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?"

anger and fear out of his voice. The rain streamed across his face, and the wind ripped the words from

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

leapt into the rain at the spur of the moment. She was almost knocked flat by the storm,

clung to her face, getting in her eyes and mouth and entwining around

clothes were soaked and heavy, and the cold had

to turn. She needed to get away from Rufus, but she had nowhere to run in such a storm.

couldn't see a way forward. And she couldn't go back

she lifted her hands she found them covered in dirt and mud, and after standing up she saw her clothes just as filthy.

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

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

hero from the rain, but why did the sight of him not fill her

saw the frightened look

me take you to tidy yourself

tears. Her eyes looked empty and

grew more worried. He reached out a hand to wipe the water from her

with you. Don't worry. It's okay," the man tried

had never seen her look so much like a corpse, and the lifelessness in her eyes sent a chill

to him, he tried to use his body to shelter her from

felt her stir a little, and her eyes looked momentarily up

that he couldn't waste another second asking her how she was

to the passenger seat of his car, 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

his family, spending nights

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

Cassandra's face, but her body still

feared that her time in the rain would make her sick again. His heart hammered

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

warmth in the gentle way

helped her peel off her ruined clothing, and lowered her into

gradually stopped quivering and began to come to

that…he had just... 'Oh no...' she thought,

uninjured hand, Rufus trickled some water over her shoulders

as the mirrors steamed up in the room, a blush rose to

last, she spoke softly, "I can do it

her head back to look at the man

firmly resist. He

love this kind of treatment from him, but