The Sun and Sky

Teacher's Pet...NOT--Char

Char sprinted as fast as she could, though the beating sun of San Francisco was not helping. What was that about? What was in the bushes? Something was wrong. She wanted to go help Charlotte and find out what was going on, but she knew that both of them were in danger and something was watching them.

Char finally saw the school up ahead. Greenville High. It wasn't the best school in the world, but there were not many options, and sure, there were 'thugs', and innocents bullied and thrown into lockers, but as long as you had a low profile, you could survive the place.

Finally, Char reached the front door and bolted to her locker. Seeing Charlotte's locker next to hers sent a stabbing pain of fear and guilt in her stomach.

"Well, if it isn't the little scrap," a voice called to Char. "Your little friend isn't here to stand up for you is she? Where is that punk anyway?"

Char's eyes narrowed, "Valerie."

Valerie was a buff girl with broad shoulders. She towered over Char and used her size to over power people smaller than her. Charlotte usually snapped at her to make her back off, but Valerie always found her ways to pick on Char. She was one of those teens who was pampered with attention and was in the center of big cliques.

"No wonder your dad left you," she spat. "You're a failure."

Char's temper flared so much, she was surprised that there was no steam coming out of her ears.

"So, where is she, little scrap?" Valerie asked, harshly leaning against Charlotte's locker. Her breath was putrid and smelled like sour milk.

"She will be here later," Char answered, keeping her eye contact away from Valerie.

Then, as luck would have it, the school bell rang, and students scurried to get to their first class.

Valerie scoffed, "Whatever. I'll deal with you later."

As soon as she and her gang got out of Char's sight, she grabbed her own history books, as well as Charlotte's books, just in case she came back, then ran to her classroom.

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Char, of course, was one of the last students to enter the room. The teacher was sitting at her desk, glaring at Char from the tops of her eyes. Ms. Diez could easily have been awarded the harshest teacher of all time. She had her favorites in the class, but Char was definitely not one of them, and neither was Charlotte.

"Sweetie, where is your little friend?" she hissed to Char, impatiently.

Her teacher always tried to use her beauty and voice to act kind when people were late or bothered her.

Some of the students giggled and muttered to their friends.

Don't let her fool you, Charlotte always told her.

Char sometimes questioned if she was even human.

"Oh, Charlotte is coming," Char stammered. "She just, um, forgot one of her books at home."

Ms. Diez's pitch black eyes studied Char as if she just murdered someone.

"Fine," she concluded. "Everyone take out a pen to take the exam."

Char placed her yellow and orange backpack next to her chair and sat down. She quickly got out a pen and waited for Ms. Diez to give her the test.

"Now sweeties," she said in her innocent voice. "You have one hour to take the exam."

She placed the tests down in front of everyone.

Char stared at hers. Her eyes widened. "It's ten pages long!" she exclaimed.

Ms. Diez spun around at a whistling speed. "And?"

"There can't be that much information on Ancient Rome!"

Ms. Diez narrowed her eyes at Char. It felt as if they burned right through her. Char gulped, immediately realizing that she made a huge mistake.

"Um, nevermind," she squeaked.

Ms. Diez grunted and returned to her desk.

Char looked at the clock.

Charlotte, where are you? she thought helplessly.