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!"

what he had just heard. What he believed were her bitter tears, which betrayed her true feelings—she was still deeply

get off work tomorrow onwards, okay?" Don't say

Cassandra,

she closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, "it's impossible for us to be together. I mean it,

took a step back and turned around, some of her tears glistened as they fell of her eyes.

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

hand to keep her sobs from escaping. She didn't want Rufus

Open the

kicked and banged the door desperately, not giving a

begging you, please talk to me!

to hold her in

what he just said only added more

she thought to herself, full of doubt. What she wanted was quite simple,

more than a simple life, a man devoted and faithful to her, with whom she

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

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

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

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

that he was completely devoted to her and only her, but it was just wishful thinking and naive of her to believe that. She had been so confident, but now it had all disappeared in the

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

at the empty white ceiling and sometimes looked at the distant night sky, sparsely populated by stars.

after time, Rufus behaved like it was

explanation, but now she

suffer less and shed fewer tears for the rest

her eyes, fighting back

neighbor popped his head out of the window and

what in the world

experienced such

bring such chaos into his heart. He felt his blood boiling; his heart could

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

it down

words when Cassandra felt the

to be in too much stress. Cassandra

am so, so tired. I

by the constant crying. She

him a

heart flipped by the little woman's weary

I'll let you rest. I'll