CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
July 4, 2010
Evening
“I’m not hungry,” Cleo told Mrs. Seabrook, hoping no one would question her further.
Once she’d made up her mind, Cleo knew she couldn’t hide her emotions from Calvin, so she kept to herself the entirety of the day, hiding her dangerous thoughts behind the pages of her books. The precaution proved useless. Calvin was too entrenched in his own self-importance to notice much of anything.
Now that evening had gathered, it was time for the fireworks, which meant no one would pay attention to her. The nachos smelled wonderful and blended with the scent of Mrs. Seabrook’s homemade salsa with its fresh onions and cilantro, but nothing was going into Cleo’s stomach; it was a solid ball of petrified wood.
She had to remind herself to smile. She’d never
