Six months later …246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStf7SlHUzS
"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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2EE5rYl5u
She groans.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyyfPlzsqM
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWeub8n6W1
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjBsn6RKWe
"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?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxSoxXvAzR
"Yes, Nikki."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJG0Eiz3ic
"Good."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmy8j6MuXR
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINuZh4HLLV
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6UEIt0qiT
"What?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtfMHJ03a2
"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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY74zim7aVO
"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—"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuWSTJ0YmL
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yXD0I2ydr
"Mr. who?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAQybChqDr
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv38azsWibe
"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?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhK94d9z9K
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhoaKdfU50
"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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnR1C6quy7U
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSBogHFvqt
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALvEuwjRSB
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBfeYQZ6hZ
"Charlotte!"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PckBaTAIM
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjj2IE7pwC
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlGRl2sSer
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqwpNzrRzx
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo41RSZs8jb
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaMHo8T9tj
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3jx0zpexo
"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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoqft05mCU
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWmmOC5t6K
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KnnoAoRik
"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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUhULdDubF
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUSNP91CYY
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzw9xL6Zh7n
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1E8XPvjFX
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5hZimYMiu
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkYv2ZVbSZ
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Nn9XCsYYW
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaKEHhCyEm
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGUPuVhjNN
"Yeah. Sure."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bOsMwhCH7
We leave.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZgzBJygN1
