Six months later …409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoI0qQL8gF
"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."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6oLB4msuz
She groans.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOYHkafdb0
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlszyWFFK2x
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCrYHssS9G
"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?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObLLfVr6JV
"Yes, Nikki."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZ831VEI9J
"Good."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtmBwnYq9y
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxI0gVhaqbV
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyx4cVWw4Af
"What?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuDYQZxoSq
"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."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7aZCwuylb
"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—"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQ2DxRGMOQ
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtaYZlYxes
"Mr. who?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrc7s7DKpd
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWreNDuDqHz
"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?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoHhtQ3yxO
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIhZTOoNcx
"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."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lVTzLuX6o
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qeJKG7av0
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85eB6DNuUB
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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrcmvtBy6j
"Charlotte!"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgmf0Q9TMc
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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzu51XIlBqm
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3ybtW8zDf
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgi33ZFzUA
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNbqyoZpbS
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQZbxQJeKP
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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVIznNs7oz
"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."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGcCxouxh4
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyMEKN7YJD
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAt0XxcJDRU
"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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YnxGSZZzW
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9m3H6fk4UC
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhRih77AuO
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE523sxKpCX
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGJrlpsZ0D
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cu9sdU6Kq
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIdN56MbR6
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9CsKdvqdh
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWsDmuM5tL
"Yeah. Sure."409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61d2DaFrWM
We leave.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0B9xU6mtv
