I have lived in North Carolina my whole life and nothing good has ever happened. It is my senior year of high school and cannot wait to get out of town. I am traveling down the halls of my school, where everybody has school spirit and, not to metion, friends. I go into my history class, where there are long black tables and I take my seat in the back, as more and more students come in. I pull out my history textbook and look at the board to find the page and begin to follow the steps that the teacher had instructed on the board.

Nobody is sitting next to me so I lay my books and my bookbag along the table. I take my phone out and put in my earplugs and continue to finish the work; I am in deep thought until a paper lands in front of me and I look up. It's my teacher, Mr. Porter. "What is this?" I ask, picking the paper up.

"It's an assignment for history class but it is also a scholarship." I look deeper into the paper. 

The Unknown Mountain

A free ride to any college will be given to any students who does a research paper and gets the chance to get a first hand experience on the mountain. Send seven students to the mountain and let each one write a paper, three people out of the seven will recieve the scholarship. The mountain originally belonged to Native Americans and others believe that the Natic Americans cursed the mountain but student's should get the chance to research the culture and history of the mountain. The due date will be May 1st. 

"So, there is just going to be a lot of kids at some mountain, competing for a major scholarship?"

"No, our school reserved this scholarship for our school. We have pre-picked all the students and I know that you want to be a historian so I chose you. It is the best offer ever. All seven students will go to the mountain and study it." His green eyes pierce me and his gray hair makes his outfit stand out.

"I guess you're right. Fine. I'll do it but what about my school work?"

"You take it with you. Trust me, senior year work really isn't that hard. We have talked with everybody's parents to be sure that it would be okay and that they would be okay with the time you have to leave."

"Of course they would and when do we leave?" I ask, shakily.

"We just did recieve the scholarship to realize that we need to you to go next week and the trip may take a month." He explains frowning, not sure what my reaction is going to be.

"A month? Great, well, I guess I will start packing." I say, sighing.

Mr. Porter nods and walks away. I plug in my music and lean back, relaxing, feeling nervous about the scholarship. I continue to do my work but instantly jump as the bell rings. I pack my stuff up quickly and head to the back of the schoolwhere my bestfriend is leaning against the school building. Charlie Price, been my only friend since elementary, and have never been in a fight.

"Hey, you are not going to believe what I just got today." He says, excitedly, and pulls out a paper, it looks similar to mine. He has dark brown flipped hair, hazel eyes, and is wearing a punk/lazy outfit.

"Let me guess, a full ride scholarship if we go to the mountain?" I ask, raising my eyebrows. 

"Yeah, wait, you got one too? Please tell me you accepted the offer?" I nod my head and he smiles and wraps me in his arms and jumps up and down. "It's going to be a blast."

"Have you researched the mountain? I really don't like the fact that many people think that it is cursed."

"Here is your lunch, and yes I did. I haven't see anything really interesting besides myths and they all vary so don't worry."

"Hey Scarlett," Somebody calls my name out and I turn around. "Don't you think that you have had enough food." It is Audrey Myer, the worst person ever, she always says something about me being big, fat, or whatever people want to classify it as. Charlie puts his arm around me and guides me away from her.

"Don't listen to her, Scar." I nod my head and hold back my tears. "Listen, I will come into your third period and we can research, okay?"

"Yeah, sure." I say, putting my hand on my forehead. "Do you want to ride together to the mountain?"

"If you want besides we are going to have the best road trip there." I laugh, because I know that means that Charlie is going to create some cd with music. I move away from his arm and look around to look at the animals that have been donated to the school. The ducks, pigs, goats, and chickens.

After lunch I go into the library, where I am an assistant for our librarian. I sit behind the librarian's counter and sit on a rolling chair and prop my feet up on a stool. I pull my black sheer jacket over me more to hide my rolls. I have my laptop in my lap and begin to research information about the mountain and Charlies was right there is nothing but myths. "Hey." Charlie then says, causing me to jump. "Jeez, scare much?"

I laugh and take my foot off the stool so he can sit there and I then put them back up on top of his lap. "Alright, I was researching the mountain; and you were right. So, was you teacher mad that you wanted to come into the library again?"

"No, she was actually lay back today." He says, laughing. Charlie has always been the class clown but somehow manages to get out of trouble. "You got some company." He says, nodding his head up. 

I look up to see a couple of students walk towards the desk and just drop their books on the desk; some fall to the groun. I sigh along with Charlie and he begins to get up but I hold my hand up and shake my head. I go around the counter and kneel, straightening up the books; suddenly a hand begins to pick up the other books. "I got it Charlie." I say exhausted.

"Sorry." I hear a soft voice say and I quickly look up to see a man with light brown hair, green eyes, and a casual outfit on with a black jacket. "I just wanted to help."

"No, I didn't mean to snap at you. I have had a rough day, thank you." I say quickly, embarrassed that I was rude to him. I grab the books from him and head to the shelfs in the back.

"I have never seen you before." He says curiously, following me. I look at Charlie and frown. 

"I stay hidden." I say, putting the books back on the shelf. I turn to him and see that he is still frowning. "My name is Scarlett London."

"I'm Bryce Wayland."

"Classic." I mumble under my breath and he crosses his arms and frowns. "Nothing, listen I have some more books to scan. Thanks for helping and for chatting with me." I say awkwardly, heading back to the counter. 

"Yeah, no worries. It was a nice talk and I hope I get to see you sometime when you are out of hiding."

"Oh, Bryce, you do not want to hang around the school's pig." Audrey says, coming into the library with her best friend, boyfriend, and his best friend.

"I don't have time for you Audrey. I'm surprised that you are even in the library, I thought you couldn't read." I say, walking away from Bryce and sitting back in my chair.

Audrey looks at me with a stern face but rolls her eyes and walks away. I give a weak smile as she passes and I roll to the computer and begin to type in book codes. "Scarlett, you've already scanned those books, look." Charlie says, pointing to the screen and as I look up I see that I have put in the book codes three times.

Bryce walks in and holds his hand out, "You're Charlie? I'm Bryce." He greets politely. Charlie shakes his hand and gives a half smile. "Well, I'll see you guys later." Bryce says smiling, then walking out.

"He seems nice." Charlie says suspicious.

"Yeah, he must be new or something." I say, putting the books on top of the counter.

"He might like you." Charlie says smiling, raising his eyebrows.

"No, stop." I say laughing and Charlie smacks his lips.