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?"

to keep the 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

spur of the moment. She was almost knocked

to her face, getting in her eyes and

clothes were soaked and heavy, and the cold had seeped deep into her flesh and bones.

didn't know where to turn. She needed to get away from Rufus, but she had nowhere to run

see a way forward. And she

the rain, she 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

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

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

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

when he saw the frightened

you to tidy yourself up," the man ordered

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

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

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

much like a corpse, and the lifelessness in her eyes

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

he felt her stir a little, and her eyes looked momentarily up at him,

realized that he couldn't waste another second asking

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

family, spending

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

Cassandra's face, but her

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

even a typhoon could stop you from acting out?" Rufus scolded her, but with no real anger behind

feel the warmth in the gentle way that he

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

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

had just... 'Oh

some water over her

started to return to her face, and as the mirrors steamed up in the room, a blush rose

softly, "I can

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

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

all there were many women who would love this kind of treatment from him, but