Six months later …276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VgIjvnFA7
"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."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHK7wy9xEz
She groans.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmFkWG7RS8
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSnbvuGmwC
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIwVoDLA03
"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?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SknQyHDVn
"Yes, Nikki."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeCloRg1DL
"Good."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAwtfRhF5X
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DnzuVrg5W
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ipfvfyr3I
"What?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnmteS83q5
"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."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoMb7zuVJz
"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—"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUa9oCrcfN
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMb2ca1SNg2
"Mr. who?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBZzfAcdYY
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRn99wiXWxI
"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?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCH4BIrIndp
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzfo9caPuO
"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."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7eMS2m2T9J
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboRNONQeoC
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpT4vlk9GzH
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.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1tdHhcNIO
"Charlotte!"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOcY9dIY82
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.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDA3JmqnRG
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8e8zFXJGeM
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQpU0yPokw
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFgo4I7aCN
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZ5IW8p6Da
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.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5Mn9hyjEE
"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."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGeRr4SDpUU
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDy0FoZpbi
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6eCRC2b5G
"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.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfjRrB82A8
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGYhUtHOrN
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsM59V7U7tr
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPw0dxMHyt
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbD43bvJ3iP
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmHr9x0q4T
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMnl7BnJON
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYxZwQm3aX
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sDqzwo6pb
"Yeah. Sure."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnSeCsBmA8
We leave.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQM3to5xmVh
