The Unwritten Chapter - LingOrm

THE FIRST STEP

Just as Lingling was about to take her hand, a woman approached them and whisked Orm away without even glancing at her "Orm, I've been searching for you. Let's go." She said, gently pulling her along as they walked away. Orm made no protest as she was still in shock by the sudden turn of events.

Lingling, frozen on her stand, snapped out of her daze. The thought of losing the girl to View jolted her into action.  She dashed after them, catching up just as they reached the hallway exit.

"Orm, wait!"

The woman paused, causing View to stop as well. She turned to face her, sighing. "What?"

Lingling, panting slightly rushed towards them. "Let's talk." She said, focusing her attention on her and ignored View, who stood silently behind Orm, watching her with a blank expression.

Orm briefly glanced at her friend before turning her cold gaze back at the woman. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Can i...have a moment with you?" Her eyes held a pleading hope.

"I think Orm might need to get some rest, given her busy schedule tomorrow." View interferes, cuts off her attempt to talk to her friend.

Lingling's eyes narrowed as she fixed a steely gaze on the woman interfering. She fought to control her rising anger, aware of Orm's presence. Her breathing quickened, but she forced herself to remain calm. She has to be patient, especially with Orm watching. She needed to keep her actions spotless, her reputation untarnished, as she sought to win the Woman's heart. Her gaze softened as she turned back to her. "Please?"

The young CEO sighed, the sound heavy with weariness. She shifted her attention away from her then glanced at the model. "You can go first" . "I'll just follow you."

View stood rooted in place, her brow furrowed and lips pursed in a silent expression of disappointment. Heaving a deep sigh, she turned around and walks away.

As Orm's gaze lingered on View's retreating figure, a sharp, piercing pain ripped through the older one's chest. It was as if a physical blow had been struck. The sight of the younger woman's attention drifting away, drawn to another, was a cruel reminder of her own vulnerability. After a brief pause, Orm turned her gaze back to her with a stoic expression.

The hotel garden, once a tranquil escape, had become a source of growing frustration for Orm. They had been strolling along the manicured paths for what felt like an eternity, yet the woman beside her remained silent, her hands clenched tightly, her gaze fixed on the unyielding green of the grass.

Finally, Orm stopped in her tracks, but Lingling, lost in her own thoughts, continued to walk. "Ling," She called out.

Lingling halted, her head snapping up as she realized the girl had stopped. She looked back at Orm who was now standing behind her, a questioning expression on her face. "Sorry."

"Talk." She said impatiently. "I want to go back to my room."

Lingling then took a step closer, her face showed how she longed for her. Hesitantly, she reached out and took her hands in hers. "I don't know how to start, but I miss you."

Orm's eyebrows shot up. "Okay." . "And what am I supposed to do with that information?"

The short woman cleared her throat, her holds tightened."I'm...sorry for everything that happened before." She started to crack. "I've spent the entire year searching for you."

"I came to this event, not because I was invited, but because I knew you would be here. And it was my only chance to see you, to speak to you, because.." Desperation crept into her tone as she swallowed hard. Orm is just waiting for her to continue.

"Because, I want you back."

The younger woman's face contorted into a painful, almost hysterical scoff. It was as if the words had struck a nerve, a raw, exposed wound that she hadn't expected to be touched. "You want me back? Ling, I was never yours. I tried harder before. I gave you my all. My heart, my soul, everything I could offer. I was willing to sacrifice everything for you, hoping one day you'd love me back, but you never did." Her voice cracked, a tear rolled down her cheek. "You know what hurts the most? You just easily accused me as if you didn't know me. Ohh how i wish you'd asked me, tried to find out everything like how you've spent your whole year searching for me."

Lingling's heart ached as she listened to the girl's pain. She knew she'd been wrong, and the weight of her regrets felt crushing. "I'm so sorry," She sobbed. "I'm sorry I was so slow to realize how much I love you. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you that night. I regret it every single day. But I'm here now, Orm. I'm sure of my feelings for you, and I'm ready to spend my whole life trying to make things right." She then tried to hug her but the taller one moved away, flinching as if burned her skin.

"Please, Orm. I realized, I couldn't function well without you. Please, just give me a chance. A chance to show you how deeply I regret everything, how much I'm willing to give you everything I have, everything I am."

The silence stretched on, agonizingly long. Orm's eyes, filled with a storm of emotions, finally met Lingling's. She saw the raw pain, the desperation, the love that still flickered in the older woman's eyes.

She sniffs, tracing a path through the dust of her heartache. She knew she shouldn't, that she'd been hurt too deeply, that she deserved better. But the love she'd held for her, buried under layers of pain, was still there, a fragile ember waiting to be rekindled.

Lingling moved closer, and this time, she didn't resist. She gently cupped Orm's face, her thumb brushing away a stray tear, a silent gesture of comfort and pain that she herself had caused.

"I don't know, Ling." Orm whispered, her gaze piercing through her, searching for an answer she wasn't sure she wanted to find. "I'm not sure I can trust you anymore. Looking at you feels different now."

A shaky smile touched Lingling's lips, a vulnerable expression that revealed the depth of her emotions. "I understand that I've hurt you deeply, and I long accepted the consequences of my actions. I'm willing to face whatever you need me to face, to make amends in any way that I can. And I want you to know that.."

"I'm committed to earning your trust back." Her breath mingling in the quiet space between them.