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Things That Go "Tap. Tap. Tap." in the Night

Maggie left a few hours ago, after what truly was the most epic sleepover ever. We ate all of the junk food, watched movies on Netlfix and stayed up so late talking and laughing that by the time we went to sleep we could hear birds chirping.

Now I'm lying in my bed, with my laptop, writing the next chapter of Just Friends. I'm almost finished, and I think it's pretty good. It's a pretty simple story. Fluffy and light. Not much action or many plot twists, which makes it easy to write a few chapters every week.

I usually like to have a strict posting schedule, once or twice every week, but in the summer time I have so much free time that it gets all jumbled around.

Maggie is the opposite. Never posting consistently. She could go from posting a chapter every day to leaving her story alone for weeks. Funnily enough, summer seems to make her more organized.

My phone buzzes. I stop writing and grab it from my bedside table.

Two new reviews for your story Just Friends.

I unlock my phone and open the email from fanfixx.

I've been getting alerts like this all day. My new chapter is really blowing up. I'm surprised people enjoy it so much. Maggie says it's because I'm such a great writer. I think that people are just getting so desperate for Christina and Tobias to get together that they'll read any fic about their relationship, no matter how good or bad the writing is. Whatever the reason I'm just happy people are reading and enjoying what I write.

Honestly, I'm a little annoyed with the way things are going in the story, romantically, myself. The farthest Four and Christina have gotten is longingly staring at each other across a crowded room and occasionally holding hands. The last instalment of the trilogy, Allegiant, is set to come out in October, and if they don't end up together by the end of the book, I am going to scream. Of course I won't be alone in my screaming as I know there will be an army of angry fangirls waiting to join me. Imagine a crowd of angry, fans endlessly screaming into the void. I don't think that's what Veronica Roth wants.

My phone buzzes again. A text message from Maggie.

Hang out tomorrow?

Lemme check… I reply.

I can hear my mom coming up the stairs.

"MOM?" I yell.

"Yes dear," she says, just outside my bedroom door. She peeks her head inside the doorway.

"Can I go over to Maggie's tomorrow?"

"Sure, but you'll have to be home by five. We're having Susan over for dinner tomorrow night."

"Alright. Thanks."

"Good night sweetheart. Love you," she says.

"Night. Love you too."

"Don't stay up to late." She blows me a kiss, then shuts the door and walks down the hallway toward her bedroom.

I text Maggie. She said yes. Have to be home by 5 tho. Susan is coming for dinner.

Poo! Oh well. C u tmrrw.

C u.

I check the time on my phone. 11:40 p.m. I'm too tired to keep writing now, I can finish my chapter tomorrow. I save the document, power off my computer and roll over onto my side. I adjust my blankets and log onto fanfixx. I head over to my alerted stories. A new chapter posted two hours ago for story Hibernation by thesortinghat. I click the story's link, the familiar sharp thrill of reading the next chapter of a story I enjoy bouncing around in my stomach. The story pops up. I start to read.

Tap.

I'm jolted awake by the sound of something loud and forceful knocking decisively on my window. My room is hot, the air stuffy and still. I wish we had central air conditioning. I listen carefully. Maybe I just imagined it?

Tap. Tap.

There it is again.

Tap.

My heart beat speeds up.

Tap. Tap.

I search through the darkness for my phone, and find it underneath me. My shaking hands fumble to turn on the flashlight and point it towards the window.

Tap. Tap.

Darn it! The curtains are closed so I'll have to get up and look. I slide out of bed as quietly as I can and tiptoe towards the window, clutching my phone tightly in my hand, ready to use it as a weapon if necessary.

Tap.

My stomach twisting, my mind screaming at me to dive back under the safety of my covers I reach a hand out to pull back the curtains. They are surprisingly cold.

Tap. Tap.

On three. One, two… I throw back the curtains and find...

Nothing. Just darkness.

"No mysterious face," I say out loud to myself, sighing with relief. "I probably just imagined the noise."

Plugging my phone in, I slide back into bed, relishing the warmth of the sheets after the unwelcome chill of my dark bedroom. My eyes are heavy with sleep and I'm drifting off when I hear it again.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Faster and more incessant this time.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

My heart beats along with the rhythm of the taps. I ditch my phone for my copy of Insurgent (hardcover) as my weapon, and tiptoe towards the window once more.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

My heart is in my throat, my head, my legs, my fingers. I can feel it everywhere quick and jumpy.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

My stomach is an Olympic gymnast.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

This time I don't hesitate before throwing open the curtains.

My heart stops completely when I see what's behind them.

A/N: A bit of a cliff hanger! Keep on reviewing!

- divergent4four