Part One The drive from his parents estate to Thomas Marcourt college was a long one at just over three hours, but it had been peaceful and beautiful.Part One The drive from his parents estate to Thomas Marcourt college was a long one at just over three hours, but it had been peaceful and beautiful. Summer had begun to wind down, but the foliage remained green and vibrant along the winding country roads. Mitchell enjoyed staring out at this beautiful scenery which set him in a pensive mood. He reflected on his summer in France and the last big party his friends had thrown for him before he left for college. Only one city and a few small towns broke the entrancing forest scenery as they headed toward Thomas Marcourt: a small all-male private college with a reputation for academic excellence. It was located in a small town with a bigger city about a 20 mile drive north. It's remoteness contributed to its academic mystique. With entertainment at such a distance, the men would be forced to stay at the college and study. "There it is, Mitch," William Knight, Mitchell's father, said, pointing out the windshield at the building that had just peeked out of the trees. The campus looked just as it had in the brochures: compact and well-kept with many stately buildings made from stone and brick. Some of the buildings were over sixty years old yet remained in good condition. With the exorbitant tuition, Mitchell imagined that was how they could afford to keep the buildings looking so good. While Mitchell's parents were comfortably wealthy and could have afforded to pay for the full cost of tuition, Mitchell had received a scholarship which was defraying part of the cost. Mitchell was still confused as to why he'd gotten the scholarship. |