Book 1-Alex Bishop and the North Side Detectives

Continue Alex Bishop and the North Side Detectives

     Dawn, Glenna, Fletch and Lee, who were going through the lunch line, saw Alex and Kelly coming towards them from the cafeteria entrance.  "Who's that with Alex?"  Dawn asked with furrowed brows.  "I don't know."  Lee said with a smirk.  "But he has good taste."  Alex led Kelly to the back of the line right behind Dawn.  "Hi, everybody."  Alex said in a low key voice.  "This is Kelly Conner."  "Hi!"  All his friends chimed.

     Alex then introduced Dawn, Lee, Glenna and Fletch to his new friend.  "Well, Let's go claim our regular table."  Dawn said giving Kelly a smile.  Lee, Fletch and Glenna followed her while Alex and Kelly filled their plates.  Fletch was eating off of his tray before the group reached the table.  Alex and Kelly caught up with them just as the others sat down.

     "I've heard of you guys, you know."  Kelly said, just as soon as she and Alex were seated.  "The North Side Detectives, right?"  she said enthusiastically.  Alex suddenly wondered if this was the reason Kelly was being so friendly to him.  But then....she said, "But I've been wanting to meet you Alex since before seventh grade."  Alex cheered up a little at her words.

     "You were swimming at the "Falls" in the High Dive park, during that summer festival a couple of years ago,"  Kelly said nodding at him.  "Oh yeah.  I was there.  But I don't remember seeing you.  "Well, you wouldn't.  I had braces on my teeth and was very skinny."  Everyone laughed, except Lee who scowled for some reason.  Kelly suddenly changed the subject.

     "You were all so cool for doing what you did in helping clear Mr. Wells, and all that."  Lee stopped scowling and adopted a proud look.  "Well, it's kinda a hobby of ours, getting to the bottom of a mystery."  Alex said casually, cutting his piece of fish.  "And I have a friend who really wants to meet you Lee,"  Kelly told him.  Lee jerked his head up from his plate and gave Kelly his full attention.

     "Oh really,"  Lee said, with what he considered an unconcerned smirk.  "Yes.  Her name is Elizabeth Flowers."  "Well, sure.  I'll meet her....sometime, maybe,"  Lee said matter of factly, and taking a big bite of his burger.  "Hey!  Here she comes now,"  Elizabeth said pointing to a girl with long blond hair and baby blue eyes walking toward the table.  Lee and the others turned to look at the newcomer.

     "Close your mouth Lee,"  Dawn told him, giving lee a "You're being childish look."  "Hey Kelly."  Elizabeth said as soon as she reached the table.  "Elizabeth, these are new friends of mine,"  Kelly said introducing each one in turn.  "And this is Lee Martin."  "Hello."  Lee breathed.  Dawn rolled her eyes and shook her head at him.  Lee hurried to pull out a chair for her and nearly upset the one beside it.

     Just then Chet appeared at the table and took a seat beside Dawn, and she introduced both of the girls.  "Hey."  Chet said cheerfully.  "It's nice to meet you."  Elizabeth said.  Then immediately after, Lee said boldly.  "What's your next class Elizabeth?" still in that breathless voice.  "Biology," she said, flashing him a brilliant smile.  "Me too!"  Lee said, not even trying to hide his glee.

     "I want to hear all about the case you solved,"  she said excitedly, as if Lee had done it all by himself.  "I've been waiting to meet you for the longest time,"  she gushed.  "I wish I had known."  Lee said, laying his chin on his palm and gazing at her.  Glenna choked over her salad and Fletch patted her on the back.

     The rest of the lunch hour was mostly couple talk.  Alex and Kelly discovered she was in his Spanish class along with Lee.  And Kelly and Elizabeth were also in study hall with the rest of the group.  After lunch the group headed off to their classes.   Alex, Lee and Fletch had P.E. for their next class.  But Lee took off with Elizabeth to walk her to English and Alex was walking Kelly to her English class too, so they would just have to meet Fletch at the gym doors.

     Alex watched as Lee and Elizabeth headed down the hallway.  He feared that Lee was going to have a bump on his head from bumping into walls, because he was so focused on his new friend, he was paying attention as to where he was going.  "I'm glad that Lee and Liz hit it off so well,"  she said.  "Liz is her nick name," she added. As if, Alex thought, he couldn't figure that out for himself.

     "Yeah."  Alex said, barely above a whisper.  "Liz is normally really shy." Kelly said.  "Really?"  Alex said in a surprised voice.  For he didn't think Liz was shy at all.  Finally, they reached the English room door.  "Well, see you later."  Alex said in a hurried voice.  "Yeah, in Spanish," she called, for Alex was already hurrying away.

     Fletch was waiting for Lee and Alex in the gymnasium, already dressed in shirt and shorts.  Class hadn't started yet; Mr. Riggs was uncharacteristically  late.  "What kept you guys?"  Fletch asked with a smirk.  "The girls."  Alex almost growled, as he took off with his gym bag heading off to change into his gym clothes.

     "What's with him?"  Fletch asked Lee, as he watched Alex sprinting to the other side of the court.  Lee just shrugged and took off after Alex.  Fletch just stood there with a perplexed look on his face.  But he had a feeling that Alex wasn't as thrilled about having a girlfriend as Lee was.  Mr. Riggs walked in just as Alex and Lee arrived and sat on the bleachers with the rest of the class.  Their teacher laid out his agenda for the semester, which unfortunately for Alex and Fletch included wrestling.

     The hour went by quickly, at least Alex thought so.  Maybe because he had Spanish next, where he would have to return Kelly's smiles for an hour's time.  "See you guys later!"  Fletch called as he walked off to his next class.  "See ya in study hall!"  Alex and Lee chorused.   As soon as Lee and Fletch were alone and headed off to Spanish, Lee asked, "Are you okay Alex?  You seem, uh, a little upset."

     "Oh, it's nothing really,"  Alex answered.  But Lee wasn't convinced.  "Come on, you can tell me."  Lee pressed him.  Alex stared at him a moment then confessed, "It's Kelly.  Everything is happening too fast.  And it's my fault for not being able to say, "No."  "What do you mean?"  Lee asked.  Alex proceeded to tell him what had happened in Biology.

     "Oh,"  Lee said in an understanding voice.  "Yeah.  And now I don't know what to do."  "Well, do you like her?"  Lee asked simply.  "Yeah.  But we just met, and she's acting like we're going together or something."  Alex said grumpily.  Lee laughed.  "Thanks for the support Lee," Alex said testily.  "Oh, come on Alex," Lee said, throwing an arm over his shoulder.  "Girls are like that.  Well, not Dawn of course,"  Alex grinned.

     "Don't get all bent out of shape about it.  You don't have to marry her."  Alex laughed.  "If it gets to the point where it's too serious for you, you'll have to tell her."  Lee said simply.  "You're right."  Alex admitted.  "I usually am."  Lee laughed again, and Alex with him.  "Don't worry about it until it gets to that point.  Who knows, you might get used to her."  Both of them laughed again.

     When Alex and Lee entered the classroom, Kelly was already seated up front and all desks around her were taken.  Alex knew he shouldn't but he felt relieved.  When he passed by her he gave her a smile and a shrug.  Kelly smiled back and waved as Lee and Alex took seats in the back of the room, where they usually sat in all of their classes.  "See.  This is painless."  Lee said, nudging Alex's arm.  Alex grinned at him.