Six months later …309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvjJDUXupa
"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."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORa3XRXzjt
She groans.309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcVN9sGMqb
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1EjceKKLJ
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90HLZ7LLkw
"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?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFA3AClIMT
"Yes, Nikki."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKt3CFl6Tep
"Good."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PTikukIDi
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIMFlvqHnB
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUgJGTiUhh
"What?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNfL9Qbkyc
"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."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqKO4t2kAH
"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—"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkpfmTxbnV
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyBP3hYrKf
"Mr. who?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdqWPHWyak
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs01kJwImG0
"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?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWWCCnHCgS
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiOMo9CMBx
"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."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWughFNXLv
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KGgOEo05k
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLb9fpjjJ9
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.309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0r2bCOC0yI
"Charlotte!"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DDkK7doMQ
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.309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHiGruSoyz
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEuogxECra
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiljzENWSNF
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDKHb7FpF8
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUZDtZr2aW
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.309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGguXPjp2kx
"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."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CpCtFrMLG
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IHSCspzqh
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7iHFxQPGX
"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.309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUb52dbUmA
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMvMyGBBlc
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yhHcKJ2Po
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzwvTVuH3l
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMSvl1FNEe
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3a3qB50yZX
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvC9oxmhTAJ
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UaWimv2uA
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUS3nfviaTP
"Yeah. Sure."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGO3v36Gdm
We leave.309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRirQjqqnc3
