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, which betrayed her true feelings—she was still deeply in love

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

comforting Cassandra, to no avail.

down her cheeks, "it's impossible for us to be together. I mean it, Rufus. I

some of her tears glistened as they fell of her eyes. She then returned

shut, full of bitterness, and left Rufus standing outside. She

to the ground. She bit her hand to keep her sobs from escaping.

the damn

not giving a damn

talk to me! I'll

ached to hold her in his arms, to reassure her that everything would be okay.

only added more

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

a man devoted and faithful to her, with whom

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

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

absolutely enthralled by him, drawn by his magnetism and

clearly foreshadowed the tragedy that was their romance. How could she have been so blind? Nonetheless, his constant profession of his love for her never failed to disarm her and eventually,

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

her unfavorable circumstances of birth, nor by what others thought of her.

nights, Cassandra would stare up at the empty white ceiling and sometimes

after time, Rufus behaved like it

and waited. She waited for his explanation, but now

and shed fewer tears for the rest of her life.

fighting back

talking sweetly to her, trying to soothe her weary heart. One neighbor popped his head

in the world is it

never experienced

chaos into his heart. He felt his

might, again to no avail.

I'll bring it down if

felt the door shake. He apparently charged at it.

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

so tired...I am so,

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

relieved him a little.

flipped by the little woman's

let you rest. I'll see you