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

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

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

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

cold had seeped deep into her flesh

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

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

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

they were turning, and

the carpark nor realized how dangerous this weather would be. In desperation she ran to find some kind of shelter. This was when Rufus

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

he saw the frightened look on Cassandra's face.

me take you to tidy yourself up," the

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

reached out a hand to wipe the water from her face, and nearly drew back in shock when

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

look so much like a corpse, and the lifelessness in her eyes sent a chill down Rufus's

tried to use his

stir a little, and her eyes looked momentarily up at

another second asking

against his chest. He brought her carefully 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

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

tidy and well-maintained. Cassandra wondered why Rufus would have such a

had dried on Cassandra's face, but

remembered that she had just recently come out of the hospital, and feared that her time in the

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

warmth in the gentle way that he handled her.

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

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

just... 'Oh no...' she thought, 'not

his uninjured hand, Rufus trickled some water over her shoulders to warm her

to return to her face, and as the mirrors steamed up in

she spoke softly, "I can do

head back to look at the man behind

woman didn't firmly resist. He would definitely take

would love this kind of treatment from him, but he would only do this for