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!"

believed were her bitter tears,

as soon as I get

Cassandra, to no avail.

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

tears glistened as they fell of her eyes.

the door shut, full of bitterness, and left Rufus standing outside. She refused to open it

her hand to keep her sobs from escaping.

Open the

kicked and banged the door desperately, not giving

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

dread. He ached to hold her in his arms, to reassure her that everything

only added more water to

full of doubt. What she wanted was

faithful to her, with whom she could celebrate

that, Rufus?'

different direction into unknown lands. I can

Lionel, she was absolutely enthralled by him, drawn by his magnetism and looks. He was

romance. How could she have been so blind? Nonetheless, his constant profession of his love for

it was just wishful thinking and naive of her to believe that.

of her. But in Rufus's heart, Amanda had

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 by

after time, Rufus behaved like it was

and waited. She waited for his explanation, but now

and shed fewer tears for the

shut her eyes, fighting

weary heart. One neighbor

what in the world is it that you

never experienced

He felt his blood boiling; his heart could beat out of his

might, again to no

I'll bring it down if you

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

few seconds, the hinge sounded to be in

so, so

constant crying. She felt spent; her tears

response relieved him a

by the little

let you rest. I'll see you