The Protector

Time to Eat

Andrew POV

I have so many emotions running through me, I can cry, get mad, and everhting else. I want to cry becasue of what happen to Moonya and evething that we are going through. I'm mad becasue those men won't stop following us, I don't know what they are after that includes Moonya, but they need to back off. 

I can't tell Naomi, Moonya, Sal, and Hector anything because I don't want them to know. I'm too scared to tell them how I feel and cry in front of them. Sal is looking up to me, I can't cry, he'll think I'm wimp, a loser, or worst, a cast away like Naomi. I like a Naomi as a friend, but I just can't do it.

Sal said, "Here's a restaurant over there." I look up and said, "Thats a good place. Hopeful a great place to hide if those men follow us." Sal said, "Andrew you worry too much, chill." Andrew said, "Sal, have you forgotten that Moonya is shot and these two men are following us? How can I chill, relax, or calm down?!" I feel something wet  running down my face, Sal look and said, "Are you crying?" I jump up and touch the wet spot of my face. 

No way not tears, I can't cry, not in front of them. We park in a parking spot in front of the restaurant, as soon as he did that, I ran from the car. Naomi and Moonya said, "Andrew!!" I ran around to the restaurant  dumper. I feel so embarassed, shedding tears...

Moonya and Naomi ran around the restaurant for me, Naomi said, "Are you okay, Andrew?" What can I say to them? Im a man, not a little boy. I said, "I'm fine, thanks." Moonya said, "Hold on Andrew, something's wrong. You went off on Sal, that wasn't nice." I said, "Its a long story...you wouldn't understand." Moonya said, "I will!! I have friends with you since our first year of high school, and you told me things I don't understand. How is this different?" 

I said, "Lets see if you do understand." I told how I have emotions that are unstable, how I'm worried about eveything that will happen if those men capture us, how I was mad that she got shot. Moonya said, "Andrew.." I said, "This is not normal for me." Moonya said, "Andrew listen, its okay for a guy to cry. My dad cried, he wasn't embarassed." I said, "Thats because he's your father." Moonya said, "He may have been my father, but he cried. We are cry sometimes, it best to do that, instead bottling it inside." 

Maybe Moonya was right, maybe I need to talk some things out. I can't let it gather in me, or else I'll blow up like I did to Sal. Naomi said, "Are you okay now?" I said, "I'm fine now, thank you." Moonya said, "Now you need to apologize to Sal for blowing off on him.” I said, “I know, I will.”

The worst thing about boys and men is that they can’t say ‘I’m sorry.’ Its hard to come up with the right words. I went back to Sal who was still sitting in his car. I said, "Hey, Sal. Look I'm so-" Sal said, "Don't worry about, I know how you feel." Really? He does? Sal said, "When you started crying, I figure you was upset bout something. Don't worry, I would blow up as well if someone came shot one of your friends. Want to go get something to eat now?" Naomi said, "I am." Moonya said, "Me too." I said, "Sure."