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.

said the only way he'd let Cassandra leave him was if he died.

anymore, Rufus! Don't do this, Rufus! Wake up!' Cassandra shouted in her

inside the car. However, they were in

dialed Rufus's number and hoped that the ringing

Rufus just lay

up! Please!

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

came up with another idea—she used her keys to try to break the window open from

started to show

When enough cracks had shown, she took a deep breath and landed a clenched

was shivering. She reached inside the car and grabbed Rufus's body in an attempt to drag him

short and slim—she wasn't strong enough to move him.

her energy and soon, she

Rufus down on the road and started to resuscitate him—she tried pumping his chest hard and fast with

doing this as she wished in her heart that Rufus would open his eyes to look

the bitter taste in her

was starting to lose hope. She was crying, scared

said all those things to you, I'm so sorry! Open your eyes and look at me! I won't leave you anymore,

that

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

with me, I'm so

to breathe life back

Rufus's chest heaved. Cassandra froze.

to pump his chest and blow air into his

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

but he could hear a familiar voice. Cassandra! It was Cassandra's voice! She was here and

his might that he could open his eyes and hold her in his arms. He wanted to tell her, 'Cassandra, I'm yours and yours only. Don't you ever leave

to do so as he couldn't

feel 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

Cassandra? Are you saving me?' Rufus thought to

Cassandra's mouth. He couldn't help but feel his heart ache at the thought of Cassandra

to tell her that everything was going to be okay. Hard as he tried, he just

he sensed

Don't be scared, darling. I'll protect you, I'm here, ' Rufus consoled Cassandra

to push his body more—he wanted to speak to her, feel her, and