THE BILLIONAIRE'S SURROGATE [RADISH]

Chapter Seven

I take a sip of the water bottle as I stare at the laptop screen in front of me. My eyes burn from being on the computer too much. I'm not going to be surprised if I'm blind by the time I graduate. Like hey, you can't see but you have a diploma now so it's worth it! I hate that everything is on the internet now. I miss it when homework used to be on old fashioned paper that you would turn in on the next day at class. And the books! I miss the physical books that I could carry in my hands! All my books are online now and I hate it. Call me old fashioned, I don't care. Books are always better physically.

I take another sip of water.

I haven't had coffee for a whole week and it's driving me crazy. Stupid protocol I'm supposed to follow until I get pregnant. I was okay with not drinking alcohol or smoking. I don't do either of those things anyway-until they mentioned caffeine. Coffee is what gets me through every day. It's just not fair. Besides, I've been taking hormones all week and they are not helping. Even I feel my change of mood. Is this what pregnancy is going to be like? I'm turning into a monster.

"Emily?"

I look up at Elizabeth who's sitting across from me. "Huh?" We are in our usual table outside, doing homework. Students are walking past us. Some in their phones others in groups, some looking like zombies with really dark circles under their eyes while drinking coffee. I hope they're enjoying their coffee, some of us are not so lucky.

She takes a bite of her apple, casually. "At what time are you supposed to...uh..."

I look back at the screen, knowing exactly where this is going. "Oh, uh, the appointment is at four."

"You can still change your mind."

"Stop it." I sigh. "I already signed a contract, it's done."

I truly appreciate her concern for me but I need someone to be on my side. I need someone to tell me that it's okay and that someone has to be Elizabeth, she is the only one I have.

"It's not done until there's a fetus in you."

I roll my eyes at her. "I thought you were excited about me having Colton's baby."

"Oh it's going to be a really beautiful baby." she says. "He's really handsome and scary at the same time. How do you stand talking to him?"

"He is a little intimidating." I admit.

"I mean, it's cute that he wants a baby and all but is he even capable of being a dad? Not only that but a single dad."

"I know." I shrug. "He says he really wants this. Maybe the baby will soften him up a bit."

"So he's not dating anyone?"

"Elizabeth." I warn.

"What? I'm just curious."

"Well he doesn't talk much so it's not like I can tell you anything anyway."

She shakes her head. "Never in my life did I imagine you being in this situation."

"Believe me, you are not the only one." I murmur, trying to finish my homework. "How's the wedding coming along?" I ask her, changing the subject. The last thing I want to talk about is how I'm going to get pregnant today. It sounds so weird. People don't usually schedule pregnancies, unless they're a surrogate of course.

"I have so many things to do and time is going by so fast! Can you believe it's already March?"

Actually I do. That is the reason why I decided to have the appointment today. If I do get pregnant, then I should be showing signs by next week which is spring break. Hopefully I am timing everything right. The last thing I want to do is fall behind in school. It's also good because if I do get pregnant, I probably won't be showing so much in graduation which means that I will be able to keep the pictures and send them to my family. It all adds up in my head, hopefully everything turns out the way I want it to. I hang out with Elizabeth until she leaves for her next class. I don't have a class until one more hour so I head to Starbucks.

I don't know if it's just in my head but I swear that just the smell of it helps calm me down. I sit down on one of the tables and take out my notes and study.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

It takes me a moment that the guy is talking to me. I look up slowly, not wanting to look like the stupid girl who thinks they're talking to her when they're not, but there is a guy leaning across from me. He has short, light brown hair and soft brown eyes. He has glasses on and a backpack over his shoulder. I've seen him before. I've probably had him in one of my classes or something.

"Huh?" I ask stupidly.

He smiles. "You're not drinking anything, thought I could buy you something."

"Oh. No thank you. I actually can't drink coffee right now."

Why the hell did I just tell him that? He makes me nervous. Any guy that talks to me makes me nervous apparently. I am just not used to it. And he is kind of cute. Nerdy kind of cute.

He frowns. "Why are you here then?"

"The smell." I say breathing in then I laugh. "Now I sound like an addict."

He chuckles. "You sound like a college student."

I just smile, not knowing that else to say.

"May I?" he asks pointing to the empty chair.

"Sure." I ask going back to my notes.

"I am Ben." He suddenly says offering me his hand. "We've had a few classes together."

"Emily." I say shaking it. "You do look kind of familiar."

"Good. I didn't want to come off as the creepy guy who stares at you in class."

I can feel my face grow hot. "Don't worry, I haven't noticed."

He looks around awkwardly. "And now I am creepy."

"I won't tell anyone." I tease.

"You are not as shy as you look." He comments, studying me.

"I'm not usually like this." I frown. "I haven't had coffee for a whole week, it's changed me." I joke.

He chuckles. "How come you can't drink coffee?"

Emily, what are you doing? You can't go around telling people your business. I already talked too much. Why am I even talking to him? There's no point on knowing guys right now. I am about to get pregnant, who would want to go out with me anyway?

I stand up and start gathering my things. "I'm sorry I have to go. I have class."

"Can I-" he asks but I hurry towards the door. "See you later!" I call, trying not to be so rude. I am thirty minutes early to my class so I just study so time can pass by.

When I get out of class, my phone rings. Jeez. It's like he's spying on me.

"Hello?" I answer already making my way towards the parking lot. It is a little far from my class.

"Emily, I am here." He says curtly.

"Okay, I'm on my way right now."

"Alright." He says then hang up.

I stare at the phone for a moment. He sounded mad. I sigh. Better start getting used to his mood. When I reach the parking lot, he is not hard to find. He is leaning against his car while speaking on the phone. He nods when he sees me and he opens the door for me. I murmur a "thank you" but doubt he hears me. He looks angry as he walks around the car. Great. So he is mad. As if he needed to be more intimidating.

He hangs up before getting in the car. I bite my lip to keep myself from asking him if he's okay. Knowing him, he will probably tell me it's none of my business and he would be right. So I don't say anything and he doesn't either.

Funny how I can barely have a conversation with this man and I'm about to get pregnant with his baby.

My life was a complete mess.