THE TROUBLE WITH FAME: A Story of Love Being True

Chapter One

When Minnie rose to fame, it was needless to say that her old-fashioned name had become notorious. Her shining brunette locks, amber eyes and golden skin appeared in magazines and publicity advertisements, just like with every other popular celebrity.

Patrick hadn't seen it coming. Not even when she had in the past begun to appear frequently in the local newspaper of the town they'd both grown up in had he predicted that Minnie would take such a giant leap.

As one can imagine, Minnie had acquired a very busy life. She and her family had moved to Las Angeles and she was caught up in photo shoots, interviews, rehearsals and much more. Patrick had remained where he was. He'd only seen her once in the two and a half years that she'd been living her dream. They talked only as often as Minnie had time to make a phone call or send an email or postcard.

She had once written to Patrick in one of her letters, “Pat, if I could, I'd send a postcard from every place I go to. Unfortunately, I can't always manage.”

She always wrote and spoke to him kindly and implied that she was always thinking of him.

Still, Patrick was dismayed. He hated not being able to spend as much time with her as he once had. But even worse, he felt she had changed. He felt that she no longer had much use for him. He accused himself of not being exciting enough. During the day when he face came up on television or in the stores, he would wonder what had happened to Minnie he'd once known. He would sometimes fantasize about her devoting her time to him instead of to her career. He longed for her glory, for his pride.

Nights, he remained awake in the late hours, gazing at pictures of Minnie and watching videos of him with a heavy heart. He wished that he could say to her, “You're too smart and too sweet for that high-strung life”. But he knew it had been her dream to become recognized, so he wouldn't have had the audacity or the heart to say something that might be offensive to her.

He had reached the point where he saw his case to be hopeless. Minnie had moved on, he thought. She probably gets flirted with by boys and older men constantly, and she probably has some fling going on right now. Of course she wouldn't tell me. She's too nice. She's too reserved.

To make matters worse, Minnie had started to contact Patrick even less. She's getting tired of keeping up for me now.

One night, while browsing the Internet, Patrick came across a photo of Minnie arm in arm with another young man. He was undoubtedly handsome and tall, and he peered down at Minnie's smiling face with sparkling eyes. Jealousy stabbed at Patrick's chest.

He shut his laptop and began pacing around his dorm room, feeling short of breath. He was reaching a breaking point.

That late night, he gathered up all the old photos he had of Minnie and of him and Minnie together and tacked them to the wall. She's mine, he told himself. He listened to the sound of her voice and sat on the edge of his bed with the lights dimmed, his teary eyes fixed on the Patrick and Minnie shrine he'd created.

He couldn't recall having felt so bad before. His heart was racing and he felt as though he were choking. I can't move on from her, he thought. I can't let her move on from me.

Patrick allowed himself to sleep then, and the next morning he packed his suitcase, planning to use his tuition money for the upcoming semesters and the rest of his savings to go to L.A.