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!"

he had just heard. What he believed were her

as soon as I get off work tomorrow onwards, okay?" Don't say things like

tried comforting Cassandra, to no avail.

head slowly as she closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, "it's impossible for us to be together. I mean it, Rufus.

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

She refused

the door, Cassandra slowly sunk to the ground. She bit her hand to keep her sobs from escaping. She

the damn

door desperately, not giving

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

image of her weeping filled Rufus with dread. He ached to hold her in

just said only added more water to her tears.

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

wanted nothing more than a simple life, a man devoted and faithful to her, with whom she could celebrate life and love until their

can you really do that, Rufus?' she cried silently.

unknown lands. I can only feel my way

absolutely enthralled by him, drawn by his magnetism and looks.

have been so blind? Nonetheless, his constant

naive of

was never bothered by her unfavorable circumstances of birth, nor by what others thought of her. But

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

time after time, Rufus behaved like it

for his explanation, but now

suffer less and shed fewer tears for the

her eyes, fighting back the

neighbor

world is it that

never experienced such desparation.

woman could bring such chaos into his heart. He felt

door with all his might, again to no

I'll bring it down if

when Cassandra felt the door shake.

seconds, the hinge sounded to be in too much stress. Cassandra started to get flustered.

so tired...I am so, so tired.

eyes had been worn out by the constant crying. She felt spent; her

him a

flipped by the little woman's weary

I'll let you rest. I'll