Six months later …336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpE1i5owdA
"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."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFiLr6aBgn
She groans.336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNFaJ9BlcA
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZFNS4f05R
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVTCu5lkn4
"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?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tRdbabpjN
"Yes, Nikki."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPuux6XzXH
"Good."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVOPdGdwcf
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebdPpX2sX6
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92UKSBfKsx
"What?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxhMsDO2zZ
"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."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2ysdFOlFL
"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—"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXp2BxNCMdR
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40clLBLWRH
"Mr. who?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3IzmCK1Sp
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQNCZrxM16
"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?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPsZndcpwI
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6MsnEG1eX
"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."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04zknYH21e
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamVqwRW7gX
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQfp09PbyP
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.336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iBn92awJL
"Charlotte!"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRK80lRuOF
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.336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03MzZTTM61
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPyETJJZs9
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWr9UlVcNr
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbJ5rUJxUa
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWu1gaLJ8b
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.336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zYYhvuzMB
"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."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6GO8m2BPr
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cL7hhz7oO
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ80iZZa406
"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.336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MxtwgSPL5
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmnZakGdXX
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlldtvNyLxi
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGnQ7sekxW
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7JHs0UPUu
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawSN4U42Uo
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6yG7OLdZN
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUKQbZM0iA
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNHFnOwYJ0
"Yeah. Sure."336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9G72DuuYe
We leave.336Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ug2l5KheF
