My Bestfriend's Father (Spooky)

Chapter 20

Hermione

I sat in Cortez's room with my music playing as tears rolled down my face. Thinking of the family I no longer have kills a little piece inside me everyday. I try to silently cry because I don't know if Oscar is in the house or not. I don't want him to see me cry because he might think I'm weak. Maybe I am weak. At least I feel like I am for the moment. Other times I'm a strong person and I won't let anything stop me or stand in my way. But this month is not my month. Some things are just too much for my heart to bare, these thoughts are some of those things.

A soft knock came to the door but I didn't respond. I didn't want anyone to see me like this. Tez hasn't ever seen me cry this much before, let alone anyone else. He knew how my past was but refused to tell anyone, even Oscar. Here's the thing about Oscar, he knew something was wrong the minute I woke up September first with a sorrow filled look on my face. He asked me a few times what was wrong but I didn't speak, just shook my head and ran to Tez's room to cry my eyes out. Tez on the other hand didn't ask, he was just there for moral support because I had already told him everything.

Slowly the door creaked open and I found myself retreating under the blanket to hide. A dip in the bed alarmed me a little. "I know your under there Mione. I'm gonna pull back the blanket now." His voice was soft and soothing. I decided it was time to stop hiding from him now. Slowly the blanket was pulled back exposing my swollen glossy eyes and my bloodshot cheeks. Tears prickled my eyes again as soon as I seen his big beautiful brown ones. "Baby it's okay." He stood picking me up like a crying toddler and swaying back and forth.

Wet spots seeped into his shirt as I latched onto him for dear life. I think something in me knew I could trust him. We were more alike than I would have thought. People he loved has left him and he was raped. I may not have been raped but I was sexually assaulted, so I know how he may feel a little. He was the closest to me at this moment. Tez may know abandonment but not the way Oscar and I know it. Carmen had a choice but my family didn't, even though they were under different circumstances I still felt Oscar's pain. "Hermione, baby what's going on? You can trust me I promise." He spoke pulling away slightly, then sitting down on his bed after he walked us into his room.

I shook my head and cried for a little longer holding onto him. Finally after I had calmed down completely I pulled away to look up at him still in his lap. "I hate September." He wiped my cheeks gently before raising an eyebrow at me to elaborate. "I'm just gonna give you the rundown. Mi padre got locked up in September. Mi momá, mi papá, and mi bisabuela passed away in September. I hate this horrible month." I cried thinking about mi familia again. Oscar held me tight while stroking my hair and rocking me back and forth.

"No tears for the lost, only smiles because now they are found." Oscar whispered in my ear. Those words were profound to me, my papá spoke them before. My eyes instantly dried and I snapped my head up to look at him. "Where did you hear that?" I asked with an eyebrow raised. Oscar smiled like he was lost in thought.

"A wise man named Gabriel spoke those words to me when my crack whore of a mother overdosed." I had no idea Oscar's mamá was like that and I also had no idea Oscar knew my papá. "What was his last name?" I whispered to him. He looked like he was in thought again. "Cruze." The minute he said my papá's last name I smiled widely. That man was a wise one, always helping where he seen it was needed. "That was my papá Ossie." He looked shocked for a few moments then started smiling. "Well it's a good thing your papá liked me. He always said if I needed help to let him know. I was never able to find him after I turned 27."

I thought for a few moments doing the math in my head. "Oscar he passed away in 2015 that's why you couldn't find him." He looked a little sad then smiled again. "Well we need to take his words and use them the way they are meant to be. So let's stop all the sad talk and go get something to eat. I know you must be starving since you haven't ate in a long time." He was right. I have to quit sulking and move on with my life. Papá wouldn't want me here crying anymore. I got up running to grab clothes and change so we could leave.

Oscar took me to a little taco and burrito shop. We both smiled eating away at our food laughing and talking about random things. People who walked by stared in horror at Oscar which made his eyes look so sad. "Hey what's wrong?" He shrugged his shoulders and looked away from me for a second. "I hate how people look at me. All they see is a teardrop and a gang leader. They don't see the real me." He sighed as he finished speaking.

"You know what I say?" He looked up nodding for me to continue. "Fuck what people think. You got your real homies and those fools are down for anything. What makes you think you need other people's approval? You are a beautiful soul and if they can't see it, then that's on them. Their just missing out." He dropped his head smiling at his lap. He didn't want me to see the blush rising on his cheeks but I could and that's okay.

Edited October 5th, 2021