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!"

snarl. He refused to believe what he had just heard. What he believed were her bitter tears, which betrayed her true

for you as soon as I get off work tomorrow onwards, okay?"

Cassandra, to no avail.

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

of her tears glistened

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

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

the

kicked and banged the door desperately, not giving a damn about his priceless Italian

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

image of her weeping filled Rufus with dread. He ached to hold her in his arms, to reassure her that everything would

he just said only added more water to her tears.

me whatever I want?' she thought to herself, full of doubt. What she wanted was quite simple, but it

nothing more than a simple life, a man devoted and faithful to

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

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

his magnetism and looks. He

blind? Nonetheless, his constant profession of his love for her never failed to disarm her and eventually, succumb to

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

was never bothered by her unfavorable circumstances of birth, nor by what others thought of her. But in Rufus's heart,

and over again, by simple calls and messages, Amanda would take Rufus away from 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,

time, Rufus behaved like it was nothing.

waited. She waited for his explanation, but now

thought she would suffer less and shed fewer tears for the rest

eyes, fighting

One neighbor popped his head out of the window and eyed the handsome man

world is it that

experienced such

heart. He felt his

door with all his might, again to no avail.

it down if you

barely finished his words when Cassandra felt the

be in too much stress. Cassandra started to

am so tired...I am so, so tired. I want to

by the constant crying. She felt spent; her tears had run

response relieved him a little.

the little woman's weary

let you rest. I'll see you