A Graduation Gift

They were going dangerously closer and closer to the railing on the third floor as they grappled.

Cassandra hurriedly put down the bags in her hands and rushed to stop them. Cloris kept pulling on Michelle's clothes as Michelle grabbed her hand. Neither of them was willing to yield.

In one strong motion, Cloris pulled hard and pushed Michelle away. The woman staggered on her high heels as her back hit the railing.

After pushing the older woman away, Cloris smoothed her rumpled clothes and ran a hand through her hair before looking down at Michelle with mocking eyes.

"You should know better than fighting with younger people, you old hag," she sneered.

Cassandra's eyes fell on Michelle as well, and at once she noticed that something was wrong. Michelle did not move and there was a pained look in her face. She could not even stand up straight as her ankle burned.

Cassandra's first instinct was to move forward and help Michelle, but Michelle shook her arms off, refusing her help.

However, she shoved too hard. All of a sudden, she lost her balance and fell off the railing backwards, her scream echoing across the mall.

Cassandra extended her hand and tried to catch Michelle, but her fingers found themselves clutching only the silk scarf that Michelle wore around her neck. There was a heavy thud as Michelle's body fell on the ground.

The people on the first floor rushed to where she fell. A dreadful atmosphere was rising as Michelle's body stayed unmoving.

It was only a matter of moments before the security guards pushed through the crowd, and then looked up. Their eyes met Cassandra's in shock.

She stood by the railing, a scarf hanging in her outstretched hand.

Blood drained from her face as she looked down at Michelle's body.

Her mind blanked out. Things happened too quickly for her to be able to comprehend what had just happened.

She straightened up and turned to look back at Cloris. Cloris's face mirrored her own, her eyes blown wide in fear and disbelief.

and the ambulance came. The police went to the third floor to interrogate the

"Who shoved her down?"

asked. Cloris stiffened and shrank back in horror.

at her younger sister's fear-stricken face, Cassandra made a terrible decision.

an argument. She lost her balance and fell over

was taken away for questioning. She would not be able

she heard Cassandra's answer. She quickly gathered herself and added,

at the

you are coming back with us,"

and Cloris were jammed into the police

difficult day Cassandra had ever had in her life. She was barraged and interrogated endlessly by

order to protect Cloris, she made no mention of the fight. Instead of her sister, she claimed to be the one in dispute with the

dangerous emotion, and it resulted in

just kept saying that the accident

eternity, they had finally agreed to let Cloris go

see Cassandra before she left, and found her sister wearing a terrible

strange feelings crept through her chest

really responsible for getting her

better of her. What happened earlier could be ruled as a serious crime, but Cassandra bore the weight of her mistake. How could such a person want to harm

tell mother when you get back,"

lip as she nodded. She left the police station with tears in her eyes and guilt tugging at her

felt relieved after Cloris left. At least for now, her sister was safe.

the lady now?" she asked the policeman

off, and she could feel anxiety brimming in her. From that height, death was

are trying to rescue her. You ladies were fighting, weren't you? What were you thinking, fighting in