Six months later …438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIpYxYzDvP
"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."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gU4YyZAfX
She groans.438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbbe7dC8ed
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSOAP2l4Jc
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTok2Mmnzyl
"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?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPCPGGWm7T
"Yes, Nikki."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9GTDu13xP
"Good."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDRipBbw9N
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPGZguRLVu
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YZKqqBqp1
"What?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmirHTFMOPU
"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."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uMaisDLE2
"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—"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDL54PVyuS
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyIpwXk3Zl
"Mr. who?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiPFPH52TR
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfY1Ycsq9Jz
"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?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2rBmNru7G
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZ7EZKI1wh
"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."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw96AlwiFr0
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8s3YP7rUwR
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHm5gNgLbsh
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.438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgQVarY7RY
"Charlotte!"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGTOrJV7oj
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.438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡST1ScgcLiu
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRxbBCCnOq
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqzfJnr57o
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeDYick4Bt
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLK8wu8wwk4
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.438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWIlfyVgmt
"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."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62cPh9DWaY
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqq6EQwQpH4
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0xdJDQP5M
"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.438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5QoYK2dJ4
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOkLbXI4qE
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXswQZPaPm0
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDlJC712YR
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtiPsmDyfI
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcXq92m0ZM
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7Q4HD655K
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WCM4wI8B0
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfKBOIojoa
"Yeah. Sure."438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSft9z5fwln
We leave.438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ppbbD5Oup
