LOVE IS DANGEROUS

Emily and John were the epitome of young affection in the sleepy village of Willowbrook. They had been teenage sweethearts; their relationship developed over years of fantasies, secrets, and numerous adventures. The love tale appeared to have a joyful conclusion.

But destiny had other ideas.

As Emily and John got closer to graduating from high school, their love appeared to last forever. Their friends used to say that they had been the ideal pair and that everyone envied them. They had no idea that the cruelties might break the most powerful of relationships.

It all started when John chose to remain in Willowbrook to pursue a career at his family's company, while Emily was awarded a scholarship to a prominent institution in a different state. They had to make the painful choice of whether to stay in their relationship or break up. The stress of having a distant relationship started to wear on them, despite their early resolve to make it work.

Emily made the acquaintance of Andrew, a dynamic and driven student, in her new academic setting. They clicked right away, and even though Emily didn't mean to, she couldn't help but be pulled to him for reasons she didn't entirely comprehend. As the connection grew, Emily's devotion to John started to become more hazy due to her love for Andrew.

As they returned to Willowbrook, John sensed their growing separation. Working hard hours, he was attempting to accumulate enough cash for a trip to see Emily. However, as Emily and Andrew's relationship became closer, she began to feel confused and overcome with remorse. She was afraid of hurting John's feelings, but she thought she had to be truthful with him about how she really felt.

Emily plucked up the strength to tell John that she was in love with Andrew one fateful afternoon. She was broken by the pain in his eyes. John was heartbroken but sympathetic, and they agreed to separate in order to work things out.

Emily and Andrew's friendship soon blossomed into a passionate affair. His alluring charisma and lofty goals carried her away, but she was unable to shake the gnawing guilt. John, in the meantime, was having a hard time moving on from their separation and was finding comfort in Lisa's companionship, who was a kind coworker.

After several months, Emily encountered an unforeseen turn of events. She thought Andrew would be her future, but he turned on her. She was devastated to learn that he had been having an affair behind her back, betraying her confidence. It was far too late for her to recognize that she had allowed her true feelings for John to elude her.

In an attempt to rebuild her relationship with John, Emily went back to Willowbrook out of desperation. However, she found that John and Lisa had become close and were now incredibly in love when she got there. The realization that she would always be without him broke her heart.

Unfortunately, the roles had been flipped. Now, witnessing the love of her life with someone else, Emily was the one left grieving. She had experienced firsthand the harsh remedy of treachery—exactly what she had dreaded doing to John.

The tragic results of our decisions and the erratic nature of love are poignantly brought home by Emily and John's story. This is a story of regret, heartache, and the terrible insight that oftentimes we don't recognize the feelings of affection we have until it's too late for us. Unexpected courses might be taken by twists of fate, and the disappointments that ensue can sometimes teach us the most tragic lessons of all.