Six months later …387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ImiSaFffb
"Oh, gosh. Nikki, what are we going to do? Your pregnancy is showing already."
"It's going to, Charlotte. I'm already six months along."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvFUaCoqPP
She groans.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46g1RhXsAe
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaF6J5PLNBy
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJ2tIgw5te
"Fine. You can be the godmother, but you can't tell anyone at school. If I want them to know, I'll tell them. Got it?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wHn7DytEF
"Yes, Nikki."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBO5Avb835q
"Good."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2yXVntm4D
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnY9h41y5CC
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6IlwP60lQ
"What?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XWRsn1ooO
"It was said on the news over the summer that the, um, history teacher from last year died of some sort of disease or something. So, we have a new history teacher."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQYRC3xjUm
"You're kidding. So I'm going to have to introduce myself? That means I'm going to have to stand at the front of the class, and everyone's going to find out that I'm—"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOOzIqJ34u
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhVwsoFwdZ
"Mr. who?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xH8FIoePG
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymqss079Un
"Is it really? You've got to be kidding me." She groans. "And more than likely, everyone's going to have to introduce themselves so he can 'get to know us'. That's not good. He's going to figure out that you're pregnant. And the bad thing about it is we have him right before free time. He's also your free time teacher, too, isn't he?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXIQlHRHEX
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHbienP1vn
"Oh, no." She moans. Then she gasps. "I have an idea. We can go outside for free time. The doctor said you need the fresh air anyway. For the baby's health."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGQfMalA45
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJN2Fco8o6
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuML7uSCpB
Later, I meet up with Charlotte to walk with her to class and as I'm waiting for her, he walks by and sees me. He starts walking over and I freeze. What do I do, what do I do? Ah-ha! I glance up and quickly dash into the classroom I'm waiting outside of. I glance over to the door and to my dismay, he's coming in here with some papers. Oh, shoot. Suddenly, I spot Charlotte.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPSEsyrUBy
"Charlotte!"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYnCeIomRq
She looks over and sees me. I rush over to her, dropping a pencil. I groan. She quickly picks it up and hands it to me. She gets up and sees him. I hide behind her, picking up her things. He looks directly at her.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3aWtxiutV
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2O7gsNPDx
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjt9fT4ayO
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKj9bKETsmF
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPPITvw0Ak
I shove her things in her bag as he comes over and leans on Charlotte's desk. I zip up her bag and try my best to avoid looking at him. Suddenly, the intercom comes on.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJmbfAedIM
"When the bell rings, I need Charlotte Hallaway and Nikki Henderson to the office, please. Charlotte Hallaway and Nikki Henderson to the office. Thank you."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PcvqI7T1q
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxr3SxeE5o
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0u6w2rl15
"Oh. Sorry." She picks up her bag and glares at Mr. Balaur. He returns the glare and we go to the office. We get to the office and to my delight, mom's there.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxwA8eprQq
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtS8TT1cbbo
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFNWnGjo3J
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sQ7revW7d
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIB9q1r1lu
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tQCUozlJw
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TH4JjTodX
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLy7jzsrHKL
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6FGbAeagW
"Yeah. Sure."387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YmGQ6mqcf
We leave.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbjBD61vgs
