My Friend Astro

Chapter 32: Because You Have To.

"Well, anyway, that's what happened," Astro says.

He was at the park with Riley, Cora, and the rest of the gang. Astro just got done telling them everything about Nikki and what had happened that night at the school.

Cora leaned her back against a tree. She had her arms crossed, one leg on top of the other. "Dang," she whispers, "that poor girl."

"Tell me about it," Zane says.

Riley gave Astro a sympathetic look. "Astro, I'm sorry," she told her friend.

The robot boy's brown eyes stared at the ground as he swung his feet back and forth.

Riley wrapped her arms around him. She pulled him into a tight hug.  A sad smile grew on Astro's face. He hugged her back.

"We should go after him," Zane suggested.

Astro stared at him. "What?" he asked.

"We should find him and teach him a lesson," said Zane.

A frown crossed the robot boy's face. He shook his head. "No," he snapped.

He stood up off the park bench. He bent down and grabbed his backpack, which was filled with books about robots.

"Huh?" the group asks.

"I said no," Astro muttered, "I want nothing to do with that man. Besides, what would be the point? I never knew Nikki or Mr. Calderon,"

Cora raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to throw that awful man a punch or two!" she told her friends.

Astro slipped his backpack over his shoulders. "So do I, but that's not going to change anything, let alone make me feel better," he said.

He and his friends left the park. They walked down the sidewalk of the Surface.

His friends kept insisting that he'd at least talk to Mr. Calderon, but Astro wouldn't budge.

"I have many things to worry about. Mr. Calderon is not one of them. Those robots are in trouble and I can't let Nikki's murder distract me," Astro said.

Riley had an unsure smile on her face. "Well . . . good. I'm glad  you're doing better," she told him.

But, in truth, she was worried about Astro. These memories of Nikki have came back to him all the sudden.

Astro wasn't ready to know about it, which was probably why Dr. Tenma didn't program him with those memories.

"Astro, maybe if you'd just-" Cora began.

She was interrupted by Astro.

Astro put his hands on his hips and frowned at her. "Cora, if you want to go talk to Mr. Calderon yourself, then go ahead! Be my guest! You can do anything you want! Just leave me out of it!" Astro told her.

The sounds of rockets filled everyone's ears. Astro's rocket boots activated and he flew upwards into the sky.

His friends watched him fly away until he couldn't be seen anymore.

"I worry about him," Riley admitted.

The gang nodded their heads in agreement and understanding.