Whispers in the Dark [LingOrm]

"I remember it all to well"

Ling's pov

Two years after...

I was sprinting towards the office, my heart pounding in my chest, and my mind racing with the possibility that I might have forgotten to pay some crucial services. The city streets blurred around me as I pushed myself faster, the familiar buildings and bustling crowds barely registering in my peripheral vision. The weight of responsibility bore down on me, and I couldn't shake the sense of urgency that propelled me forward.

"Look out, The Flash!" Tan called out as I burst through the office doors, his voice dripping with amusement. He was leaning casually against the reception desk, a steaming cup of coffee in hand, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Forgot to pay something?" he teased, taking a slow sip from his cup as if to emphasize his point.

"Yes," I panted, still catching my breath from the mad dash. My chest heaved with exertion, and I could feel the adrenaline slowly ebbing away, leaving me slightly dizzy.

"I think someone's been a little distracted this week," Bow chimed in, her tone playful yet knowing. "Could it be because someone is back?" she added, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"Wait, who's back?" I asked, genuinely confused as I looked between the two of them. Their smirks only deepened my bewilderment.

"Didn't you know?" Tan asked, his tone more serious now, though there was still a trace of amusement in his eyes.

I shook my head, feeling even more out of the loop. "In that case, no one," Bow said, shrugging as if it were no big deal, but the tension in the air told me otherwise.

"You two are coming tonight, right?" Tan interjected, trying to steer the conversation back to safer waters. We had planned to go out to a club, a much-needed break from the daily grind.

"Yes!" Bow and I answered in unison, our voices filled with anticipation. For a moment, the mystery of who was back slipped to the back of my mind as the thought of dancing and letting loose took over.

...

That evening, I slipped into a dress that hugged my curves just right, the fabric cool against my skin as I made my way to the club. The neon lights and thumping bass greeted me as I stepped inside, the familiar sights and sounds washing over me like a comforting embrace. I spotted Tan almost immediately, his tall frame leaning against the bar as he scanned the crowd.

"Where's Bow?" I asked, raising my voice to be heard over the music. He pointed towards a dark corner of the club, where I could just make out Bow wrapped up in a passionate kiss with another girl. A pang of recognition hit me as I realized the girl was my assistant. My stomach twisted, a mixture of surprise and something else I couldn't quite place.

I turned away from the scene and headed to the bar, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling that had taken hold of me. "Vodka, please," I ordered, the words slipping out before I could second-guess myself. I needed something strong, something to dull the edges of my thoughts.

As the bartender slid the glass across the counter, I took a deep breath, the sharp scent of alcohol mingling with the familiar, nostalgic memories that flooded my mind. I downed the drink in a few quick gulps, the burn in my throat grounding me as I tried to shake off the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me.

When I felt the alcohol start to take effect, a pleasant buzz settling over me, I made my way to the dance floor. The rhythm of the music pulsed through me, each beat syncing with my heartbeat as I lost myself in the crowd. Bodies moved around me, a blur of motion and color, but I didn't care. I was just another face in the sea of people, letting the music wash away my thoughts.

As I swayed to the rhythm, I felt someone approach me, their presence warm and inviting. Before I knew it, I was kissing her, our bodies pressed close together, the world around us fading away. Her hair was long and soft under my fingers, and I found myself pulling her closer, my hand at the back of her neck, deepening the kiss. She responded in kind, her grip on my waist tightening as if she never wanted to let go.

...

The next morning, I woke up with the sunlight streaming through the curtains, the bright rays piercing through the haze of sleep. My eyes were still closed, the remnants of last night's alcohol weighing heavily on my senses. But as I stirred, I felt an unfamiliar weight on my chest, and my eyes snapped open in alarm.

A girl was lying beside me, her head resting on my chest, her breath warm against my skin. My heart raced as the memories of the previous night came flooding back, panic rising in my throat. Shit, what happened last night?

I slowly lifted the blanket, dreading what I would find, and sure enough, I saw exactly what I feared. We had slept together, and I didn't even know her name. My mind raced as I tried to piece together the fragments of the night before, but everything was a blur of flashing lights, loud music, and her soft lips on mine.

Carefully, I managed to disentangle myself from her, slipping out of bed as quietly as I could. My clothes were scattered across the floor, and I quickly gathered them up, my movements hurried and frantic. But just as I was about to make my escape, I felt a warmth behind me, a presence that made my heart stop.

I turned slowly, my breath catching in my throat as I looked at the girl still lying in bed. My eyes widened in shock as the realization hit me like a freight train. Shit! Shit! Shit!

"Orm, hey, you're back," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. The embarrassment was overwhelming, making it hard to meet her eyes.

"Didn't you know it was me last night?" she asked, her voice tinged with sadness that cut through the fog in my mind.

"I was really drunk, and... you're different. You used to have short hair, and now it's long," I said, fumbling for an explanation, the words tumbling out in a rush. I felt like a fool, standing there in my rumpled clothes, trying to justify the unjustifiable.

"Not going to say you missed me?" she asked, her tone turning flirty, a small smile playing on her lips.

"It's difficult when you dumped me," I retorted, the sarcasm in my voice barely masking the hurt that still lingered beneath the surface.

"I just said we should take some time," she corrected, her eyes softening as she looked at me.

"Okay, I might have been a little dramatic," I admitted, the tension easing slightly as I allowed myself to be honest. "I missed you," I whispered, the words barely audible as they slipped past my lips.

"I missed you too," she said, her voice filled with warmth and affection. It was a tone I hadn't heard in so long, and for a moment, I almost let myself believe in the possibility of a second chance. But then reality came crashing back in.

"Good to see you again. Bye," I said abruptly, turning on my heel and heading to the bathroom to get dressed. I needed to put some distance between us, to clear my head before I did something I might regret.

"Oh, hey again," she said as I emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed. She was already leaning casually against the room door, a smirk on her lips as if she had all the time in the world.

"Why are you still here?" I asked, genuinely curious. Part of me had expected her to be gone by the time I finished getting dressed.

"Thanks for caring about me. And... you can't leave without the keys," she said, holding up the keys in her hand, her expression teasing.

"Sorry, I'm kinda messed up today," I admitted, feeling the heat of embarrassment creep up my neck. I was off balance, and she seemed to be reveling in it.

"Can you love me again?" she asked suddenly, the playful tone gone from her voice, replaced by something raw and vulnerable.

"Maybe, I don't know... let's just go," I replied, my voice uncertain. I didn't know how to answer that question, not when everything between us was so tangled and unresolved.

She opened the door, and we walked out into the morning light, the tension between us palpable. That "maybe" must have sounded like a key to Orm's mind because from that day on, she was at my office every day, trying to make it up to me, trying to reclaim what we had lost.