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

soon as I get off

comforting Cassandra, to no avail.

as she closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, "it's impossible for us to be together. I mean it, Rufus. I really don't

of her tears glistened as they

of bitterness, and left Rufus standing outside. She refused to open it

hand to keep her sobs from escaping. She didn't want Rufus to

the

banged the door desperately, not giving

begging you, please talk to me! I'll do whatever you

to hold her in his arms,

what he just said only added more water to her

want?' she thought to herself, full of doubt. What she wanted was quite simple, but it was a simple thing that he could

more than a simple life, a man devoted and faithful to

do that,

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

by his magnetism and looks. He was so perfect, aside from his identity.

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

to her and only her, but it was just wishful thinking and naive of her to believe that. She had

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

and 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.

time, Rufus behaved like it

explanation, but now she was tired

gone, she thought she would suffer less and shed fewer

her eyes, fighting back the

neighbor

world is it that

had never experienced

into his heart. He felt his blood boiling; his

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

bring it down if

his words when Cassandra felt the door shake. He

sounded to be in

am so, so tired.

been worn out by the constant crying. She felt

response relieved him

heart flipped by the little woman's weary

rest.