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!"

hissed with a snarl. He refused to believe what he had just heard. What he believed were her bitter tears, which betrayed her true feelings—she was

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

Cassandra, to no

streaming down her cheeks, "it's impossible for us to be together. I mean it, Rufus. I really don't love you anymore. I can't continue to love you. I can't afford it anymore, so

of her tears glistened as they

of bitterness, and left Rufus standing outside. She refused to open it no matter

to the ground. She bit her hand to keep her

Open the damn door!

giving a damn

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

Rufus with dread. He ached to hold her in his arms, to reassure her that everything would be okay.

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 never

wanted nothing more than a simple life, a man devoted and faithful to

that, Rufus?' she

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

by his magnetism and looks.

Nonetheless, his constant profession of his love for her never failed to disarm her and eventually, succumb

wishful thinking and naive of her to believe

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

at the empty

time, Rufus behaved like it was nothing.

waited and waited. She waited for his explanation,

she thought she would suffer less and shed fewer

fighting

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

the world is it that

never experienced such

woman could bring such chaos into his heart. He felt his blood

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

bring it down if you

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

next few seconds, the hinge sounded to be

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

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

him

the little woman's weary

I'll let you rest. I'll