Book 1-Alex Bishop and the North Side Detectives

Continue Alex Bishop and the North Side Detectives

    

Alex sat down next to Dawn and was immediately bombarded by "Hi!'s" from his friends.  "Hi."  Alex said dully, staring at his burger that he didn't feel like eating.  Lee glanced apprehensively at him, and said, "Elizabeth told us what happened between you and Kelly."  There was sympathy in his voice as he said it.

     "That's why Liz is sitting with her, to show loyalty I guess."  Lee added.  "Yeah.  I saw them when I came in."  Alex said miserably.  "Kelly's really upset."  "She'll get over it."  Fletch assured him.  "I'm sure you were as kind as you could be."  Glenna said, peeking under Alex's bowed head.  "I tried to be, but I guess I didn't do it right."  Alex mumbled.

     "There's really no good way to do these things Alex,"  Dawn said, patting his forearm.  "No matter how well you said it, she still would've been upset."  Dawn ended.  Alex didn't answer, but just shook his still bowed head.  "But telling Kelly the truth is better than going out with her when you don't want to, isn't it?"  Dawn asked him.

     "I suppose."  Alex said in a whisper.  "She'll find another guy soon and all this will be forgotten."  Lee said, nodding at him for emphasis.  Alex finally raised his head and said, a bit embarrassed, "Thanks....all of you for, well, you know."  He ended with a small smile.  "Well, speaking for the group, you're welcome.   Well, you know,"  Fletch said laughing.  Everyone joined in, including Alex.

     "And I'm sure you're all right with your advice,"  Alex admitted.  Then he suddenly tensed again.   "But Lee, how is this going to affect your relationship with Elizabeth?  I mean, with Kelly being her best friend?"  Alex asked in concern.  Alex didn't want something else to feel guilty about.  Like Lee and Elizabeth breaking up over what Lee's horrible friend did.

     "Oh, don't worry about that,"  Lee said casually.  "She and I have been kinda falling apart anyway."  Alex looked surprised, but Dawn had a "knew it all along" look on her face.  "I was getting tired of having  to tell her she was beautiful all the time.  Because if I didn't, she'd sulk."  Lee chuckled.   Alex suddenly felt much better.

     December through May were quiet months for the North Side Detectives.  Mysteries seemed to be taking a vacation.  All Alex and his friends had to do was concentrate on their studies and have good times with each other.  Alex had to admit, he was glad it was just the five of them again.

     Alex finally mastered the "Big Dipper."  He, Dawn, Glenna, Lee and Fletch had slid down the small mountain every weekend until the heavy snows of winter melted in March.  Alex was amazed that he and Lee had been able to convince the girls to tackle the thing.  And they all had done it without breaking anything.

     Kelly did find another boyfriend in Fletch's brother Sam.  However, Kelly still wanted nothing to do with Alex.  She avoided him in the school's hallways and anywhere else that she happened to run into him.  But Sam treated Alex as a buddy as he always had, for which Alex was very grateful.

     Fletch didn't think the relationship would last very long, because he and Matt were very close and they had better things to do with their time, than to spend it in the company of girls.  Alex's mother, Janeen was disappointed at her son's breakup with Kelly.  But after Alex refused to confide in her about it, all the hows and whys, she stopped asking and let the subject drop; for good, Alex hoped.

     On one beautiful spring day, a bright blue sky overhead, Lee, Fletch and Alex introduced Dawn and Glenna to Nick the woodcarver, who served them cookies and soft drinks, while the girls complimented him on his pretty wood carvings.  "Hey did anyone ever tell you, you look like St. Nicholas?"  Dawn asked giggling.

     "That's who he looks like!"  Lee burst out.  Lee had been trying to think of who Nick resembled since he'd first met him three years ago.  Dawn rolled her eyes at him and Alex shook his head in amusement.  "As a matter of fact, I play Santa Clause for the children's ward at the hospital every year,"  Nick said with a wink.

     Grades came out in June and Alex's were top notch.  And as usual, so were Dawn's and Glenna's.  Lee and Fletch received their usual C's and B's and were proud of it.  All of them were now exited about their first year in high school.  On the last day of classes, Alex and his friends were sitting at their table in the cafeteria where study hall was usually taking place.

     But today there were cookies, chips, dip and a big bowl of punch setting on the counter top, to celebrate the end of the school year.  Mr. Wells was over-seeing the party.  He came striding up to the teen's table looking cheerful, and taking a seat at the head chair.  He smiled at his students, (he still thought of them that way) and whispered, "It's going to be dull around here without the North Side Detectives."

     "We'll miss you too,"  Dawn said tearfully.  "Chill Dawn.  We'll still see each other,"  Lee said, rolling his eyes at her.  "He only lives three blocks away from us."  Mr. Wells chuckled.  "That's right."  Alex said, grinning at Mr. Wells.  "And now it's on to high school and more adventures!"  Alex almost shouted.  Mr. Wells sighed and said, "Oh mercy!  I'll alert the marines!"

                                                                                      The End

(Readers,  I hope you have enjoyed the book.  I will be entering the first chapter of the second book in the Alex Bishop series, "Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery"  in a few days.  I hope you will like it.  Thanks for reading my work.  I appreciate all of you so much.)