Six months later …441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZWs5MjcTe
"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."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXdkZ5iAW0
She groans.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgeHd1p8rdg
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HtyDjNUZm
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFvRO1MjWY
"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?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhZqFEGBSM
"Yes, Nikki."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfESp9sF8lo
"Good."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXvw5TRDrp
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3i5LOo29OY
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKQhMoRhqX
"What?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ScqcqylHI
"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."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyI7DV9qG7
"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—"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskQSiAD6k5
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnGQugIZGd
"Mr. who?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZlKdzWNJF
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxCKSi0q5z
"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?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zzZrkMX7N
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdI19TdhNt7
"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."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTDFMkNcVR
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hRuDuAA98
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErdCoMJaJ0
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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡod8oDbX9op
"Charlotte!"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2p88yFMt2j
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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7duYzmMisN
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GoPQdyAmk
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFbiVIEgJn
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMg2VIrgrf
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclAIlR6Bfz
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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ENM9AJWW5
"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."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmSkMOSFMu
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHAFGVYnnQ
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GZ05ymZGJ
"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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagL5E2vtg4
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuGkuGlpjA
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlO1yT3cltl
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXh4IvZ6Vl8
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5gVNWPcba
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohda1hMrss
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinjCvWe2pd
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1I1KmZVkM
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUSjPPRm62
"Yeah. Sure."441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvt12PbmNz
We leave.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrszmImlts
