Spot Conlon: To the Top [1]

Chapter 3: Lizzy Roland

Spot ran ahead of the other boys - far ahead. He was surprised to find that he was the fastest even if he was shorter that most of them. He made it to the store about thirty seconds before the other boys. He was panting, but not as heavily as everyone else. He noticed that Jack kept starring at him and then scanning him up and down from head to foot, and then measuring himself by placing his hand on the top of his head and moving it in front of his eyes and then staring at the top of Spot's head, which was about five inches shorter. 

"All right, Tunes, ya gonna ask 'im da fava, or should I?" Spot asked.

"Ise wanna do it. 'E knows me and'll do anythin' Ise ask 'im. Ya might wanna come in with me, though, so he don't think Ise lyin'" Tunes said after he had caught his breathe. He walked through the door with Spot following. Spot had to wave the other boys into the store, but they came in without hesitation after that. 

"Mista Roboit?" Tunes called. "Ya here?" He came up to the counter and grabbed a small bell that sat on there. He shook it multiple times, and then stopped when a girl came out of the back room. 

"Watcha want, Tunes? Thought I told ya not ta come here no more." The girl said. She wore a brown dress that went just above her ankles and her shoes were boys shoes. Her hair was a raven black and her eyes were a piercing blue. 

"Ya know me, Lizzy. Jus' can't seem ta stay away." The young boy said, slowly stepping up to the girl. Suddenly, her lips broke into a smile and she spit on her hand. Tunes did the same and they spit-shook. 

"She's a goil, an' she spit-shaked?" Racetrack whispered, surprised. Clearly, he had not whispered quietly enough. 

"I'ma decide to pretend like Ise didn't jus' here dat." Lizzy said, striding up to Race who backed up nervously. 

"All right, ya do dat." Jack teased. When Lizzy's gaze swept over him, he backed up, too. 

Lizzy looked at Reptile and Spot, and then took notice of the lizard in Reptile's pocket. "Is dat a coal slink lizard?" She asked. 

Reptile nodded, clearly surprised. "Yea, it is. How'd ya know dat? Most goils won't even look at de lizards."

Lizzy glared at him. "Ya shoulda guessed by now dat I ain't like most goils. Ise my own kinda goil and ain't no one can change dat." 

Then she turned to Spot. "Guess ya de only smart one o' dis group. What's ya name, kid." 

"Spot Conlon, and I ain't no kid." Spot answered. 

"Oh, yea? How old are ya, Spot Conlon?" Lizzy asked, crossing her arms. 

"Ise eleven, de same as ya, I bet." 

"Yer right 'bout dat. I am eleven. When's yer birthday?" She asked, standing straight and looking him in the eye, not blinking.

Spot's eyes widened and then he took a step back. He looked her in the eye. "Ise don't remember. My parents died when Ise was five, an' I ain't got no one else that knows. De only reason Ise know Ise eleven is because o' de date on de tops a' de papes, the date o' me parents' death on dair stones, and de age Ise was when dey died." 

Lizzy stood quietly for a moment before leading them into the back room. An elderly man was organising cans on multiple shelves, two boys helping him. 

"Mista Roboit, look whose here." Lizzy said, grinning at Tunes. The two boys and Mister Robert turned around. 

"Tunes?" Mister Robert asked, adjusting his glasses. "That you, boy? It's been a long time since I last saw you. Where have you been? I've missed having you around to help organise the shop and to play that music of yours."