Tap tap tap.
"Urgh," Tancred mumbled.
Do you have any clue how annoying you're being, Tancred? No? Well, THIS will be a long test.
Tap tap tap.
That pen. It mocks and irks me. I'd like to snap it in half.
Calm, Lysander. It's just a ballpoint black inked pen that cost four dollars in a pack of ten at Wal·Mart.
Shut up, spirits.
What the crap to do, what the crap to do. This is really distracting me from this math test over here. I gotta finish it- this counts for 40% of our final semester grade, and I'm barely pulling an A. I really need this grade to go to college.
Tap tap tap.
I gritted my teeth and inwardly groaned. What could I do about this? Maybe make a list.
I pulled out a new sheet of paper from my binder.
Be direct- tell him.
"Hey, Tanc!" I whispered. "What's up with the tapping?"
"I didn't know it sounded like a song!"
New tactic.
Tap tap tap. OK, new army plan.
Ask him.
"Tanc, can you answer this one for me? Why-"
"Sorry, Sander. I'm not good at math."
New tactic for the second time. Take the missile (aka the pen!) away.
I snatched it up. Tancred looked at me, confused and annoyed.
"Sorry," I murmured. "Here, you're almost done. Use this pencil."
The pencil had Kleenex taped to each end. Tancred stared at it, then slowly removed the Kleenex awkwardly. "Thanks…"
Tap tap tap tap plunk plunk PLU-
Mr. Pope glared at Tancred. Tancred glared back and wind began howling. Math tests blew across the room.
"Tancred Torsson's making me irritated!" complained Zelda.
"Me, too!" Billy Raven piped up. Tancred gave him a death glare.
"Not my fault!" Tancred yelled.
I didn't mind the chaos, however. I leaned forward, finished the math test, and handed it in.
But then the tapping began again.
Tap plunk plunk plunk plunk plunk.
AAAAAAAAAAARH!