Scholars (Pine Hill Trilogy Book 1) *SAMPLE*

Embarrassment at its Finest

Evie's POV

I clutched the envelope tightly in my lap, my heart pounding. When the drive started it hadn't felt real, it was just another road trip with my best friend, another drive across the country in the old red car that we'd been taking places since we could drive. But now, so close to our first year of college, it all set in, and I was beginning to feel the panic that I always felt when facing the new and unknown. Before, I'd been annoyed that Stella had insisted on driving, but now that my hands were clenched around our move in information, I was relieved. I probably would've driven the car off of the road by now.

The gates seemed to materialize out of nowhere. One minute there was a wall of trees on either side of us, the next, we were pulling through them. Stella turned off the radio hastily, and we exchanged a look that conveyed everything that needed to be said. We were both caught between terror and excitement. We had been studying to earn places at Pine Hill University since Stel had first found out about it. Freshman year of high school, a long four years ago. And now, here it was. I turned to watch the wrought iron pass behind the car, open for move-in day.

"I can't believe this is happening," Stella breathed, looking over at me with awe in her eyes.

I turned back around to stare across the campus. The open grounds looked exactly like they had on the website, dotted with elegant brick buildings and lounging students. I wasn't sure if I was going to cry or vomit, but I swallowed hard, determined to enjoy this moment.

"Do you have the map?" Stella asked, and I jumped.

"Oh, yeah, of course." I rubbed my sweating palms over my jeans before opening the envelope and removing the brightly colored map inside of it. I studied it thoughtfully for a moment, trying to make sense of the little road markings.

"Left," I said finally, then cursed. "No, I mean right."

Stella quickly changed directions, making a wide turn which caused a few of the nearby students to turn and stare at us curiously. I flushed and Stella laughed, clearly both unsurprised and unconcerned about my shoddy directions. Naturally, she was used to them by now, but she had taken away my navigation rights within the first hour of our multi-hour trek.

It was fortunate that this hadn't been part of the entrance exams. It was one of the few things that hadn't been tested. Everything from basic math and history to strange questions about how we would respond in panic, and where we felt most comfortable. Stella and I had failed it the first two times we'd attempted, but we were nothing if not stubborn.

I was torn from my thoughts when Stella slowed down. "Is that it?"

I looked up and stared in awe at the brick building in front of us. There was ivy climbing the walls, violently green against the red. Black letters above the main entrance read "Grove Hall".

"It looks like it," I answered, as she pulled around to park.

I stepped out of the car onto the gravel parking lot and looked around, mystified. The wall of trees was close behind the dorm, the sound of the wind among them quiet and soothing. On the other three sides, though, well-tended grass stretched away to other distant brick buildings. It felt secluded and idyllic, and I beamed.

"Are you two here to check in?"

I looked around to find a tall brunette approaching us. She was smiling warmly, and I glanced back to find that Stella was as well. I couldn't find it in me to copy the expression, I was too overwhelmed by how magical campus felt, and I knew my face was stuck in a look of shock and awe.

"I'm Emilie. I'm a sophomore here. I can help you move in if you'd like?"

Stella and I shook her extended hand.