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?"

his voice. The rain streamed across his face, and the wind ripped the

The tears streaming out of her eyes mingled with the rain pouring

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

getting in her eyes and

and the cold had seeped deep into her flesh

needed to get away from

she couldn't go back either.

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

her lips together, unaware of how blue they were turning, and her body was trembling so much that she could

how dangerous this weather would be. In desperation she ran to find some kind of shelter. This was when Rufus

from the rain, but why did the sight of him

saw the frightened

Let me take you to tidy yourself up,"

provoke anything more than just cry more tears. Her eyes looked empty and

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

It's okay," the man tried to reassure her

like a corpse, and the lifelessness in her eyes sent a

him, he tried to use

little, and her eyes looked momentarily

realized 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 the dangerous

spending

but stylishly decorated, expensive but not luxurious. It was spacious, but tidy and well-maintained. Cassandra wondered why

face, but her body still trembled all over.

hospital, and feared that her time in the rain would make her

you to run 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 his

feel the warmth in the

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

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

that…he had just... 'Oh

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

as the mirrors steamed up

spoke softly, "I can do it

she whispered, she didn't dare turn her head back to look at the man behind her.

didn't firmly resist. He would definitely take the

many women who would love this kind of