Cleo's POV
"Cleo! Dad says to come downstairs!" shouts my ever-so-annoying little sister, Kim, from below. She could have come upstairs and told me nicely and quietly, but unfortunately, she has no knowledge of respect or courtesy whatsoever. As I walk down the carpeted stairs, a piercing ringing fills my ears. Oh no, it's Lewis.
"Hi Lewis."
"Hello Cleo," my best guy friend sings through the phone. He seems a bit too cheery, especially since I yelled at him just yesterday for demanding more sweat samples. "How are you on this fine morning?"
"I'm.. uh, fine." I can feel my dad's impatient glare like a beam coming from the couch. "Uh, Lewis, can I call you back? My dad needs to see me about something.." I bite my lip.
"Sure, of course Cleo," Lewis says before the call disconnects. I complete my descent down the stairs and approach my waiting father.
"Cleo," my dad begins, sounding irritated. "Why were you at Mako Island yesterday?" My tired eyes suddenly shoot completely open in a burst of awakening.
"M-Mako Island? How do you know I was there?"
"Your Uncle Jimmy told me he saw you there, along with an awkward blonde boy I'll assume was Lewis," he informed, putting air quotes around "awkward blonde boy." I try to think of a believable lie to get my dad off my case. No good ones come to me- my dad is not gullible. An angry "well?" interrupts my thoughts.
"We were just.. looking at the wildlife. We have a project coming up, for school, about, well, wildlife!" Somehow my made-up stories always involve a school project. It's a wonder how my dad hasn't questioned why I have so many.
He nods, but he still doesn't seem assured. Nonetheless, I skip off to the front door and open it, only to be greeted by a crying Rikki.