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!"

with a snarl. He refused to believe what he had just heard. What he believed were

get

Cassandra, to no avail.

as 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. I can't afford it

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

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

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

the damn

not giving a damn

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

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

he just said only added more water

I want?' she thought to herself, full of doubt. What she wanted was quite simple, but it was a simple thing that he could never

to her, with whom she could celebrate life and love until

you really do that,

different direction into unknown lands. I can only feel

by his magnetism and looks. He was so perfect,

she have been so blind? Nonetheless, his

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 the face of Amanda.

never bothered by her unfavorable circumstances of birth, nor by what others thought of her. But

at

behaved like it was

waited and waited. She waited for his explanation,

less and shed fewer tears for the rest of her life.

her eyes, fighting back the

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

in the world is it that

experienced such desparation.

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

might, again to no avail. He only bruised

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

when Cassandra felt the

seconds, the hinge sounded to be in too much

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

the constant crying. She felt spent; her

response relieved him

heart flipped by the little woman's

I'll let you rest. I'll see you