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 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?"

comforting Cassandra, to no avail.

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

back and turned around, some of her tears glistened as they fell of her eyes. She then

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

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

Open the

not giving a damn

talk to me! I'll do whatever you

of her weeping filled Rufus with dread. He ached to hold her in his arms,

added more water to her tears.

he really do that? Give me whatever I want?' she thought to herself, full of doubt. What she wanted was

man devoted and faithful to her, with whom she could celebrate life

do that, Rufus?' she

to take a different direction into unknown lands. I can only feel my way into my world since it was so dark, ' her thoughts recalled all the past events since they met.

by him, drawn by his magnetism and

have been so blind? Nonetheless, his

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

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

lonely nights, Cassandra would stare up at

time after time, Rufus behaved like it was nothing.

She waited for his explanation, but

him gone, she thought she would suffer less and shed fewer tears for the rest of her

her eyes, fighting

heart. One neighbor popped his head out of the window and

world is it

had never experienced such desparation.

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

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

care. I'll bring it down if you don't open

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

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

am so tired...I am so,

eyes had been worn out by the constant crying. She

response relieved him a little.

heart flipped by the little woman's

I'll let you rest.