Charlotte was scared. 9th grade in a new school.There would be people she knew from her old school, but she was still nervous. She took a deep breath and stepped into class, there were some empty chairs left, and Charlotte sat in the first one she saw, next to one of her old friends.
“Hey Char!” She said.
“Hi Jamie-”Charlotte said before interrupted by the teacher.
Jamie immediately paid attention, and listened intently to the teacher. Whatever the teacher was saying was drowned out by Charlottes thoughts.
‘Would I fit in? Would anyone want to be my friend? Should I listen? Nah... Are there any cute boys in this class?’
Charlotte scanned the room, none. She tried to listen to the teacher, but he was talking about some behavior rules, so she drifted back into thought.
‘Where i-’. Someone opened the door, and Charlotte lifted her head from her desk to look. He stood tall, with powerful posture, and his blonde hair cut short was in stark contrast with his eyes of green. She could only stare. He walked across the room and sat in the only open chair. Right next to her.
“Now that everyone is seated, I’ll tell you that these seats are permanent.” The teacher said, obviously annoyed that the boy was late.
There were some shouts of protest, but I was definitely not complaining, and surprisingly, neither was the boy. 
While the class was futilely arguing with the teacher, He leaned over to me.
“I’m Nicholas” He said.
“Charlotte.” I say, trying not to blush.
That’s how it started. They would throw papers at each other, tease each other in the hallway, tell jokes, get the teacher mad, and mostly just talk. Charlotte loved to be with Nicholas, (or Nick, as she called him) he was kind, funny, and really cute. She concluded one night that she loved him, and would love him forever.
***
“Char, are you and Nicholas... you know...?” Jamie finished her sentence by raising her eyebrows.
“No, we’re not dating! Nick and I are just friends.” She tried to sound appalled, or disgusted, but her throat caught and the last word, she was always a bad actor. She was sad, really sad. She loved being friends with him, but she wanted something more. Something more meaningful.
“Ok, but I think he has a thing for you...he acts weird around you.” She whispered across the lunch table, she lifts her eyebrows once again.
Charlotte’s heart skips a beat, and she almost chokes on the water she was drinking.
‘He likes me?! No. He couldn’t, I’m not pretty enough. But what what if it’s true?!’
Charlotte’s head was exploding with questions, but she just shrugged.
Through the day, all Charlotte thought about was Nick. The Dance was coming up soon, and she hoped Nick would ask her. If what Jamie said was the smallest bit true, he would definitely ask her. She would just have to wait.
Days past, and the Dance came closer. One week, 6 days, 5 days, 4 days, 3 days. Soon the dance was just around the corner. Charlotte saw Nick, they started the normal morning conversation, but the question wasn’t asked, Lunch proved unsuccessful as well, by the end of the day, Charlotte was still waiting for him to ask. They both saw one of the countless posters hung up around the school.
“So...” Charlotte said, taking matters into her own hands, “are you going to this dance?”
“I was thinking about it, but...meh.” He shrugged. Charlotte had to convince him to come.
“Oh, why not? I think it’ll be fun” She managed with a smile.
“Are you going?” Perfect, Charlotte knew just what to do.
“Well, no one has asked me yet.” She was lying, numerous boys had come up to her and asked her to the dance, all were refused  for reasons only they didn’t understand.
“Ok, Im coming if you’re coming.” He said to her, and left.
Charlotte didn’t understand... he didn’t ask her. Maybe he expected her to come with someone else? Or did he have someone to go to the dance with already?
All these questions stayed with her until she laid in bed. She knew he couldn’t like her if he didn’t ask her. Charlotte’s heart sank. She was disappointed, but she still felt a little happy that she could at least love him in secret. It still scratched at her throat, and tore up her stomach when he looked at her, she had to stay composed. She didn’t sob, but her still tears stained her face as she drifted to sleep.  Tomorrow was the dance.
***
She walked into school, and talked to him. They both enjoyed their classes, talking teasing each other, and messing around, but Charlotte couldn’t look at Nick the way he looked at her. His smile tore a dagger through her heart, his laugh was an explosion of emotion in her mind, and his angel eyes ripped her heart open.
The day was long, and nothing special really happened. Charlotte was able to stay calm, and composed. When She was about to leave, Nick stopped her.
“Hey, I was wondering, if you... you would like to go to the...uh...the dance with me.” He kept eye contact, and you could see his nerves in his eyes.
Charlotte could feel her breaths getting shorter, her heart beating faster. Her whole day was brighter, her whole world was happy.
“Yes, I would love to.” Charlotte couldn’t tell if her face said the same thing as her feelings. She knew that what Jamie had said was true, he must like me. Her heart exploded, never in her life had she felt such joy.
“Great!” Nick grinned wide. “I’ll pick you up at seven.” He grinned again, which made Charlotte’s heart race faster, and he left.
***
She was nervous. Her dress came down to her knees, and covered her chest. ‘Pretty, but modest’ her mother had said. She agreed, but she was still scared about what Nick would think. Her hair was long. It came down to the small of her back. Thick, loose, wavy. She was thinking of cutting it, but the dance was too soon, so she put it off. She went downstairs to her mother.
“See? I told you that dress was pretty.” She looked at Charlotte. Made her spin.
“No,” She said. “It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful” Charlotte was reluctant to take the compliment, but she did feel beautiful.
The doorbell rang. He was there. She walked out. He commented on how pretty she looked. She smiled. They danced together, slow, long dances.
They were dancing to a slow song by James Blunt, they danced closely.
Nick leaned into Charlotte’s ear and whispered, “I-...I think I.. I love you.”
Charlottes heart stopped, she could only focus on breathing. He heart skipped back into work, and when it came, it came hard. Her mouth was dry,  when she tried to talk her throat caught,
“You...I... I-love you.” She managed to choke out.
What happened that night was theirs, and theirs alone. I am not willing to tell you what happened. It’s not mine to share, but as they danced, they both wondered how they ever lived without the other.
***
Charlotte held herself higher. She was happy about everything, She couldn’t contain her excitement to see him again. Nick was sitting in his seat when Charlotte walked into class. He smiled at her. That smile held more meaning to her now. He opened a small bag that he had on his desk. They were filled with small crumpled pieces of paper.
“You’re on.” Charlotte said. She held out her own bag of paper. They through their cannon balls of paper at each other, until Nick ran out.
“Surrender!” She told Him. 
“Never!” He whispered so the teacher wouldn’t catch them. Charlotte had no mercy, she pelted him with the remaining paper pieces. Charlotte declared herself the winner, and picked up some of the papers.
The months went on, and Charlotte spent more and more time with Nick. Instead of sitting with Jamie, Charlotte sat with Nick, Instead of walking home with Jamie, she walked home with Nick.
The year went fast, and summer came soon. They all left on the last day of school, and Charlotte had to say goodbye. Nick was going for vacation for the whole summer, and would only get back when school starts. She would miss him.
June passed, so did July, August went by faster than all the rest. Charlotte was exited when she got an e-mail from Nick.
It read:
‘Char, I’m having fun on vacation. I met someone. Her name is Amy. I know you might be hurt, but I don’t care anymore. Amy is coming to school in September. Me and Amy will be together. So... what I’m saying is that, we’re done.’
Charlotte had no words, no tears, and no emotion. She closed her computer. She took out a paper that they used to draw on. It had their names in a heart.  She tore the paper with all the strength she had. She looked for her bag, took out the leftover papers. She sat on her bed with the ‘cannonballs’ and stared at them for hours. Nick loved her hair. Her long, thick hair. Charlotte took scissors and cut it. 6 inches long. She made sure it was messy. He can’t love that. She got the dress she took to the dance, the dress they both loved, and burned it. The smell of burning fabric filled her nostrils, and she found a new pleasure. The pleasure of killing the memory of him.
***
September came. Charlotte couldn’t bear going back to school. Going back would mean seeing him again. Seeing him with another. She had to walk out the door, she had to walk to school. Charlotte held herself slumped. She was sad about everything, She couldn’t contain her tears when she saw him again. Nick was sitting in a seat when Charlotte walked into class, but it was not next to her. There was a new girl in the class. She had long blonde hair. She was prettier than Charlotte. He was sitting next to her. Nick looked at Charlotte. That look, was not one of love, or friendship. It was a look of upmost soullessness, the upmost insensitivity. His look turned to a stare when he saw her uneven, choppy hair.
She sat down where he couldn’t see her, and waited. She didn’t know what she was waiting for, but she was waiting. She looked around for Jamie. She was sitting next to another girl. She was jealous of her and Nick. They both denied her. Now she doesn’t have anyone. Not even Jamie. All Charlotte had to comfort her, was a crumpled piece of paper clenched in her hand that used to mean something more.
She lived through weeks of pain. Those weeks turned into months. She hated Nicholas, but she felt the familiar dagger of pain rip through her chest when they kissed in the hallway.  He would look at Charlotte, and give her a smirk that made her sick, but she could only look at his angel eyes. The same ones she fell in love with, so long ago.