CHAPTER FIVE

Their routine continued for months on end, a seemingly effortless routine they had fallen into. The bond between Albus and Nova had grown stronger as they used their time together to learn from each other.

Despite the comfort they found in each other's company, Albus couldn't help but notice the constant remarks that Nova added to their interactions. Each jab, each witty remark, was like a dagger that chipped away at his tolerance. Though he tried his best to brush them off, the weight of her arrogance was slowly becoming unbearable.

Nova remained oblivious to the distress she caused, her obliviousness a result of Albus's silence. Both of them shared the blame for this imbalance - Albus for holding back and Nova for not recognizing the impact of her words.

Her coping mechanism was her arrogance, her own shield against vulnerability. She was the strong one who rarely let her emotions show, even after the loss of their mother. It was a defence born from having to be the rock of the family.

Nova's reason for her arrogance stemmed from her sense of responsibility. As the eldest, she believed it was her duty to be the strong one, to uphold her mother's promise to stay strong. Her words were a result of her need to maintain a facade of strength, to never show weakness.

Her understanding of her mother's words had been skewed. She misinterpreted the meaning of strength. Her mother wanted her to be tough, to not be knocked down by the harsh words that came her way.

She had interpreted strength as suppressing her emotions, hiding her vulnerabilities in order to be the strong one for their family. She had misunderstood the notion of strength to be about being a stoic rock, never showing any signs of weakness.

It was a misinterpretation born of her own emotional turmoil and the need to fill the void left by their mother. The weight of her mother's promise had turned into an expectation that she must remain strong, not just for herself, but for her father and brother.

She was unaware that strength did not mean suppressing her emotions to be an unshakable pillar. She was so focused on being the strong one that she had missed the chance to lean on someone, to allow herself to break sometimes.

Albus had reached his limit. His day had been nothing short of a disaster, with more stress being piled on top of his already overwhelming workload. Helping a classmate had pushed him to the brink, leaving him beyond irritable and easily annoyed by the smallest of things.

Nova was completely oblivious to the state Albus was in. Completely unaware of the fact that she had chosen the wrong time to talk about the one subject that was bound to set off a storm within him.

Nova settled in next to Albus, and for the first few minutes, he sat in silence, his responses limited to nods and shakes of his head. His lack of interaction felt heavy in the air.

The words that escaped Nova's lips had a ripple effect. Albus was already on edge, struggling to fight against a headache.

"So, Tobias approached me today and— "

As if an explosion, the book slammed shut with a sharp snap, causing Nova to flinch, nearly losing her balance. Albus was on his feet, towering over her, his anger radiating like a storm.

His actions spoke volumes before the words even left his mouth, leaving Nova to take in the sight in front of her. A scowl had replaced his usually calm demeanour, an expression she had never seen from him before.

"You talk about that bloke so much," he began, his voice strained with unspoken anger. "I'm not here to listen to your problems, and I'm just bloody done with you constantly being self-centred."

Every word from his lips felt like a lash, each syllable carrying a weight of suppressed frustration. His tone was biting, a contrast to his usual calm and collected demeanour.

"You talk about him every chance you get and it's getting on my nerves," he continued, his voice firm and authoritative. "Every conversation turns into a tale about him—"

"And don't even get me started on your constant bragging. It's as if I'm there to just listen to your tales about him." He couldn't take it anymore, the words falling from his lips in a tirade of frustration.

"It's just you, you, you!" he exclaimed, his voice rising with every word. "You talk about him so much that I'm starting to think you fancy the bloke!"

Nova's widened eyes met his, her sneer at the onlookers who paused in curiosity.

But Albus was a picture of anger, so much so that he stood, shoving her hand away. "I'm done with this" he declared, his voice cold and final. He waved his hand between them both, his eyes filled with frustration and irritation.

"This— whatever" he emphasized, "is done," he declared. Nova's initial surprise gave way to a scowl, her expression turning to one of irritation. The people who had halted to observe the scene shot her a sympathetic glance.

Albus was beyond the point of no return, his voice strained with anger. His hand had swatted away hers, his eyes flashing with a mix of frustration and finality.

"I'm tired of this" he muttered, his words leaving no room for doubt, his hand dismissing the situation they found themselves in.

Nova stood there, her strength and energy completely drained. She couldn't bring herself to utter a single word and didn't even bother attempting to shoo away the prying eyes.

The people around them continued to stare with a mix of curiosity and sympathy, clearly entertained by the spectacle.

The crowd remained fixated on the unfolding scene, silently watching Nova's reaction. They whispered amongst each other, their eyes curious and sympathetic.

"What happened between them?" one of them asked,"

Another responded, "Looks like a serious argument. Potter was really heated."

It was rare to see Nova uncharacteristically silent. Instead of her usual confidence and outspokenness, she was completely devoid of energy. It was as if she had been stripped of all will, her presence hollow.

The most frustrating aspect of the situation for Nova was her total cluelessness about what she had done wrong. It was as if the source of her friend's anger and the reason for the heated argument eluded her.

The fact that she had no clue as to what had caused Albus's outburst made matters infinitely more frustrating. It was infuriating to be completely blind to the actions that had led to the intense argument.