The Immigrant Who Played Basketball

Chapter Thirty- The Finals

"Sta diventando scuro. Probabilmente dovremmo iniziare a tornare a casa(It is getting dark. We should probably start going home)," Ella suggests.

I nod. We pick up the basketball and head out of the court. My house is in the same direction as Ella's so we walk home together.

"Ci vediamo domani(See you tomorrow)," Ella says.

"Ci vediamo domani(See you tomorrow)," I repeat.

Ella smiles before walking to the edge of the pavement while I search my pockets for my keys. I put the key in the lock and I'm about to twist it when I hear screeching tyres of a speeding car. And then...a scream. High-pitched. Out of shock.

I turn around to see the commotion. There's a thin, dark-haired girl lying on the pavement. She's pale and frozen, looking like no life is in her. It's Ella.

I run. Faster than I ever knew I could run. There's blood everywhere. Covering her skin like a blanket. Splattered on the road like a painting. I feel dizzy.

"ELLA!" I yell but it doesn't feel like it's coming from inside me.

"Mi dispiace. Non l'ho vista(I'm sorry. I didn't see her)," a man gabbles.

It's the driver. The person who ran over my best friend. The only friend I have. Somewhere from inside of me, anger bubbles like hot soup. I feel like screaming but I can't. I still can't believe what's happened right before my eyes.

I throw myself at Ella's side.

"Ella? Riesci a sentirmi( Ella? Can you hear me)?" I ask her frantically.

I find it impossible to find that the girl who always has a smile on her face and is fully of energy is lying in front of me. There's pain, sadness and shock written all over her face.

"Luna?" Ella chokes, trembling.

Behind me, I can hear the driver calling an ambulance.

I smile, relieved.

"Non ti preoccupare, ok? L'ambulanza sta arrivando. Resta con me. Starai bene(Don't worry, okay? The ambulance is on its way. Stay with me. You'll be fine)," I reassure myself more than her.

"Fa male(It pains)!" Ella laments, eyes watering.

"Dove? Dove ti fa male(Where? Where does it hurt)?" I question, trying to stay calm even though there's panic rising in me.

"Ovunque(Everywhere)," Ella tells me briefly.

"Sì. Ma dove fa più male(Yes. But where does it hurt the most)?" I ask, exasperated.

Ella stares at me blankly as if I'm talking in a completely different language.

"Luna, non dimenticarti di me quando giochi sul campo da basket in un'enorme arena americana. Realizza il nostro sogno per me, il migliore amico(Luna, don't forget me when you play on the basketball court in a huge American arena. Make our dream come true for me, my best friend)."

It was that she said before closing her eyes and never opening them again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wake up in fright. There's a layer of sweat stuck on my back and my heart is pounding so hard, that I'm scared it's going to burst out of my chest. I burst into uncontrollable tears.

"Luna, qual è il problema(Luna, what's the matter)?"

Mamma runs into my bedroom and is by my side.

"È stato orribile, Mamma. Ho sognato quella notte che Ella mi è stata portata via(It was horrible, Mamma. I dreamed that night that Ella was taken away from me)," I explain, my voice choked with tears.