A Graduation Gift

Cassandra stood at the side of the road, holding the phone in her hand and dumbfounded. She didn't know what had just happened.

She heard something loud. Where could it have come from?

Suddenly, she had a good guess on what had happened so she turned around and ran back to the Garden Villa immediately.

The wind blew across her face as she breathed heavily and quickened her pace.

Her heart was beating rapidly and she could only see darkness but she held on to the one person who was keeping her going.

It was Rufus! Rufus!

Rufus could feel his body aching all over when the terrible car accident happened. But nothing could compare to the ache his heart was nursing.

"Cassandra..."

Rufus murmured the little woman's name. A glimpse of a familiar figure was suddenly running towards him.

Was it Cassandra? Or an illusion?

Rufus couldn't tell who the figure was because he couldn't even open his eyes. Before he knew it, he had already fainted.

Cassandra saw Rufus's Range Rover crash into a wall from a distance—the front of the car looked quite damaged.

Her chest tightened at what she'd seen; her heart began to beat so fast that she felt it would jump out of her chest anytime soon.

She ran and ran until she'd closed the distance between them.

When she arrived at the car, she saw Rufus slumping over the wheel. His legs were stuck inside the car and he looked terrible. It was hard to digest the entire scene.

Cassandra felt as if someone had grabbed her heart and crushed it—she couldn't breathe.

She tried to ram the door open but it was locked and she couldn't break it from the outside.

She then tried to smack the window hoping that Rufus would wake up to the noise but he didn't even flinch. He wasn't moving at all. Did he just faint or was he...dead already?

Cassandra was crying and shrieking, "Rufus, wake up! Don't leave me! Rufus!"

What Rufus had said before came true.

only way he'd let Cassandra leave him was

you anymore, Rufus! Don't do this, Rufus! Wake up!' Cassandra

for a way to break inside the car. However, they were in

idea came to her. She dialed Rufus's number and

work. Rufus just lay there,

wake up! Please!

tried futilely open the car. She was starting to get worried as Rufus had already stayed in an oxygen-deprived space for too

idea—she used her keys to try to break the window open

started to show some cracks, but her hands were

hit the window through gritted teeth. When enough cracks had shown, she took a deep breath and landed a clenched fist

the inside—all the while, her hand was shivering. She reached inside the car and grabbed Rufus's body in an attempt

she was short and slim—she

didn't stop Cassandra from trying anyway—this was an emergency after all. She gathered all her energy and soon, she was able to drag him out of the car

started to resuscitate him—she tried pumping his chest hard

heart that Rufus would open his eyes to look at her. However,

the bitter

hope. She was crying, scared and desperate.

I never should've said all those things to you, I'm so sorry! Open your eyes and look at me! I won't leave

heart that was filled with regret.

was doing the right thing. She'd been thinking over this break up for quite awhile—now she just wished she'd thought

with

continued to breathe

Rufus's chest heaved. Cassandra

chest and blow air into his mouth. She had more hope

a cold, dark place. Everything about him felt stuck and frozen as if

see anything in the darkness but he could hear a familiar voice. Cassandra! It was Cassandra's voice! She

eyes and hold her in his arms. He wanted to tell her, 'Cassandra, I'm yours and yours only.

have the energy to do so as he couldn't feel his body

it when he was dragged out from where he was and someone started resuscitating him. Someone was pumping his chest and blowing air into his mouth. Rufus could tell that it was Cassandra's lips that had touched his cold ones; as soon as their lips met, Rufus felt his

Are you saving me?' Rufus thought to himself.

also taste the bitterness of the tears that ran in Cassandra's mouth. He couldn't help but feel his heart ache at the thought of Cassandra crying endlessly.

wanted to tell her that everything was going to be okay. Hard as he tried, he just couldn't make himself move. He felt disconnected from his body as if everything was too heavy for him.

quickened when he sensed how scared Cassandra

scared? Don't be scared, darling. I'll protect you, I'm

body more—he wanted to speak