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

soon as I get off work tomorrow onwards,

Cassandra,

she closed her eyes, tears streaming down her 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.

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

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

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

Open the damn

kicked and banged the door desperately, not giving a

please talk to me! I'll do whatever you

with dread. He ached to hold

what he just said only added more water to

she thought to herself, full of doubt. What she wanted was quite simple, but it was a simple thing that he could

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

really do that, Rufus?' she cried

lands. I can only feel my way into my world since it was so dark, ' her thoughts recalled all the past events since

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

Nonetheless, his constant profession of his love for her never failed to disarm

had thought 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

birth, nor by what others thought of her. But

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

after time, Rufus behaved

his explanation, but now she was tired of

suffer less and shed fewer tears

shut her eyes, fighting back the

was talking sweetly to her, trying to soothe her weary heart. One neighbor popped his head out of the window and eyed the handsome man

what in the world is it that you

experienced such desparation.

chaos into his heart. He felt his blood boiling;

all his might, again to no avail.

I'll bring it down if you don't open this damn door

felt the door shake. He apparently

sounded to be in too much stress. Cassandra started to get flustered.

so, so tired.

by the constant crying. She felt spent; her

response relieved him a little.

by the little woman's

you rest. I'll see