Six months later …497Please respect copyright.PENANAoagIE3BA7y
"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."497Please respect copyright.PENANALhYkhfkty2
She groans.497Please respect copyright.PENANALeVxoZNt1S
"My gosh. You act like you're the father instead of Dracula."497Please respect copyright.PENANArma7rUFWeF
"I want to be the child's godmother. Please?"497Please respect copyright.PENANAFKFlRIzZTX
"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?"497Please respect copyright.PENANAcsGtg4aFW7
"Yes, Nikki."497Please respect copyright.PENANAF2aihKUhzP
"Good."497Please respect copyright.PENANAlsPff93EVj
We get to school and go to our lockers. While we're getting our things, Charlotte says,497Please respect copyright.PENANAadosuz2NWI
"Oh, hey. I've been meaning to tell you something."497Please respect copyright.PENANAdF7gEFKj3S
"What?"497Please respect copyright.PENANAlA7SfbllLy
"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."497Please respect copyright.PENANAAeqI7h1Vhj
"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—"497Please respect copyright.PENANAwtDO85MblC
"Shh! Be quiet!" She sighs. "Oh, and his name is Mr. Balaur."497Please respect copyright.PENANAi4ylkBJZEk
"Mr. who?"497Please respect copyright.PENANAsk8OmNsnaD
"Mr. Balaur."
"Oh, God. Do you realize who that is?"497Please respect copyright.PENANAkBEBZimWzb
"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?"497Please respect copyright.PENANA0aaDQkbPF6
I nod slowly and sigh. "Yes."497Please respect copyright.PENANAaBNBnq9vhN
"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."497Please respect copyright.PENANAIarKNqZXlF
"But what if he tells me to stay behind after class? Or if he has outside duty during free time?"497Please respect copyright.PENANAKcjBc4gPI6
"Well, we're just going to have to hope for the best then."497Please respect copyright.PENANA92D6HbmxWw
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.497Please respect copyright.PENANAZyTcF6meKq
"Charlotte!"497Please respect copyright.PENANAAYSRqFdJx6
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.497Please respect copyright.PENANAqIc9fmdMYl
"Oh, hi Mr. Balaur."497Please respect copyright.PENANALUnFDgP0Dy
"Ah, Charlotte. Hello. Do you know where Mrs. Filmore is?"
"Oh, she should be coming back from the printer soon."497Please respect copyright.PENANApnjNMsMqHe
"Okay." He sighs. "Hi, Nikki."497Please respect copyright.PENANAuY5sBwU5Ea
I close my eyes and hug Charlotte's things. "Hi."497Please respect copyright.PENANAuc5VNsQSOe
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.497Please respect copyright.PENANAa3J9rwXqsO
"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."497Please respect copyright.PENANACA7TVZDC3C
The bell rings and I try to stand up. I fall and he—he—helps me up.497Please respect copyright.PENANAZnbyn9r40c
I smile half-heartedly. "Thanks." I look at Charlotte, who is staring intensely at him. "Uh, Charlotte?"497Please respect copyright.PENANAmvPtycZuNz
"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.497Please respect copyright.PENANAGsGS3hpPpo
"Mom!" I rush up and hug her.497Please respect copyright.PENANAX6kjBB4lTs
She puts me at arm's length and examines me. "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you feeling well? Is—"497Please respect copyright.PENANA6FcwRgEsPI
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine, everything's fine."497Please respect copyright.PENANAFSnRNdRUAx
"Okay. Alright. Well, you have an appointment today."497Please respect copyright.PENANADSA3yntIj8
"Okay. Can we please go ahead and get there? Please?"497Please respect copyright.PENANAnd8SmkGdGy
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Can we please just go?"497Please respect copyright.PENANAtVFyouVDfC
"Alright, fine. We'll go." She looks at the secretary and smiles. "Mm bye."497Please respect copyright.PENANAeSZ3lE24zk
"Bye." He looks at me. "Enjoy your doctor's appointment."497Please respect copyright.PENANATL1GVGoE53
"Yeah. Sure."497Please respect copyright.PENANAbtGf2HpWi1
We leave.497Please respect copyright.PENANAuDNsWzcyZc