Six months later …290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXM7Vk8CIs
"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."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOrK8zuiFN
She groans.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Cczsys2BD
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeazNKV4nAE
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaS0ud4n7OA
"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?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafPeAtUWlr
"Yes, Nikki."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65m6Ypu6Rm
"Good."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqdFgd0lBs
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTzoCofWTM
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4led7jtC4
"What?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhlQEiLvf6
"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."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WF8xtkWgx
"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—"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEg7mUD2JQ
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nz77Wk0VG
"Mr. who?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3E43DbMYkB
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUJ1IHmcQk
"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?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9tYRlov4u
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoi3uGoDM3B
"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."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCLjuwfoY5
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLkVsdFFwZ
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUe1hwq6kzs
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.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaVCKyGXhq
"Charlotte!"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO3Yz6aUag
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.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvAB9Okmh3
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanxayQOAFf
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmxI6BHnMj
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrz5rnMbpP8
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxmb7piqx2
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.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NWfySH8tf
"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."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83JcvpIfge
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0QlKGQSZi
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHo9pZ8nrfF
"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.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuF4s87PmA2
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5THLDfcyl
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXoYXjaXlE
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbRxLVmeEp
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCxKIPhbyq
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYd2Aoczqs
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0eFqQmS80B
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3opWk54RUt
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jmWWmy6NG
"Yeah. Sure."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFyv74H8el
We leave.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ffklWzaV4
