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?"

streamed across his face, and the wind ripped the words from out

tears streaming out of her

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

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

were soaked and heavy, and the cold had seeped deep into her

know where to turn. She needed to get away from Rufus, but she had nowhere to run

forward. And she couldn't

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

lips together, unaware of how blue they were turning, and her body

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

like a hero from the rain, but why did the sight of him

he saw the frightened look on

take you to tidy yourself

cry more tears. Her eyes looked empty

wipe the water from her face, and nearly drew back in shock when

Don't worry. It's okay,"

like a corpse, and the lifelessness in her eyes

him, he tried to use his body to shelter her from the rain.

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

waste another second asking her how

his arms under her arms, lifting her gently and cradling her head 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 house,

had kept this place a secret from his family, spending nights here

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

dried on Cassandra's face, but

the hospital, and feared that her time in the rain would make her sick again. His heart

out in the rain like that? What, not even a typhoon could stop you from acting out?" Rufus scolded her, but with no real anger behind

the warmth in the gentle way

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

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

seemed that…he had just... 'Oh

trickled some water over

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

last, she spoke softly, "I can do it

dare turn her head back to look at the man behind her. Rufus just

so rare that the little woman didn't firmly resist. He would definitely take the chance to serve the beauty.

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