Summary:  For the June Chaps and Spurs.  Adam had a crazy romance in college.

Rated: K+ (865 words)

 

College Days

Adam Cartwright was considered the college’s most eligible bachelor. Everyone knew that he liked the girls and the girls certainly seemed to like him. It was a challenge among the girls to get him to stick with them for a period of time. He seemed to like it, as most college boys do I suppose, but then he fell deeply in love with one girl, Emily. She was a pretty girl with dark hair and eyes. The first day Adam met her she was wearing a dark blue dress and a gray shawl with gold tassels at the end. To Adam she was majestic, beautiful, like something from a fairy tale. He left all the other girls that followed him and stuck with her. But Emily had a code of conduct. It went something like this: Follow the man they fly from you, fly from the man he follows you.

It worked with Adam. She had him hook, line, and sinker, as the other girls say. She was not really an exceptional beauty. But Adam seemed to love her. The day she looked at him and smiled was the day Adam was ready to commence the relationship. She seemed ready to start too. But as the days went by Adam sensed something strange about the girl. She was beautiful none of the men doubted that. But she was cold, ice cold. And when Adam was ready to kiss her she drew away and told him to never try it again.

Adam was confused. First she would flirt with him, then she would throw him aside. He was ready to give up in disgust. But she would smile so sweetly and he would fall in love all over again and he would stay.

Then it happened. Adam was taking a history class when she met him. She wanted to go for a walk in the park but he explained that he had to study. She offered to help him and Adam almost laughed. “What do you know about medieval history?” he asked, not unkindly.

Emily smiled and hooked her arm through his. “More than you might think.” She answered.

She was so right. She took him to her father’s house. There was one room there that was covered with articles of the medieval era. “My father loved the Middle Ages.” She explained as Adam looked around the room. “He wanted to live in it. He raised me as though one day I would be a princess.”

“What happened to him?” Adam asked.

“He died.” She shook her head. “He thought he saw an enemy knight approaching and fell off the cliff over there.” She pointed out a window.

Adam looked at the cliff, then at the girl. “He thought he saw what??”

“An enemy knight.” The girl replied. “You see my father was quite insane.”

Adam shook his head in disbelief. “What about you?” he asked. “What do you think of this place?”

She sat in a large velvet chair. “I like it.” She responded. A strange light crept into her eyes. “For here I am the queen.”

Adam backed up slowly. Was it possible that the father’s insanity was hereditary?

But she saw him and stood up, grabbing his arm. “Don’t leave, Adam.” She whispered in his ear. “I rule here and you would not leave so soon.”

The strange light in her eyes threw a chill through Adam. “Emily, let’s go.” He tried to shake her arm off his. “We’ll go for that walk.”

“No!” she hissed. “You will rule here with me. I have claimed you.”

Adam was sure now that she was insane. He knew that now he had to culminate the relationship or suffer at her hands. “Emily,” he tried, “Emily, I don’t want to be king.”

She dropped her arm and stared at him in horror. “Why not? I am offering you a throne, Adam, and you are throwing it aside.”

Adam took a deep breath. “Emily, I don’t love you.” He finally answered.

She stepped back as though she had bee hit. “You don’t love me?” she asked, the fire gone form her eyes.

Adam nodded.

“All those nights?” she asked.

“I’m sorry, Emily.” Adam replied.

“I could have you killed for this.” Emily whispered.

“I know.”

“Why did you do it?”

Adam took a deep breath. “I guess for a fling.” He avoided her eyes.

“A fling?” she asked. “Then that was all I was to you.”

Adam nodded.

The fire came back into her eyes. “Get out of here, Adam. Get out before I have my soldiers kill you! I love you, Adam, I always will. But now GET OUT!”

Adam tuned and left the house. Inside he could hear her sobs. Adam stopped outside the house and leant on the door. He had loved her. He had loved her very much. But when he realized that she was mad…well, he could not love her any longer.

He walked up the road a little bit and then turned and looked back. “I’m sorry, Emily.” He whispered. “I’m so sorry.”