Whispers in the Dark [LingOrm]

I Missed You

Orm's pov

Ling's a liar, and I miss her like crazy.

It's been a week since she left for that conference, and I feel like I'm dying inside, waiting for her to come back. I can't focus on my work, and everything else seems meaningless without her here. I even tried baking a cake to distract myself, but I was so out of it that I forgot to add the flour. That's how bad it's gotten.

Knock, knock.

I sprinted to the door, heart racing with the hope that it was Ling on the other side. But when I flung it open, I was greeted by View instead.

"Come on, let's hang out with the girls. It's not good for you to be here alone," she said with a warm smile.

As I stepped outside, I noticed her car packed with Becky, Charlotte, and Love. The sight of them all made me feel a little lighter.

"Look at our little wife!" Becky teased as I approached.

"I'm not married," I protested, though a small part of me secretly liked the sound of it.

"You are, just not officially. Now come on, let's burn the city!" she replied with a wink.

I climbed into the car, and View drove us to her place. The ride was filled with laughter and lighthearted banter, a welcome distraction from the emptiness I'd been feeling.

"Okay, guys, tonight I don't want to hear about Ling, Engfa, Freen, or Milk. Let's just have fun," View announced once we arrived, setting the tone for the evening.

We did everything to keep our minds off our troubles—played games, watched movies, gossiped, and even spent time lounging by the pool. It was the kind of night I needed, a brief escape from missing Ling.

"It's good to relax," Charlotte sighed as she floated in the pool.

"Oh, View, I just remembered—how are things with you and June?" Love asked out of nowhere, making all of us perk up.

"Love!" View exclaimed, clearly caught off guard.

"Wait, are you and June hanging out?" Becky asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

"They're practically dating," Love chimed in, earning herself a splash of water from View.

"Stop talking about my relationships!" View protested, blushing furiously.

"Oh, so you two *are* in a relationship!" I teased, unable to resist.

"Just let me be," View muttered, and we all burst out laughing at her shy expression.

Despite the fun, I still couldn't shake the thoughts of Ling from my mind. I hadn't been texting or calling her, trying to prove a point—I wasn't okay with her leaving. But mostly, it was because I couldn't handle how much I missed her.

"Aren't you thinking about her, right?" Becky asked, noticing the distant look in my eyes.

"It's complicated. I don't know why, but I miss her so much," I admitted, feeling the weight of my words. Becky wrapped her arms around me, offering comfort.

"It's okay, Orm. She's probably feeling the same way," she said, soothing me with her gentle words.

Later, when we got out of the pool, I finally checked my phone. My heart skipped a beat when I saw 156 missed calls from Ling and an odd message that read, *'The tracker has been turned off.'*

"What?" I mumbled to myself, confused and slightly alarmed.

"Orm!" View's voice cut through my thoughts. "Did you tell her where you were?"

"No! Is she here?" I asked, now curious and a bit worried.

"Come here," View called, leading me back outside.

"Ling!" I shouted when I saw her standing there, looking as gorgeous as ever, despite the worry in her eyes.

"Hey, you didn't answer my calls. I was worried," she said softly, her voice a balm to my restless heart.

"You... tracked me?" I asked, half-amused, half-annoyed.

"Maybe?" She replied with a sheepish smile.

"I can't go back with you. I'm with my friends," I said, even as she pulled me closer by the waist, making my resolve waver.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm not here to take you away. I just wanted to make sure you're okay," she said before leaning in to kiss me. Her lips were warm, familiar, and instantly calming. She pulled back and laughed softly, "Geez, you're all soaked."

"Obviously, I was in the pool," I shot back with a grin.

"Okay, now get back inside and be with your friends. Or else you're going to catch a cold," she said, her tone playful yet caring. She gave me one last kiss and walked away, leaving me standing there, feeling both lighter and heavier all at once.

As I turned to go back inside, I saw the girls watching me with knowing smiles.

"I'm not married," I repeated, this time less convincingly.

"You two are so sweet," Becky cooed.

"Oh, come on, leave me alone," I groaned, but the truth was, I didn't really mind. Because no matter how much I teased or protested, I knew one thing for sure—I missed Ling, and I couldn't wait for her to come back.