Psychic chapter seven

David's POV

I tapped my pencil on the desk in school, a bit bored. Everyone else was chatting loudly.  Charlotte's friends, John and Cassie, were trying to talk to me about soccer.

It wasn't that I wasn't all about soccer, but I had other things on my mind. "Hey, Cassie, John, can I ask you something about Charlotte?" I asked suddenly.

"Sure, what is it?" Cassie replied.

"Well, it's just that she always looks nervous and sometimes even scared."

"Well, Charlotte has always had anxiety problems." She told me. "She's never actually admitted to it, but it's pretty obvious."

"Do you know why?"

"Nah." John shook his head. "We've never asked her. I think it would probably just make it worse, you know? Some people are like that."

That was true. I'm the most social person I know. Being this way makes other people's shyness seem multiplied be a hundred. I've noticed that most people keep it to themselves when they have a problem. I never understood why, though. 

Charlotte walked in then. "Speak of the devil." I thought. She gave me a tiny wave and sat down next to Cassie. I smiled at her. She didn't smile back. Big surprise there. Why was she always so sad? I was determined to find out.

"How's your day going?" I asked her.

"Alright." Charlotte replied. "And you?"

"Pretty good. My sister stole my pop tart and I forgot to do most of my homework, but other than that, pretty good."

She smiled at me the tiniest bit. 

I answered that with a huge grin.

Charlotte took her school supplies from her bag and began arranging them on her desk. I loved how she was so organized. She then looked up at the whiteboard. 

WRITE ONE PAGE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY. EXPLAIN WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU. It said.

Charlotte got right to work, but I noticed she seemed distracted. Although her head didn't move, her eyes were all over the place. Her feet were moving, and she chewed on her pretty hair from time to time.

I finished in no time, although I took frequent breaks to observe these details about Charlotte. I really wanted to figure out what was making her so nervous.

When she was finally finished, Charlotte took out a book and read for a while. "The Hunger Games." 

A classic. I remembered Charlotte and I discussing Rue, and why her name was what it was. I liked her theory, and it made sense. The girl sitting in front of me was very smart indeed.

I realized that people would probably notice if I continued staring at Charlotte on and off. So, I looked at my book instead. Mine was called "The Flash."

Okay, okay! I get that not many people see comics as real books, but I read them, so deal with it!

I felt kind of bad for watching Charlotte so closely. It was like a scientist with an insect specimen in a jar. I told myself that this wasn't the case, that I was just trying to help her. If I knew her a little better, maybe I'd try to get her to talk about, despite what Cassie and John had told me.

I was jerked out of my thoughts when Mr. Darter approached me.

"Young man, I don't allow graphic novels of any kind in my classroom. Hand it over."

With a loud, dramatic sigh I gave him "The Flash".

Mr. Darter took it to his desk and put it in his drawer, watching me all the while.

Great. Now what?

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In the hall ways, I walked right up to Charlotte, determined to learn all about her.

" Hey, Char! What's up?" I asked gleefully.

"Char?" She sounded surprised and a little embarrassed. Charlotte looked this way as well.

"Can I call you that? Do you not like it?"

Oh, boy, now I sounded nervous! I felt like an inadequate eight year old kid.

Charlotte blushed. "No, no, no you can call me that as much as you like! It just surprised me, that's all."

"I get it. And I'm glad you like it."

"Me too."

I laughed. 

Me and Char might actually be getting somewhere after all.