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?"

the anger and fear out of his voice. The rain streamed across his

she had heard him. The tears streaming out

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

her eyes and

were soaked and heavy, and the cold

away from Rufus, but

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

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

were turning, and her body was trembling so

hadn't thought about the cold when she ran out of the carpark nor realized how dangerous this weather

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

he saw the frightened look on Cassandra's

to tidy yourself up," the

anything more than just cry more tears. Her eyes looked empty and unfocused, and she

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

okay,"

corpse, and the lifelessness in her eyes sent a

her close to him, he tried to use his

eyes looked momentarily up at him, and then away.

couldn't waste another second asking her how she

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, as fast as he

spending nights here

decorated, expensive but not luxurious. It was spacious, but tidy and well-maintained. Cassandra wondered why Rufus would have such a

face, but her

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

like that? What, not even a typhoon could stop you from acting out?" Rufus scolded her, but with

warmth in the gentle way that he

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

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

just... 'Oh no...' she thought,

Rufus trickled some water over

to her face, and as the mirrors

softly, "I can do

turn her head back to look at the man behind her. Rufus just ignored her small request.

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

women who would love this kind of