A Graduation Gift

'Tastes good? Must've been Amanda who said it.

Amanda bought this bread for him, but he turned around and gave it to me? It's ridiculous how he thinks I know nothing about this.

Rufus, you must be wallowing in satisfaction right now as two women pine for you at the same time.

What exactly am I to you?' she thought to herself.

Her trust in him was already at the brink of collapse, but because of this, it had fallen rock bottom. 'Is there any good reason, any reason at all to stay in a relationship with a man who uses what his other lover gave him to flatter me?' she wondered, apparently in a daze.

"Rufus, we're bearking up!"

Cassandra wrestled with herself before blurting it out, hear tears like torrents streaming down her cheeks.

"What's wrong with you, again?"

Rufus's smile was gone like the wind and was replaced with a look of concern when he saw her tears. A wave of panic engulfed him.

'Why is she crying? Is it because of my tardy return?

But no matter how upset she is, she has no right to break up with me because of that small slight, ' he thought and got kind of crossed.

"I remember saying that to you before, are you just using that to get back at me?"

Rufus asked, knitting his eyebrows and studying her expression, grasping for some sort of clue that would give away her true intentions.

Cassandra only shook her head, unable to say anything.

"Tell me what happened, Cassandra. Please, please talk to me,"

Rufus pleaded. He took Cassandra's arm and held it tightly. She was wracked with sobs.

His stomach did a one-eighty. He was so physically close to her, yet their hearts and feelings were so far away from each other.

He silently wished that she would stop being so stubborn and be gentle like other women. He just couldn't bear seeing her in tears.

"I don't love you anymore. We're done,"

Cassandra cried out desperately and in one swift motion, pulled her arm out of Rufus's grip.

Once upon a time she had always imagined that she would live a happy and peaceful family life with Rufus.

But the recent events had only reminded her that she was never good enough for him. They weren't fated to be with each other.

"No!"

What he believed were her bitter tears, which betrayed her true feelings—she was still deeply in love with

as I get off work

comforting Cassandra,

together. I mean it, Rufus. I really don't love you anymore. I can't continue to love

took a step back and turned around, some of her tears glistened

the door shut, full of bitterness, and left Rufus standing outside. She refused to open it no matter how hard he

ground. She bit her hand

Open the damn

and banged the door desperately, not giving a damn about his priceless Italian

talk to me! I'll

hold her in his arms, to reassure her

just said only added more

really do that? Give me whatever I want?' she thought to herself, full of doubt. What she wanted was quite simple, but it was a simple thing that he

faithful to her, with whom

really do that, Rufus?' she

my life began to take a different direction into unknown lands. I can only feel my way into my world since it was so

his

was their romance. How could she have been so blind? Nonetheless, his constant profession of his love for her never

completely devoted to her and only her, but it was just wishful thinking and naive of her to believe that. She had been so confident, but now it had all disappeared in the face of

unfavorable circumstances of birth, nor by what others thought of her. But in Rufus's heart, Amanda had been gradually tipping the scales in

over again, by simple calls and messages, Amanda would take Rufus away from her. Countless lonely nights, Cassandra would stare up at the empty white ceiling and sometimes looked at the distant night sky, sparsely populated by stars. She twisted and turned, haunted

behaved like

explanation, but now she was

him gone, she thought she would suffer less and shed fewer tears for the rest of her life.

her eyes, fighting back the tears.

trying to soothe her weary heart. One neighbor popped his head out of the window

the world

had never experienced such desparation.

chaos into his heart. He felt his

punched the door with all his might, again to no avail. He only bruised his

it down if you don't open this damn door

barely finished his words when Cassandra felt the door shake. He apparently charged

to be in too much stress. Cassandra

tired...I am so, so tired. I want to

out by the constant crying. She

him a little.

by the

rest. I'll see