Nick and Charlie

Chapter 25

"And so I really think that Charlie should perform," Mandy Reed says, looking at me with an evil grin slathered across her face.

"It's Charlotte," I hiss at her, glaring.

"Mandy, you always make someone perform at the start of class. First it was Nick, now it's Charlotte? And your reason isn't a good one at all," Mr. Mack says, crossing his arms. I could tell he was getting fed up with Mandy's outbursts.

"But Mr. Mack!" she whines, her annoying little prissy voice piercing my ears.

"Mandy!" he reciprocates, and the entire class laughs at Mandy.

Serves her right for being a bitch.

"Mr. Mack, I feel as though we need to help Charlie through her stage-fright," Mandy says.

"Mandy, one, it's Charlotte. Two, just because I don't perform in front of the class every Friday doesn't mean I have stage fright. I just don't like performing to people, it's like I'm trying to brag about a talent that I don't think I have," I say, raising an eyebrow at her. She glares at me.

The whole point Mandy even started this argument was so that she could try and embarrass me. No way in HELL was that happening.

"Come on, Mr. Mack, I think the class would really love it," Mandy says, and Mr. Mack sighs.

"This is the last time, and it will only happen if Charlie wants to perform," Mr. Mack says, looking at me pleadingly. We both knew that if I didn't perform today, Mandy would be back at it next lesson.

"Fine, I'll do it," I say, sighing.

Mandy smirks at me, sitting down in her seat while I walk up to the front of the class.

I can't believe I have been lowered to this.

I take a seat at the piano near the front of the classroom, and place my hands on the cool keys.

I think about all the songs I know, and then settle on one.

I start to play the intro, and I must admit I kind of got into it once I started playing. This always happens; I'm back in my bedroom with my headphones on, the world blocked out.

I get to the verse and sing like I would if I were by myself. What I said was true; I don't have stage fright, I just don't like performing for people. It's like I'm a seal.

Once I was 7 years old.

I finish the song, and the class applauds me. Mandy sits in her seat, the smug look wiped from her face, and she looks really pissed off.

"Hope you liked it Mandy," I say, smirking at her before turning back to my table with Jane and Grace.

I sure showed her.

...

"Dillon!" I say as I walk into the cafeteria and see her sitting at a table with another girl. The other girl has bright red hair, and big blue eyes.

"Hey, Charlie," Dillon says as I walk over.

"Charlie, this is my best friend Sam. Sam, this is Charlie," Dillon says, and Sam sticks her hand out.

"So, you're the famous Charlie?" she asks, and I chuckle.

"That's me," I say, and Dillon gestures to the seat next to her for me to sit.

"What did you just have?" Dillon asks.

"Music," I say, and she nods her head.

"I only like music if I'm listening to it," Dillon says.