinking by the second and there's a new tablecloth with the best cutlery and plates. How could I be so reckless and selfish? My Mum had planned a surprise for me completing my first basketball practice since we left Italy but I no, I ruined it by sending a brief text, saying I'm going to a party.
I scrub at my face of makeup, brush my teeth and change into my dress, packing my borrowed dress into a bag to take to Lara tomorrow. I tiptoe across the landing to Mamma's bedroom. The light has been turned off and she's lying in bed, failing to pretend to be sleeping.
"Night, Mom. Love you," I whisper before I creep back to bed.
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I'm at a party, without Ella because she told me she had to finish homework. It's the best time I ever have!...
Until I catch sight of the back of a tall, thin, dark-haired girl; she turns around and it's Ella!
"Ciao! Pensavo avessi I compiti(Hey! I thought you had homework)," I chirp.
" Oh-um-l'ho finito presto, quindi ho pensato di venire a dare un'occhiata(Oh-um-I finished it early so I thought I'd come and check it out)," Ella lies(I can tell because she never looks a person in the eye when she's lying).
"Perche non sei venuto a trovarmi(Why didn't you come and find me)?"
Ella sighs heavily, now giving eye contact.
"Luna, dobbiamo affrontare I fatti. La nostra amicizia non e come prima, ogni giorni ci allontaniamo ulteriormente. Addie, amico mio.(Luna, we have to face facts. Our friendship isn't like it was before, every day, we're drifting further apart from each other. Goodbye, my friend)," Ella whispers, salty water forming under her eyelids.
She walks away and no matter how loud I call out to her, she doesn't turn back.
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I wake up, tears streaming down my face like a waterfall.
Am I losing Ella again?
YOU ARE READING
The Immigrant Who Played Basketball
General FictionShe was and Italian Mixed Race Girl, with a black mom. She was looked down on and insulted by the residents of her town, who said she couldn't do anything. But she never listened when it came to playing basketball, the sport that transported her awa...
