Double Trouble by Tia Mowry Page A

she exclaimed. “Have you noticed anything strange this week?”
    â€œStrange?” I blinked at her. “What do you mean?”
    She smiled. “I’ve heard that birthdays can be times of exaggerated mental and emotional power for some people—especially twins. That’s something you could explore in your report, perhaps?”
    Was she ever going to give it a rest? I wasn’t particularly interested in doing my report on being a twin, especially right now. And even if Cassie and I didn’t really have twintuition , I was pretty sure she felt the same way.
    â€œDid you know that William Shakespeare died on his birthday?” Liam said. “He wasn’t even that old.”
    In the short time I’d known him, I’d already discovered that Liam was full of random facts like that. And that he liked to share them pretty much anytime. Usually I found it charming, but now I sort of wished he’d pulled out a more cheerful fact to share.
    â€œFascinating,” Ms. Xavier said. Then she glanced at me. “Happy birthday, Caitlyn. I’ll have to be sure to wish Cassie the same when I see her in class later.”
    She turned away and called the class to orderfor morning announcements. I sat there staring into space and thinking about what she’d said. According to the post on that message board, members of the Lockwood family came into their powers when they turned twelve. So it seemed birthdays did have some sort of special significance, at least for people like Cassie and me. Could Ms. Xavier possibly know that? All this time I’d been writing her off as a kook. But maybe it was worth talking to her, finding out if she’d ever heard of the Sight, or the Lockwoods, or any of the rest of it.
    As I tried to imagine how that conversation would go, I winced. No, I was just grasping at straws. Our best bet to find out what was happening to us was our grandmother. Once the party was over, Cassie and I would have to track her down. Even though Mom seemed determined to stonewall us forever.
    The bell rang, and I glanced at Bianca’s still-empty seat. She was officially tardy now. Was it weird that she’d pulled a no-show today of all days? Or just a coincidence?
    â€œAre you sure Bianca didn’t mention anything about being absent today?” I whispered to Liam.
    He shrugged. “I don’t think so. Maybe she’s sick.”
    Sick enough to end up in the hospital? I wondered.
    I slumped down in my seat with a sigh, wondering if Cassie had been right all along. Seeing the future had seemed kind of fun at first. Like a cool superpower from a movie. But lately it was starting to feel like a whole lot of trouble.
    â€œWHY DIDN’T YOU call her if you’re so worried?” Cassie said as she climbed into bed that night.
    â€œI sent her a text at lunchtime, but I never heard back.” Bianca hadn’t showed up at all that day. Liam had texted her, too, reminding her about the pool party. Neither of us had received a response. Liam hadn’t seemed worried, but he didn’t know better. He hadn’t seen what I had.
    But somehow Cassie didn’t seem particularly worried either. “Bianca wasn’t hurt in any of our visions. We need to focus on the real problem.”
    â€œLiam,” I agreed. “I just wish we knew more about what was going to happen. And when.”
    â€œWe know when. We just have to keep the B Boys away from Liam at the party, and we’re golden.”
    She made it sound so easy. Then again, she hadn’t been the one who’d seen that terrible vision of Liam with blood all over him.
    â€œIt’s not much of a plan,” I fretted.
    â€œIt’s the only one we’ve got. Anyway, it can work.” She yawned and switched off her bedside lamp. “We changed the future before, right? We can do it again.”
    â€œSince when are you Miss Optimistic?” I said with a ghost of a