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

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

the car. However, they were in a deserted area and no one was even passing

number and hoped that the ringing would wake him

just lay there, unmoving.

up! Please!

to get worried as Rufus had already stayed in an oxygen-deprived space for too long

used her keys to try to break the window

kept trying and trying. Eventually, the window started to show some cracks, but her hands were already

hit the window through gritted teeth. When enough cracks had shown, she took a

stuck her hand inside the window and swung the door open from the inside—all the while, her hand was shivering. She reached inside the car

tall and big while she was short and slim—she wasn't strong enough to move him.

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

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

heart that Rufus would

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

She was crying,

all my fault, Rufus! I never should've said all those things to you, I'm so sorry! Open your eyes and look at me! I

in her heart that was filled with regret.

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

with

bawled as she continued to breathe

chest heaved. Cassandra froze.

his chest and blow air

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

anything in the darkness but he could hear a familiar voice. Cassandra!

with all his might that he could open his eyes and hold her in his arms. He wanted

so as he couldn't

air into his mouth. Rufus

Are you saving me?' Rufus thought

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

into her eyes, reach out to touch 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 his

he sensed

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

push his body more—he wanted to speak