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Thump!

My eyes fly open at the noise that echoes through my bedroom. A minute ago, I had been sound asleep, but now I’m awake and disoriented. Did I actually hear something? Maybe it’s coming from outside. I roll my head to look at the clock by my bedside. It’s 1:18 in the freaking morning.

Thump! Thump!

I lift my eyes skyward and groan. Whatever the sound is, it seems to be coming from right above me. I stare up at the ceiling, willing the noise to stop so I can fall back asleep.

Thump! Thump thump thump!

I sit straight up in bed, grinding my teeth. Krista is sound asleep by my side, but she always sleeps with earplugs because she claims I snore. So she is blissfully unaware of the sound that is tormenting me.

Thump!

It’s been a week since I confronted Whitney about the laundry detergent, and while she and I are still cohabitating, I can’t say we’re getting along well. Every time we pass each other in the living room or on the way to the bathroom, she gives me a seething look. Krista says that I should try to apologize to her, although I don’t know what I would be apologizing for. Do I really need to apologize for reacting to her rudeness?

At least the rash seems to have improved. But the price is that I have to clean the washing machine every time I put in a load, because I don’t trust her not to use limonene.

Thump! Thump!

And now, apparently, she has found a new way to torment me.

What the hell is she doing up there? An aerobics workout? A game of handball? Irish step dancing? And why is she doing it at one in the morning?

Thump!

That’s it. I can’t take it anymore.

I climb out of bed, nearly levitating with anger. I was sleeping in just boxer shorts, so I throw on an undershirt. I like to sleep in as few clothes as possible, in hopes that I might get lucky, although sadly, things have been pretty slow in that department since Whitney moved in. Getting a tenant was supposed to take some of the stress off paying the bills, but I feel more on edge than ever before.

After I leave the bedroom, I head straight for the stairs to the third floor. But as soon as I get into the stairwell, the thumping stops abruptly. I don’t hear it anymore at least. But I don’t turn around to go back to my room. Whitney needs to know that whatever she’s doing at one in the morning is not okay.

I don’t stop moving until I reach Whitney’s door, where sure enough, the light is still on underneath. I bang my fist against the door repeatedly until it finally swings open. Whitney is standing in her tiny pajama shorts and a tank top with no bra, and I am not even the slightest bit aroused.

“Blake.” Her lips curl into a smile. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this late-night visit?”

“You’re being too noisy,” I spit out. “It’s one in the morning, and I’m trying to sleep.”

She blinks innocently. “I hate to break it to you, but I was just sitting in bed quietly reading.”

I crane my neck to look over her shoulder, although I’m not sure what I’m looking for. Tap shoes? A wild animal she’s been sequestering in her room? I still don’t know what she was doing in there, and it doesn’t matter. It needs to stop.

I grit my teeth. “Just keep the noise level down after eleven, okay?”

“It’s not my fault if you’re hallucinating noises, Blake.”

Hallucinating noises? What the hell is she talking about? I could hear the thumping clearly from our bedroom. I didn’t imagine that.

I didn’t.

Whitney tilts her head to the side. “You don’t look so hot, Blake. Maybe you should try to get more sleep.”

“Thanks for the tip.” I have to bite back the string of swear words I’m tempted to hurl in her direction. “Like I said, just…whatever you were doing, stop it.”

She has an amused look on her face. “You got it, boss. Is that all?”

“Yeah, that’s all.”

“Fantastic.”

Then she shuts the door in my face.

I trudge down the steps back to my own bedroom. My heart is still racing from being woken up abruptly and from my encounter with Whitney. I’ll be lucky if I fall back asleep in the next hour. All I can say is that if the noises start up again, I can’t be held accountable for my actions.