Six months later …401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKJodUxXoo
"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."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5c7H6YmNZ
She groans.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhi7nJAfI5t
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPti6P0mMNY
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzQUhKw1tz
"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?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡev5qWQyt8g
"Yes, Nikki."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdymcJ9JAzz
"Good."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGET5sWaQxE
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLTi1sATR3
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNckHkfji42
"What?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSDSnPgAuW
"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."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseeciXOTVc
"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—"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWBpocWtSm
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwqdkKaXyA
"Mr. who?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMNoZxLMAr
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPGzYIBMls
"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?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbfab1V4Z4
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrg3W60RqR
"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."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspKYycfQlt
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshtPhKb9jV
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIV1CJlX0D7
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.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3XQj6FafV
"Charlotte!"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6rNRVdJYb
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.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjgdx0EfBe
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoBLi7eTOX
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYmxuLQzfQ
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBHSVmBpla
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQc2ifoEia
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.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDCXdKVEBd
"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."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9JCQHNZmX
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGuqAmDNTu
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHmoUJKh56
"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.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zhuK1hjO2
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuE7n8ftaho
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0Pzb5EbBn
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJU0lFvR59x
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2C5c5717Cl
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1a2PEwtSVE
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqVnc90QPA
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTObo6lyfs
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0RC5EfAcS
"Yeah. Sure."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYwGxz9Rva
We leave.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEb4DMx9lv
