Six months later …374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6QNm0Q72t
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3QQLsCOOM
She groans.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlngCfImFQD
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMES5NGG1q
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1wrucQkrM
"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?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSemc2hOnJ
"Yes, Nikki."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW03UqdOYu1
"Good."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduOiBWKAzu
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VzVl9TMd8
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukX2igueF8
"What?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmpAbBrCPc
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqOq9PKtyO
"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—"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvZ3pYZLRu
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PzG4aItcA
"Mr. who?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALC7oW2bkl
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6ay8wOPJW
"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?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKmgV8J0DY
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR30UCHjtaC
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQvaYqcz03
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPp5HLPxLsX
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNCdTyCg6l
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKARfOoEb5
"Charlotte!"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8Ug5Wr26y
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yoPu4Elh8
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4efUfzHdTo
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQxQYsLeFy
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJ81rjFnzK
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncKRVYFD6s
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡal3xTIfnfx
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59XnVWmgUu
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSEN2LD5Z4
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEAnTWTWjA
"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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgP1vjUqSG
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaWwytqLTn
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftkiwFRk56
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusGJ9YmNc9
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmgRnPGrjp
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskRpjYsZdc
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPaAjlaKbR
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQblZneRvCO
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FZzMNDvD9
"Yeah. Sure."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgDuybGEyQ
We leave.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtqVXK6zfN
