Philip groaned, dragging a hand down his face. Frustration laced every word.

„Why are you like this?“

Aurora didn‘t answer straight away. She stared at the wall, fists clenched at her sides, her whole body rigid, like a statue. Her mouth opened, like she was about to say something, then shut it again. What was the point? Explaining herself wouldn‘t change anything. Especially not to him.

She turned, eyes cold.

„Why are you such a pain in the ass? Not all questions can be answered, Philip“, she shot back, her voice sharp and fast, like she was holding it in too long.

„Just…leave it.“

His jaw tightened. Something in his expression cracked—like her words hit him deeper than intented. But he didn‘t back off.

Philip‘s voice rose, cracking at the edge.

„You always do this! You shut me out like I don‘t matter—„

Aurora‘s eyebrows shot up, eyes blazing.

„You think you _matter_?“ Her voice was cold, razor-sharp and devoid of any emotion.

„You certainly think highly of yourself.“

He flinched. She didn‘t stop.

„You think that because I kissed you, you now have a right to know everything. But guess what? You‘re wrong. You don‘t know shit about me.“ Her voice sharpened with every word said.

„And you never will.“

Philip stepped back like he wasn‘t sure what hurt more—the words or the fact that she didn‘t even show one emotion while saying them.

„Aurora. Rora—„

„You don‘t get to call me that“, she hissed.

His jaw clenched.

„Actually, you don‘t get to call me anything, because I‘m not _yours_.“ She threw her hands in the air with a sharp exhale, like this discussion _exhausted_ her.

He clenched his fists at his sides, staring blankly at the wall behind her. The silence streched over them. His voice sounded strained when he finally said something.

„I know that. Believe me. I. Know. That.“ He pushed the words out of his mouth like he was forcing himself.

„But that doesn‘t mean that I can‘t try to _understand_ you.“

Aurora‘s eyes softened—for a heartbeat. Then they steeled.

„I don‘t need you to understand me“, she stated, eyes dull and cold.

„I need you to leave me alone.“

For a second, Philip didn‘t move. Not because he was scared of her, but because he‘d only just noticed the edges of the walls she was rebuilding.

When he spoke, his coice was stoic and quiet, cracking slightly at the end: “I‘ve never met anyone like you before.“

Aurora let out a humorless laugh.

„You should be grateful for that.“