A Graduation Gift

A heavy silence permeated the elevator. Cassandra glanced at the redness spreading over Rufus' hand, and felt her heart squeeze in pain.

She tried to keep the tears in her eyes from running down her face.

"Rufus… You… You asshole!"

The words burst from her. She struggled to get her emotions under control, barely noticing that her fingernails were dug into her palms. Her voice trembled with emotion.

Her reaction made Rufus's face soften.

He looked away from her, wanting to conceal the swirl of emotions in his nebulous eyes.

Each droplet of tears that escaped from her eyes splashed straight onto his heart.

His heart became heavier and heavier.

As soon as the lift doors opened, Cassandra rushed out. After a second Rufus realized that she was heading not toward the carpark, but towards the exit.

While he stood there stunned, Cassandra disappeared into the heavy rain.

He dashed to the main gate, but Cassandra was nowhere to be seen.

The swirling sky above him, was dark as ink. A traffic light stood out in the storm, a beacon in the night.

He stood for a second, and then spun back toward the carpark. Climbed into his car, he sped out of the building right away.

The car seared through the thundering weather; the wipers screeching hopelessly against the downpour. He peered through the rain, barely able to see the road. He had no idea how he would find Cassandra.

But Rufus was determined. Slowly, he circled around the block, driving back and forth for some time before finally spotting a bedraggled woman at the corner of the street.

She was huddled under a ledge outside of a darkened shop. The ledge barely kept the rain from her, with water lashing at her on either side.

As he parked the car and leapt out of the door, he saw her sitting on haunches and staring blankly at the rain.

He ripped his coat off and covered her with it.

He crouched down and put his arms around her, almost flinching as he felt how cold and drenched she was.

"What were you thinking? Do you know how severe this typhoon is?"

out of his voice. The rain streamed across his face,

indication that she had heard him. The tears streaming out of her eyes mingled with the rain

the spur of the moment. She was almost knocked flat by the storm, but her need to escape pushed her

face, getting in her eyes and mouth and

cold had seeped

get away from Rufus, but she had nowhere to run in such a

forward. And she

by the rain, she tripped and fell to her knees. When she lifted her hands she found them covered in dirt and

unaware of how blue they were turning, and her body was trembling

thought about the cold when she ran out of the carpark nor realized how dangerous this weather would be. In desperation she ran to find some kind of

him again, now, emerging like a hero from the rain, but why did the sight of him not

he saw the frightened look on Cassandra's face.

you to tidy yourself up," the man ordered

just cry more tears. Her eyes looked empty and unfocused, and she seemed to lack the strength to lift her

water from her

worry. It's okay," the man tried to reassure her and himself.

so much like a corpse, and the lifelessness in her eyes sent

he tried to use his body to shelter

a little, and her eyes looked momentarily up at him, and then

second asking her

buckled her in and brushed some of the hair out of her face. He wished he had a blanket to give her. He drove to his house, as fast as he could through

this place a secret from his family, spending nights here at times

It was spacious, but tidy and well-maintained. Cassandra wondered why Rufus would have such a secret

on Cassandra's face, but her body still trembled all over.

recently come out of the hospital, and feared that her time in the rain would

the rain like that? What, not even a typhoon could stop you from acting out?"

in the gentle way that

he saw that she still could not move, he respectfully helped her peel off her ruined clothing, and lowered her into

water seemed to calm her; she gradually stopped quivering and began to come to

seemed that…he had just... 'Oh no...' she thought, 'not

hand, Rufus trickled some water over her shoulders

mirrors steamed up in

last, she spoke softly, "I can do

to look at

rare that the little woman didn't firmly resist. He would definitely take

all there were many women who would love this kind of