A White Rose There had never been any question as to who's girl Liz was; that is until Scott went away to college. It is said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but does it? By Emma Lou Barnes Lizbeth took one last look in the hall mirror before she opened the door to answer the insistant ringing of the doorbell. She admitted to herself that she was a pretty girl. She might even go so far as to say she was beautiful. Dark hair and blue eyes were set off by the clearness and striking whiteness of her skin. Even the blue sport dress and brown pumps added to the effect of casual young beauty. Yes, she looked the same. She hadn't changed outwardly during their three months apart. It was the strange things that had been happening inside that worried her. How, could she ever explain? If she could only keep from hurting Scott. The appreciation in the eyes of Scott Miller gave her ego an even larger boost and her conscience a jolt when she opened the door to his hopeful ring. "Hi,Liz. Am I early." "No, I'm ready, Scott. Just a sec' 'till I get my coat." Scott Miller wasn't handsome. In fact he wasn't even good looking. But when he smiled it did things to Liz's heart. Lizbeth had known Scott ever since she could remember. They had grown up on the same street and gone to the same schools. They had played and fought together since they first began to walk and talk. Scott couldn't even remember the first time he took Liz out. They had just sort of drifted into dating and then into "going steady." Lizbeth was Scott's property and no one challenged his claim. It wasn't because Lizbeth hadn't had chances for other beaus it was just that she was "Scott's girl." "Okay, Scott. Shall we go?" asked Lizbeth as she slipped into the neat brown jacket and pulled the hood over her dark curls to protect them from the fluttering snow flakes. He took her arm possessively and led the way to the dilapidated Ford at the curb. "Oh, Scott, isn't it going to be a lovely Christmas? I love snow, especially on Christmas Eve." "Yes, it is really beginning to seem like Christmas now with you and the snow both." Scott stopped here, although he felt as though he should have added "you and the snow both so cold." Scott opened the door and as Lizbeth stepped in that old sinking feeling came back. There was something wrong! Lizbeth's usual smile was a little strained and her "thank you" didn't seem quite natural. "Maybe, we can talk this thing out, tonight," Scott thought to himself. "This game of hide and seek has gone far enough." Scott slipped in under the wheel, flipped the key, and stepped on the gas. They drove in silence for a while, each lost in his own thoughts. Scott was searching back in his mind trying to remember when and how this "strangeness" had first begun. Their summer had been ideal. Hikes, boating, dancing and parties with the gang all had added significance because of the threat of separation when fall rolled around. For the first time in fourteen years they had faced the prospect of a school year apart. After his graduation last June from Smedley Junior College, Scott had decided definitely that electrical engineering was the career he wanted and the best training was to be found at the State University. Lizbeth, likewise, found her ambition of a career in journalism beginning to take shape and had applied for entrance to a private university training division. Their parting at the beginning of fall quarter had been reluctant yet weighted with the anticipation of a "new experience" apart. The Thanksgiving vacation was the beginning of this "strained" relationship, Scott realized now. How could he have been so blind? He wondered now that he looked back on it. Scott had arrived home first so he would be there to meet Lizbeth's train. He had left the house an hour early so he would have time to stop for a bouquet of violets and a white full bloomed rose. Violets were Lizbeth's favorite flower and Scott had read somewhere that a white rose in full bloom was symbolic of the full bloom of young love. The train had been fifteen minutes late and Scott was nervous and excited with the added moments of anticipation. At last the train rolled into the station and Scott paced the platform, waiting. Then he saw her with her eyes shining and her dark head thrown back laughing with the blond young man by her side. Scott had known a moment of jealousy arid doubt as Lizbeth lifted her face to receive the young man's kiss, but the doubt had vanished a moment later when he held her in his arms and pressed her lips to his. Lizbeth, delighted with the flowers, had explained that the blond young man who had re-boarded the train Page fourteen immediately after the tender farewell was a cousin whom she had met on the train. The excuse was trite but Lizbeth had never lied to Scott before and it seemed that somewhere, sometime in the past he remembered a blond teen-ager introduced as Lizbeth's cousin. He had wanted to believe her and he managed to convince himself. When the vacation ended and they were both back to the work of final exams for the quarter, Scott had convinced himself that it was because they had been apart for three months, and now that they were each getting more adjusted to their separation and their new surroundings the Christmas vacation would be different. But it hadn't been! Here it was Christmas eve and there was still the strangeness, the strained 'let it be like old times' urgency of every date. He just couldn't take it anymore; he had to know. "Liz." "Yes, Scott?" "Liz, dear do you mind if we ride for a while?" "No-oo, Scott," she said hesitantly, "but don't you think Cathy will wonder about us? After all, the party is scheduled for eight." "I don't think Cathy will mind and I've got to talk to you, Liz, alone," Scott said, almost desperately. "All right, Scott, if it's that important, but let's go up to "the hill" where we can see the town." Scott turned the Ford toward "the hill" and began planning his approach to the problem of Liz and "the feeling." "The hill" had a special significance for Lizbeth and Scott. It was a round dome-top rise east of the town that provided a perfect view of Smedley and the campus. It had been on "the hill" that Scott had asked Lizbeth to "go steady," officially. They had spent their last evening before Scott left for the university here. Scott was glad that Lizbeth had suggested that they talk things over on "the hill." It might make things easier. Pulling the car to a stop, Scott slipped his arm around Lizbeth's shoulder pulling her close and saying, "Remember, Liz, how we used to come up here after school dances and watch the town go to sleep. We made some wonderful plans then, didn't we?" "Yes, we did. Isn't it funny how it is when you're kids. You take so much for granted and it seems that all you have to do is dream and wish hard enough and it's yours. But then you grow up, Scott, and you find dreams are only made of gelatin and they melt away in a little while." "Why, Liz," Scott turned to the girl beside him, "what's happened? I never heard you talk like that before. Liz, darling, what is it, what has come between us? Is it something I've done or said? What is it, Liz?" Lizbeth lifted her eyes to Scott's gaze and then lowered them. "No, Scott, it isn't you. You've done nothing. You're the same sweet, naive Scott that I went through grade school with. I'm the one that's changed. I don't know how it all began. It's just that it's different being apart. It's living in the dorm with other girls who go on dates while I sit home with my letters. It's wanting and wishing for someone and living for vacations when you can do something besides just remember parties with the gang and how it feels to have dates with someone who is not around. It's mostly just not being sure and not wanting to hurt someone you've thought you loved ever since you can remember. Oh, Scott, I'm lonely and discontented and I'm not sure anymore." "That boy you saw me kiss at the station wasn't my cousin, it was Dick Johnson. He was coming home with me to meet my family. You see he asked me to marry him, Scott. I sent him on to Junction City because I wanted to break it to you first. Then when you gave me the violets and that beautiful white rose and held me in your arms, I was even more confused because I felt safe and warm and as if I belonged. I sent him back without introducing him to the family or telling you. I've hurt him and now I'm hurting you. Scott, what's wrong with me. When I'm here like this I'm sure it's you, yet when I'm with Dick I'm not sure." "Liz, dear, I'm sorry! It's my fault." "Oh, no, Scott. How could it be?" "I've been selfish, Liz. I've thought of myself because I was sure. I've never given you a chance to test our love. You've always been my girl. I threatened to beat up any guy who even so much as held your hand. I didn't realize it, Liz, but I was endangering our love more by possessiveness than I ever could have done by giving other guys a chance." "Scott, don't" "No, Liz, let me finish. I've loved you as long as I've been able to walk and talk. I want you to be happy, dear, and the only way you'll ever be happy is to be sure, so sure that nothing could every sway you. Liz, I'm calling it quits. Go back to the university, date the fellows that ask you, have fun, and then when you're sure, I'll be here waiting. I'm willing to take the chance, Liz I'm sure." Page fifteen