#Chapter 9 - Tuition

The next morning, I made my way to the financial office, my stomach tied in knots. The campus was quieter than usual since we were still on break, the fog hanging over the walkways giving everything a cold, muted feeling. Inside the office, the air was thick with the smell of stale coffee and paper, but it did nothing to calm my nerves. The woman behind the desk barely looked up as I approached. "Can I help you?" she asked, voice flat. "I’m Renee Caldwell. I received a notice about my tuition balance?" I gave her my student ID. She typed it up, her eyes flicking over the screen. "Yes, it looks like there was a block on your account. Unfortunately, the payment didn’t process as expected." I forced myself to stay calm. "How long do I have to fix this?" She tapped a few more keys, then looked at me with something between sympathy and indifference. "We can hold off on any late fees for a week, but after that, you'll need to make arrangements for payment, or we’ll have to withd