Free Mission Libertad by Lizette M. Lantigua Page A

is L-e-w-i-s. He will be starting school with us,” Tommy said. “Lewis, these are my friends Bill, Steve, and Allen.”
    â€œNeat.” “Cool.” “Awesome,” said each of the boys.
    The name Lewis sounded strange to Luisito. I guess that’s the way
Luis
is pronounced in English, he thought.
    â€œHi!” Luisito said to them.
    â€œWhere is Cuba, anyway?” one of the boys asked Luisito.
    Luisito remained silent. Of course he understood what the boy was saying, but he was still self-conscious about speaking English.
    â€œHe doesn’t speak English very well,” Tommy answered.
    â€œWhat does he speak, Cubanese?” asked Bill, the tallest one of the three.
    â€œSpanish,” said Tommy. “He came in a raft from Cuba.”
    â€œCool!” said Allen, the boy with curly hair and dark skin.
    â€œSo, where did you say Cuba was?” Steve asked as he dribbled the basketball.
    â€œIt’s an island about ninety miles from Florida in the Caribbean,” Tommy said. “That’s where my parents were born.”
    â€œThat’s cool. Can you play?” Bill said, tossing the basketball to Luisito. Luisito dribbled his way past all three. He jumped in the air and made a shot into the basket.
    â€œHe can play, all right!” Allen said.
    â€œHey, Lewis, I’m open,” Steve called.
    Luisito was not used to hearing his name pronounced this way so he didn’t react at first.
    â€œLewis!” Steve continued to shout. Luisito passed him the ball, and he made the shot.
    They continued to play for the next thirty minutes, Steve and Luisito against Tommy and Bill. Allen was taking a break drinking soda and acting like the referee when he noticed something strange at the opposite end of the block.
    â€œWhat are you looking at?” Steve asked, glancing at a white Ford Granada parked by one of the houses.
    â€œMike’s dad doesn’t own a Ford, does he?” Allen said, pointing.
    â€œWhere is Mike, anyway?” Steve asked.
    â€œHe’s away for summer camp,” Tommy said. “You know, in New York, where he goes every year.”
    â€œWhatever, let’s keep playing,” Bill said, throwing the ball to Luisito.
    â€œWait, guys,” Allen said. “I think there is a man inside the car. I just saw a head with a baseball cap pop up from the back seat and take a picture of us!”
    â€œThat’s crazy!” Tommy said. “I don’t see anyone. Let’s go with our bikes and check it out!”
    Tommy, Allen, and Steve jumped on their bikes and headed toward the car.
    All of a sudden someone sprang up in the front seat. The car swerved around, driving over the curb as it sped away.
    â€œWow, did you see that?” Tommy said.
    â€œWeird!” Bill exclaimed.
    â€œWe scared him off!” Allen said.
    Luisito walked slowly behind because he didn’t have a bike.
    â€œI’m actually hungry,” he said nervously. “Let’s have lunch.”
    â€œYeah, that is a good idea,” Tommy said. They all went back to Tommy’s front porch.
    â€œWhy do you think they were taking a picture of us?” Bill said.
    â€œSome weirdo, probably,” Allen said.
    â€œWell, I’m getting hungry too. I’m heading home,” Bill said. “Hey, Lewis, nice meeting you!”
    â€œIt’s Luis,” Luisito said. It sounded like
loo-EES
, but his new friends had a hard time picking up on the pronunciation.
    That night during dinner, Tommy and Luisito were eager to tell the story of the strange men hiding in the car. Elena and Miguel looked at them with concern.
    â€œAnd we scared them off!” Tommy said with a mouth full of
picadillo.
    â€œYou should not have chased them. They could have hurt you,” José said.
    â€œThey could be robbers spying on empty homes!” Rosie said. “I don’t think it is safe for you boys to play outside while