Hope.

• Chapter 10 •

• Luca •

I hesitantly knocked on Dickson's front door, my nerves getting the best of me as I heard blasting music playing from inside. I don't do parties, too many people. Did I mention I have extreme social anxiety?

The door flung open to reveal Jess and  Lily huddled together, giggling. My eyes furrowed in confusion at the odd pair. It was well known that Jess did not like Lily. Even Lily themselves knew that. The duo looked up at me and I swear I saw Jess' face flush. But it's probably the alcohol cruising through her veins or I've started to hallucinate because of the boring hours of church.

I'd put my money in the latter. Church was awful today. Usually, I don't really mind it. But today, oh boy, we had to work together and prepare food for the homeless, which is all good and well, until, you get dragged to the dumpsters and thrown into it by a group of acne covered teenagers.

I had to take a shower twice to get the stench of off me, thus, my late arrival.

"Luca!" Lily said, dragging me inside the house. Their short, stubby nails were painted with a thick coat of black polish with was chipping, like usual. Their pixie cut, purple hair was pinned back and their pale skin was flushed and sweaty. Clearly, both of them were wasted. Mierda, now who's gonna be my sober friend. Usually, it was Jess but today. God knows what got into her. "Hola!"

"Don't," I said, warningly at Lily. They raised her hands up in mock surrender before giggling along with Jess who was now swaying, drunkenly.

"Luca, my man! Sit down, will ya!" Dickson slurred, with a lopsided grin plastered on his face as he gestured for me to sit down next to him. I let out a groan of annoyance before sitting down on the couch. My eyes scanned the room and noticed someone I didn't recognize.

"Who's that?" I asked, pointing to the anxious girl who sat in the corner of the room. Her eyes scanning the room, worried.

"That, my friend, is Fatima." He said, pointing lazily at the girl with a glass full of beer. I saw the girl turn to face us when her name was used. Our so-called parties usually only consisted of me, Dickson, Lily, Jess and the twins; Jacob and Steve. Not really much of a party but more people than I would prefer.  "She just moved here from Saudi Arabia and she didn't see, to be getting along with people so I took her in."

I rolled my eyes at him fixing my gaze on the new girl. She wore a scarf a pretty floral hijab, her cinnamon complexion was basically glowing under the lights. I had a really cool group of Muslim friends in our old apartment complex, back in Cuba. There aren't many Muslims in Cuba, my mother had told me. But somehow in a small corner of Cuba, there was a family of Muslims living right next door to small little Luca.

"I think I'll go over and talk to her," I said, feeling bad for the girl who seemed to look very out of place.

I walked over to where she was sitting trying not to scare her away.

"H-Hello," I stuttered, nervously bouncing back and forth on my toes. Maybe I wasn't the best person to be welcoming the new member. "I-I'm Luca and I'm guessing you're F-Fatima?"

"Yes, my name is Fatima. Very good name Luca is." She said, a thick Arabic accent coating her words as she smiled nervously at me. "I am from Saudi Arabia." A small frown curled her lips.

"Cool...um-Why'd you move?" I asked, then immediately regretted it in case the subject was sensitive.

"Abi got a new job in America. So me, abi, ummi and my sisters are here now." She fumbled, trying with much difficulty to find the right English words.