Tempest Read Free

“Nothing … she just looks like someone. False alarm. No big deal.”
    Adam leaned his head closer and spoke again after a minute of silence. “She looks like Courtney, right?”
    I sighed but finally conceded by nodding. “It’s stupid. I know.”
    “It’s not stupid. It happens to people all the time.” He drew in a quick breath before whispering, “Wait … you don’t think … hmm … it’s an interesting theory, but way too many logistical problems.”
    “Just forget it,” I said, before he could drill me with questions. “Please.”
    There was no way around it. My twin sister was dead. Four years later and it still haunted me. She still haunted me. Mostly because I missed her so much.
    When we were filing up to get off the bus, Holly waited for me and stepped in my path. “You okay?”
    I stared at her eyes, which were full of concern, then shrugged. “Yeah, why?”
    Her face fell and she turned her back on me. “Nothing … never mind.”
    Okay, so I totally sucked at the personal, boyfriend shit. Holly never came right out and said that, but I knew she was thinking it.
    I took her soaking-wet backpack off her shoulder and threw it over mine. “So … you want to come over … maybe dry off before we go out anywhere?”
    She jumped off the last step and onto the sidewalk before facing me and smiling. “Sure.”
    I wrapped one hand around her blond ponytail and squeezed water out of the end. “I think you’re going to need a blow dryer.”
    She reached up and rested her hands on my face, her light blue eyes turning serious, like Adam had a few minutes ago. “Are you sure you’re okay? What were you—”
    “I’m just a little bit of a freak sometimes. That’s all.” I forced a grin and turned her shoulders toward the front doors of the YMCA so we could get out of the rain.

CHAPTER FOUR
    FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009, 6:00 P.M.
    Tonight, me and my sidekick are implementing a plan that has been in the works for a while: stealing my medical records from Dr. Melvin’s office. Adam’s convinced we may find something in there to indicate why I’m such a freak of nature. But seriously, does he think “Crazy Time Traveler” will be stamped on the outside of the folder?
    I’ve spent the last week observing Dr. Melvin’s erratic and very inconsistent schedule. Basically, he’s always working. Except two nights ago. This experiment will involve a two-day time jump into the past (my current record), and some very scientific and devious maneuvers.
    Adam’s on his way back from MIT now and is probably pulling out his hair, trying to come up with all the formulas beforehand. I’ve done my part, writing down my goal, and now I just have to rearrange my plans with Holly. Adam’s trips home have been so last-minute since school started that I keep canceling on Holly. But she’s totally busy with classes and some kind of dancing team. She’ll probably be relieved. Besides, I can still make it to dinner, just not the movie … Speaking of dinner. Shit! I’m already 15 minutes late …
    More data entry later.
    OCTOBER 29, 2009, 9:30 P.M.
    Okay, so maybe Holly didn’t take the change in plans as well as I thought she would.
    “Come on, Holly, open the door.”
    Two girls zipped past in bathrobes, giggling.
    I turned back to Lydia. “She doesn’t want to see you,” she sneered. “This is exactly why I decided against men. I’ve been telling Holly for nearly a month that she needs to do the same.”
    I fought back the urge to shout at Holly’s eternally angry roommate. Her arms were spread in front of the door, blocking me. Like I might try to knock it down or something. “Lydia, don’t you have a Sylvia Plath Fan Club meeting to go to?”
    Music started playing from the other side of the door.
    “You’re just darling, Jackson. Now I’m really not giving you my key.”
    I banged my head gently against the wall next to the door. “Please let me in.”
    “Don’t forgive him. He’ll