Moth to a Flame

five

Days turned into weeks, each passing moment a stark reminder of the choices she had made. Ling was trapped in a purgatory of her own creation, a prisoner of guilt and longing. The absence of Orm was a constant ache, a void that nothing could fill.

In an attempt to distract herself, Ling immersed herself in work. The long hours provided a temporary escape from the turmoil within her. But as the days turned into nights, the silence that greeted her upon returning home was a stark contrast to the vibrant chaos of her office.

Loneliness crept in, a cold, insidious companion. The empty apartment echoed with her thoughts, a haunting reminder of the life she had left behind. She began to question her choices, wondering if she had made a grave mistake.

One evening, as she sat alone in her apartment, a knock at the door startled her. Her heart pounded as she approached the door, a mix of fear and anticipation coursing through her. As she opened the door, her breath caught in her throat. Standing on her doorstep was Orm, her eyes filled with a mixture of determination and vulnerability.

Ling's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at Orm, her mind racing. A mix of fear, guilt, and longing washed over her. This was not how she had imagined their reunion.

Orm's eyes held a mixture of determination and hurt. "Can we talk?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Ling stepped aside, inviting Orm into her apartment. The silence that followed was heavy, pregnant with unspoken words.

"I've missed you," Orm began, her voice trembling slightly. "I know I shouldn't have, but I did. I missed your laughter, your smile, everything about you."

Ling's heart ached. She wanted to reach out, to comfort Orm, but the weight of her guilt held her back. "I'm sorry," she managed to say, her voice barely a whisper.

Orm's eyes narrowed. "For what? For disappearing without a trace? For ignoring my calls and texts?"

Ling felt a wave of shame wash over her. She had hurt Orm deeply, and there was no denying it. "I was scared," she confessed, her voice barely audible. "I didn't know how to handle my feelings."

Orm's eyes softened. "I understand," she said gently. "But that doesn't change the fact that you hurt me."

A long silence stretched between them, a chasm filled with unspoken words and unspoken pain. The weight of their decisions hung heavy in the air.

The weight of their shared pain hung heavy in the air. Ling felt a surge of longing, a desperate desire to reach out and comfort Orm. But the fear of causing more pain held her back.

"I know I hurt you," Ling finally managed to say, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm so sorry."

Orm's eyes held a mixture of sadness and understanding. "It's not just about me," she said softly. "It's about us. What we had, what we could have been."

A wave of longing washed over Ling. She wanted to tell Orm how she felt, to confess the depth of her feelings. But the fear of rejection was a powerful force, holding her tongue.

"I know," she replied, her voice trembling slightly. "I miss you."

Orm's eyes softened. "I miss you too," she said, her voice barely audible.

There was a long silence, a chasm filled with unspoken words and unspoken desires. The weight of their decisions hung heavy in the air, a constant reminder of the pain they had caused each other.

As Ling and Orm sat in a fragile silence, the doorbell rang, cutting through the tension. Ling's heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected visitors, especially not now.

With a mixture of dread and resignation, she got up to answer the door. There, standing on her doorstep, was Win, his face etched with concern.

Orm, having witnessed the interaction, her expression turned from confusion to understanding. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly falling into place.

Ling, caught between two worlds, felt a surge of panic. She had to explain, to justify her actions. But the words seemed to have deserted her.

"Ling, can we talk?" Win's voice, filled with a mix of concern and accusation, cut through the silence.

Orm's eyes, filled with a mix of hurt and anger, met Ling's gaze. The silence that followed was heavy, laden with unspoken words and unspoken pain.

There, standing on her doorstep, was Win, his face etched with concern. Orm, having witnessed the interaction, her expression turned from confusion to understanding. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly falling into place.

Ling, caught between two worlds, felt a surge of panic. She had to explain, to justify her actions, but the words seemed to have deserted her.

Orm, ever the composed one, stepped forward, breaking the tense silence. "I'm Ling's friend" she said, her voice steady, her eyes meeting Win’s.

A flicker of relief crossed Win's face, but it was quickly replaced by a look of suspicion. He turned to Ling, his eyes searching for an answer.

Ling, caught in the crossfire, nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Uhm, yeah, My friend"

Orm, sensing the underlying tension, offered a polite smile. "It was nice meeting you," she said to Win, before turning to Ling. "I’ll see you around." With that, she turned and left, the door closing softly behind her.

The moment the door clicked shut, the tension in the room intensified. Win’s eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Ling. "Just friends?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.

Ling felt a wave of nausea wash over her. The lie was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was the only way to protect Orm. She nodded, her eyes avoiding Win’s gaze.

The moment the door clicked shut, the tension in the room intensified. Win’s eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Ling, demanding answers.

“Ling, what is going on?” Win’s voice, laced with accusation, cut through the silence.

Ling felt her world crumble around her. She had to explain, to justify her actions, but the words seemed to have deserted her.

“I... I can explain,” she stammered, her voice barely audible.

Win took a step closer, his face a mask of anger and hurt. “Explain what? Your little rendezvous with her?”

Ling felt a wave of shame wash over her. She had betrayed Win’s trust, and there was no denying it. “It’s not what it looks like,” she defended weakly.

Win scoffed. “Oh, really? Then what is it?”

The silence that followed was heavy, laden with unspoken words and unspoken pain. Ling felt trapped, a prisoner of her own making. She had created this mess, and now she had to clean it up.

“I don’t know what to say,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “I messed up.”

Win’s anger seemed to dissipate, replaced by a look of hurt and confusion. “Messed up? How exactly?”

The question hung in the air, a silent accusation. Ling knew she had to be honest, no matter how painful it would be.

Win's accusation hung heavy in the air. Ling felt a lump form in her throat as she tried to find the right words. The truth was a complex tangle of emotions and circumstances, and she wasn't sure how to unravel it.

"It's not what you think," she began, her voice barely a whisper.

A/N
uhm I accidentally deleted the other parts again omg