Unknown International Student

It was a hot afternoon when Belle entered the dean's office and was sent directly to the Finance office. She was so confused as to why she was summoned to the finance department.

She braced herself, took her time and knock on the door with complete confidence.

"Come in" a woman's voice was heard from the other side of the door. Belle twisted the door knob and enter the office. She walked in and found that there were several people in the office, which seems like they were waiting for

"Afternoon" she found courage to open her mouth and greet the panel in front of her.

"Afternoon Miss Jean, please sit down" one of the people responded while showing her an empty chair.

Belle sat down quietly with a confused face.

One of the woman in a panel started talking, not wanting to waste time. "Miss we won't beat around the bush, it is almost lunch time and we have to eat"

"Okay" Belle responded

"We called you today because you are owing a lot of money to the University and you won't be able to write your quarterly exams and you will be suspended from classes and sued" The man with big beard told her the reason for the meeting

Belle frowned not understanding what he just said, she was soo confused in a way that a headache hit her right there. "My scholarship have already paid for my yearly fees, how can i owe a school, what are you talking about? " She tried her best to be calm

"Miss, don't try to act smart with us. Your scholarship have already reversed your tuition fees, you owe fees for registration, modules, computer access, tutoring, resident, books and food. An impatient personnel spoke with anger.

Belle was now confused, "funds reversed? " she was thinking out loud. "But why? Why were there reversed? Do you know the reason why? When did it happen? She asked so many questions in one breath.

"Miss, we must be the one asking you those questions. It is your scholarship, not ours. You also have to move out of the student resident you were placed in." An impatient woman continued with insults.

"Miss you can check on your student portal, you will see how much you owe the University. You can also call the head office to find out the reason why the funds has been reversed. You also still have a month before quarterly exams start, you can pay the funds and continue studying. I can tell that you are lost, you were not informed of the funds reversal. The man with big beard, told her with pity in his eyes. "You can work part time and pay the funds bit by bit. "

The panel got up and exited the office without another word. Only the big beard man was left behind. "Miss, go rest, think about it"

"Thank you sir" Belle responded with sadness in her voice. She got up and left dragging her weak legs.

She went and sit under the big tree trying to think, but only she can find contradiction in her brain, she was unable to think straight. She also tried to play soul music to pick up her soul.

She found it hard to live, she went to her dorm. She reached out to her phone, scroll the numbers until she reached the headquarters numbers. She press dial and heard it

"Hello this is student achievement headquarters how may i help you" A woman's voice can be heard on the other line of the phone

"Hi, this is Belle Jean, i'm calling regarding my scholarship, the funds of my fees have been reversed a month ago, i wasn't informed about it, may i please know the reason for funds reversal? " Belle spoke with a heartache.

"May i please have your ID Miss"

"My ID is ************"

"Okay Miss, wait a minute while i look at the date base.... Miss, yes Miss your funds has been reversed due to fraud. It seems as if you didn't deserve the scholarship, it might be because of negligence. Is there something else i can help you with Miss".

"Nnn... No, it is okay, thank you for your help. She hand up and went to the bathroom.

Belle took more than an hour in the bathroom, she was just sitting in the bathtub filled with hot water. She sat there trying to search her mind for clues of why her scholarship was canceled. She was a straight A student.

The problem can't be her marks, she obtained it before she wrote test. She even achieved more than 95% on their test, what fraud where they talking about?, she didn't even try to cheat while writing test, who could be behind her mischief.

What is she going to do now that she is owing alot of money, must she call her parents and tell them what happened? Are they going to help her? Thinking about all her family feuds she felt complicated.

She only realize that she have been in the bathtub for too long when she felt cold. The water was no longer hot, it was so cold that she start shivering. She stood up and get out of the bathtub, reached for a towel and dried herself up and went back to her room.

When she reached her room she sat near the dressing table and pulled a drawer to take out a hair dryer. She dried her hair and change to her sleeping clothes.

After that she went to her kitchen to find someone thing to eat, even though she doesn't have appetite her stomach was growing, because she didn't anything after the meeting in the afternoon, she reached for her phone while she was eating and dialed an international number.

"Jeans resident may i know who is calling and the reason for the call?" A teenage girl answered the phone, it was Isabella, Belle's lil sister, was only two years younger.

"Bella is me, Bell. How have you been? " Belle spoke with a heart throbbing voice.

"I know it is you, it is all written here on the caller 'Don't answer Belle' it says, hahahaha"Isabella laughed out louf like a maniac. "So what can we help you with my dear sister? Is everything goinh fine over there or have you tripped and fall? "

"I can tell you are still okay Isabella, i would like to speak with mom and dad please, may you please them the phone? " Belle couldn't help feeling more angry and sad at the same time while speaking with her sister.

"No can't do, i'm watching television and they are on the third floor i can't shout so tell me i will give them the message while they come down, or just hang up, because im sure they don't wanna hear your voice either. "Isabella said while chuckling

"Bella, im being serious over here, give them the phone and stop acting like a spoiled kid "Belle said those words not knowing that her father was now holding the phone.

Her father was more angry than when he sent her abroad to study. "Belle what is it that i can help you with? Didn't i tell you not to bother calling before you finish your studies, now you are insulting my daughter. "

"Father? I'm sorry, but my scholarship is canceled and i'm owing alot of money to the school, they are going to suspend me and sue me if i don't pay." Belle said with a broken voice.

"Then pay for it, you are over 18 and legal to work, find a job and be a woman. If i bail you when will you learn to be a grown up and take responsibility. You cheated the system, faked you results. I thought your sister was lying when she said you are a liar and a cheater. You took two of her boyfriends. Bye Belle" He hang up before she could respond.

"Pa, dad-dad can you hear me? "There was no respond from the other end of the phone, she looked up at her phone screen and find that the phone has been disengaged a while ago. "Aaahhhh" a broken plate can be heard while Belle screams.

She couldn't help but cry, she was smart, loyal, a genius on top of that, but her sister always beat her when it comes to their parents trust. Belle was always seen as a liar who only things that her beauty is everything.

She was sent away by her parents, only because her sister cried for her boyfriend and claimed him to be hers, this was the second time she did things like this. Then she was transferred to this university as a second year student.

The pain she felt from being sent away like a criminal is still in her heart. Now they can't even help her with money, The Jean's are considered an influential family in 'A city'.

Belle cried her lungs out until she passed out on the lounge. She was just sleeping there wearing thin clothes and it is always cold at night in C city.

Belle tried to open her eyes when she felt a dull pain on her head. She couldn't open her eyes, they were heavy due to crying.

Her head was also heavy as if like she was carry a heavy load on top of her head, her body was numb and she was unable to move. That was when she recognized that she slept on the couch last night.

She didn't know how she fell asleep, all she know was that her parents denied helping her and also called her names. She forced herself to open her eyes, her vision was blurry due to swollen eyes. She tried to get up, because all she knew is that she gotta find a way out of this mess alone.

When she look at the time it was 10:30, she have already missed her morning class. She dragged herself to the bathroom.

========

Around noon she went to the cafe just outside the school to grab something to bite as her tummy was growling.

She sat down on a table near the window waiting for the waitress to come and take her order. When she raised her head to look at the far end in front her she couldn't believe her badluck, the guy who always talk naughty things about her was there, although he wasn't looking her way she wanted to leave the cafe.

The sun shone on his face, she could tell that alot of people where looking at him, his fine features stood out every time she meet him, she never want to admit that his handsomeness attract her, because she is afraid of being heart broken.

His looks makes him look like a playboy. Every time he approach her, she fled away like a fly. Little did she know that he saw her the minute she entered the cafe. She could even hear a waitress talking to her because she is in deep thoughts.

The time she came back to her senses was when the waitress spoke for the third time. "I'm sorry, may i please have today's special with ice tea please" she said trying to look calm as ever with an embarrassed look.

"Okay, wait a few minutes, is there anything? " the waitress said while writing on her note book. Belle only shook her head. The waitress left to get her order done.

In a few minutes she returned with a tray full of food. Belle was confused she didn't order this dishes. "I'm sorry but you got my order missed, i only ordered today's special and ice tea"

"Yes Miss i know, but Mr. Brady ordered this food for you. He also gave me this note." The waitress responded while handing out the note.

Before she could ask more questions, the waitress pointed at the far end with her index finger before she turned away and leave.

Belle opened the note and read it internal. 'Eat more, it's only been two days since i last saw you, you look so thing and sick. It is already paid for'. She didn't know whether to accept the food or deny it.

And until now she knew that she never knew his last name. And what was he busy with on his laptop in a cafe. She put down the note and started eating, with even saying thank you.

After eating she asked to see the manager of the cafe, only to find out that he was not around. But the waitress told her that she could talk with the owner as he was around that day.

Belle agreed to him without hesitation, knowing that speaking with the owner of the cafe will be an advantage than the manager.

The waitress went to the back room and come back again, to tell her to follow her. She got up and follow her inside the managers office to meet the owner. To her surprise the owner is the best friend of the handsome man outside.

She was lost for words as she always give his best friend a cold shoulder in front of him every time he tries to engage in a talk with her. She mastered some courage to greet him. "Afternoon sir".

He looked at her up and down waiting for her complaits as she wanted to meet the manager. "How may i help you Miss...? "

"Belle" she knew he was asking for her name. "I'm looking for a part time job" she said while facing.

"A job you?" He had a beautiful smile on his face as if he heard a joke of the year. "What can you do? And why do you need a job? Ain't you an international student? You have everything wrapped around your lil finger"

Belle was so embarrassed that she was speechless, luck for her they were only two in the office. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but not everything is as it seems. I need a job, i need to continue studying " she said with sadness in her voice.

Mr. Cane was now dumbfounded, "the fees are high, do you think you will be able to pay for them with a part time job, especially waitressing, cleaning or cooking here? Im sorry but my advice is to ask big companies, they take student for part time internship" he looked at her as if she was making a fool of him. But what he said made sense.

She just stood there not moving, is if like her dreams were just crushed right there and then. "Thank You for your time sir" she turn around and left.