Six months later …353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRho53Dp8qH
"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."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4hfEeGhme
She groans.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0w24WZiKea
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPzDHSivUq
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloiqNxy0lL
"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?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QciHmPjP7
"Yes, Nikki."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbQfcC0u9X
"Good."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZdIb7TmSI
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXSIcD7x5Z
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUovmRgIur
"What?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoiHp6B4Im
"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."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjmDetvflA
"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—"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzLdnH1FKK
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtR6FlfkTtn
"Mr. who?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfdvPFHyiN
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJa0Gjcfv9u
"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?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVW6QwVqVR
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXzYNKlQ6x
"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."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9yKmf54dU
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvt3NjtKsKw
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCMxrITMPv
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.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDGvmbBMIL
"Charlotte!"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9WbGpNyhg
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.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcYnBfMuA0
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZr51G3u0SA
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzonEM6iRWY
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx9B5xs6bN
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQjPzZxAuu
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.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRyGIejbIE
"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."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicklsECisa
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9T45XzwT6D
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhYKeXjSPW
"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.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXge84aJrZp
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtMS3Jui5h
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RnDpP3fUK
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlkdbdAyCZ
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNjLr1mAtZ
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Y0MncnKOc
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzrLu3GXOD
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSog8Bnwxvn
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsj97DcUrj
"Yeah. Sure."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy97ic7wSAf
We leave.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcgyTEfxmi
