In Lakewood, a small town with a reputation of crime, gangs, outcasts and violence, Lana Takumi is an orphan and a gang member disguised in ripped jeans of her late mother and old flannels of her late father. She feels stuck in an endless cycle of b...
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L A NA
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK are they doing?" Carmen's eyes were fixated on Jada and Isha's bodies dancing in the most cringeworthy way possible in the center of the crowded floor to the heavy beats dropping from the speakers.
Momentarily looking up from the box of Ben and Jerry ice cream I had stolen from the refrigerator, I shrugged. "I swear I don't know them."
"This music is making my ears bleed the fuck off," she grumbled, throwing her head back and wincing every time the music grew louder and louder within the four walls around us.
When I started getting up from the couch, Carmen raised a brow, hesitantly. "Isn't it way earlier than early to bounce now?"
A simple smug stare from me caused Carmen to shrug before she jumped up to her feet. "Okay, you're right. Whatever. Let's get out of here."
On our way out, I grabbed two more cups of Ben and Jerry ice cream from the party host's refrigerator and shoved them into my backpack. Watching me, Carmen grinned and threw her arm around my shoulders, guiding me through the crowds and out of the house.
When we finally stepped out into the fresh air swirling around us, the cool autumn air immediately melted off the heat that had crept over my skin and my bones. Meanwhile, Carmen kick-started her bike, letting the engine roar to life in the gloomy night. I climbed on behind her and my arms wrapped around her waist before we sped down the road with the starry night sky over our heads and the crisp breeze whipping our hair.
A couple of minutes after we slid into an empty booth at Lakewood Burgers, the only waitress in the house, Kiana, a pink-haired Iranian girl who was always spray painting walls or bike-racing at the Laker with Carmen, made her way over to us with a grin on her face.
"Hey, hey! What can I get you, girls?"
Carmen's face broke into a genuine smile. "Hey. Two strawberry milkshakes."
"Only drinks? No burgers?"
"We came from a party so we already ate there."
"Party? I thought you were gonna sleep all day to prepare for tomorrow's race."
"We just went for the food. We were legit in that house for half an hour."
Kiana's laugher rang through the diner. "Nice. I'll be back soon with the milkshakes."
Before she left, she winked at Carmen after saying, "By the way, Diego was asking about you last night."
After she left, I raised my brows at Carmen. "Did you two...?"
Realizing what I was hinting to, Carmen shook her head. "Oh. No. Hell, no."
She stumbled upon her words. "I mean...not-not that he's not hot or anything. It's just...I still haven't gone as far as kissing let alone hooked up with any guy after him."
