Six months later …448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIAozzU3ui
"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."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Wy4MesY0S
She groans.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hsO7QbQaJ
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWtwt6oLV0
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3WHi6CNUW
"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?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3GxxeoqsE
"Yes, Nikki."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevm6ure4yo
"Good."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurvSrdUDpQ
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOZHXjbmnx
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VmRnqzAAU
"What?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgMZhG5yVt
"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."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTT0ppaX7KH
"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—"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SwnDMGUPi
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkvVxy0vIw
"Mr. who?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2ONIkhwpO
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJeXgkSzBC
"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?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggdAJJfm3R
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bzvR9iHmP
"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."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn76KOlcSKY
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlBXTNvToC
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJWPSVCtPl
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIWPzlt2AS
"Charlotte!"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqHIYkq251
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnS4DpgyKT
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMSElWYtlG
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCgxqtZiEX
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnMFBqi2SW
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMQ7AnCYht
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09tYbIwdvw
"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."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVVawyyE2p
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzdNrkCzNX
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkLRCkJqRV
"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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmorFFPFTp
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjFeho3u0B
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyqrB8YoN6
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAS50whvxBw
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgArKmgRP37
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1YFte3Stg
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBP9hBQ7est
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRMbO4YAtk
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI66cUZgfFZ
"Yeah. Sure."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoiK77qHTS
We leave.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8nsJTzPMY
