Charge nurse unprofessionalism

I have 2 charge nurses. One is very professional, helpful and patient, with a great sense of humor. The other is arrogant, not helpful and condescending at times. I hear her whispering to a couple of our peers (also unprofessional) about others every day she works and is in charge and some of my coworkers have told me that if she is out to get you, she will. This is my first RN job and, as much as I enjoy the work, I can't take her and her band of gossipy, busy buddies. If there is an issue with a particular nurse, she and her cohorts (my peers) stand around and gossip about it instead of her taking the nurse aside, alone, and getting to the heart of the matter. they all act like they are better than everyone ewlse yet it is so obvious they have serious self esteem issues. She is also very power trippy and I ,as a new nurse, walk on eggshells when she is there. Why does she feel that she has to be out to get people? I'm seriously thinking about leaving after the next six months when my contract is up. I drive in traffic to get to this hospital which is over 30 So Cal miles from home.
I'm wondering if there is another way of handling this situation before I go off and tell someone how I feel. Everytime I hear them whispering, I want to just go off but I just suck it up and go about my business.