Disclaimer: Twilight and the characters belong to Stephenie. Only this little plotline is mine.
Edward and his wife Tanya are having trouble conceiving. Bella is in desperate need for money so she can finish her degree.
The Surrogate
Chapter 13
BPOV
"Have a seat Miss Isabella Swan." Mr. Newton grinned at me in a somewhat lecherous manner. He eyed me up and down licking his lips lasciviously. I sat in one of the leather chairs fronting his large desk nervously twisting a strand of hair. I held on tightly to a folder containing all of my scholarship related materials.
"Um, it's just Bella." I swallowed trying to keep my composure and he wasn't making it easy.
"You can call me Michael, Bella. I'm here to help in any way I can. So please what brings you here today and with such urgency?" He folded his hands together on his desk tapping his fingertips together.
"How could he not know?" I thought. He had written and signed both letters. In fact he called me by my given name and that could only have come from his files. Curious. Was this some sort of tortuous game for him, playing with people's lives? Maybe he just signed whatever correspondence Ms. Stanley placed in front of him without considering the impact of his actions.
"Well Mr. Newton I'm here to appeal the decision made by the Masen Scholarship Fund to cancel my scholarship and stipend for the fall term. I have excellent grades and expect to graduate summa cum laude next spring. I have only one year left before graduate school. Without the scholarship I'll be forced to drop out and my ability to attend graduate school will be threatened.
I understand you have rules but the new requirement took me by surprise and by the time I noted it the deadline it had passed. I'm begging for a second chance to provide the information you need. I'm sure there are other students caught off guard by the change in procedures." I paused to catch my breath. "My entire future hangs on your decision." I did not want to break down. Something told me that Mr. Newton would gain great pleasure in watching me grovel.
My short speech was followed by silence. Then Mr. Newton emitted a loud sigh.
"I'm sorry Miss Swan but there will not be a period for appeals. The scholarship board has finalized the grantees for fall term. You can reapply for winter term but in the meantime you will need to come up with funds to cover the intervening period. Consider a short term loan as a possibility." He rose from his cushy leather chair and sauntered around the desk plopping down in the chair next to mine.
"Do you have a job of any sort?" He peered at me. I shook my head keeping my eyes on the floor. It was all I could do to keep from crying. His hand reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear shocking me. His fingers lingered against the skin of my neck before pulling back.
"Tell me, Miss Swan, what would you be willing to do to cover the shortfall?"