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 bitter

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

tried comforting Cassandra,

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

glistened

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

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

Open the damn door!

desperately, not giving a damn about

I'm begging you, please talk to me!

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

said only added more water to her

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 thing that

a simple life, a man devoted and faithful to

can you really do that,

unknown lands. I can only feel my way into my world since

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

could she have been so blind? Nonetheless, his constant profession of his love

just wishful thinking and naive of her to believe that.

bothered by her unfavorable circumstances of birth, nor by what others thought of her. But in Rufus's heart, Amanda had been gradually

would take Rufus away from her. Countless lonely nights, Cassandra would stare up at the empty

time, Rufus behaved like it was

explanation, but now she was tired of it.

suffer less and shed fewer tears for the

eyes, fighting

soothe her weary heart. One neighbor popped his head out of the

in the world is

experienced such desparation.

into his heart. He felt his

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

not, I don't care. I'll bring it down if you don't open this damn door

words when Cassandra felt the door shake.

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

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

crying. She felt spent; her tears

response relieved him a little.

flipped by the little

I'll let you rest.