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.

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

this, Rufus! Wake

look for a way to break inside the car. However, they were in a deserted area and no one

to her. She dialed Rufus's number and hoped that the ringing would wake him up.

Rufus just lay there,

up! Please!

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

used her keys to try to break the window

kept trying and trying. Eventually, the window started to show some cracks, but

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

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

and big while she was short and slim—she wasn't strong

all her energy and soon, she was able to drag him

his chest hard

wished in her heart that Rufus would open his eyes to look

the tears that rolled down her cheeks and into her mouth; she fought through the

She was crying, scared

so sorry! Open your eyes and look at me! I won't leave you

her heart that was filled with regret.

have attempted to break up with him. She thought she was doing the right thing. She'd been thinking over

Rufus! Stay with me,

she continued to breathe life back

heaved. Cassandra

air into

dark place. Everything about him felt stuck and frozen as if he

could hear a familiar voice. Cassandra!

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

to do so

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 heart

Cassandra? Are you saving me?' Rufus thought

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

her hair, and tell her that he loved her so much. He 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

he sensed how scared

scared, darling. I'll protect you, I'm here, ' Rufus consoled Cassandra in

wanted to speak to her, feel