Twilight of Shadows | LingOrm (GxG)

THIRTY FIVE

Earn settled into the plush pillows of her bed, phone in hand, as she waited for Atid to answer her video call. It had been so long since they last spoke in real-time, and though Atid is living in Singapore now, nothing could replace the bond they shared.

The screen flickered to life, and there was Atid, his familiar face lighting up as soon as he saw her. "Girl! How are you?" His voice boomed with its usual exuberance, filling the quiet space of Earn's room.

Earn couldn't help but smile, though the emotion barely reached her tired eyes. "I miss you, bestie," she said, her voice cracking as she spoke. The months apart had felt like years. Since high school, they had been inseparable, sharing every joy and pain, every secret-especially the ones too dark for anyone else.

Atid noticed the shift in her voice, his expression softening. "Oh, babe... I miss you too. It's been way too long. I wish I could hug you right now." He paused for a second before continuing, "Okay, now show me your battle wound. I need to make sure my girl is healing."

Earn sighed and turned her phone to show him the scar from the gunshot wound, running her fingers lightly over it as the camera panned.

Atid's face twisted in empathy. "God, that looks painful. But hey, you're healing. That's what matters."

Earn nodded, her voice low. "Yeah, Dr. Vann gave me this cream to help with the scarring. It won't completely go away, but it'll fade."

"At least it'll fade," Atid said softly. Then his expression turned more serious as he looked at her. "How are you really, Earn? Not just the wound... I mean, how are you coping?"

Earn paused for a moment, glancing out the window. "I don't know... I'm here at Lada's penthouse, recovering, but every time I see her, this... anger just boils up inside me. It hurts."

Atid sighed. "Earn, I know what happened was awful, but... Lada wasn't responsible for what her father did. You've got to remember that. She loves you-she's been by your side, hasn't she?"

Earn looked away, her jaw clenched. "Yeah, she's been taking care of me. Making sure I have everything I need. She's kind, but it doesn't take away what her father did to my family. I don't know how to look at her and not feel it."

Atid leaned closer to the camera, his voice growing softer but more insistent. "I get it, babe, I do. What her father did was monstrous, and no one expects you to just forget that. But Lada isn't him. You have to stop punishing her for something she didn't do."

Earn's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she bit her lip. "It's just... every time I look at her, I see him. I can't get past it."

"But you love her, don't you?" Atid asked gently, his eyes searching hers through the screen. "I've known you for so long, and I see it. I see the way you still care for her despite everything."

Earn didn't answer right away. The truth was hard to admit, even to herself, but it lay there beneath the layers of hurt and anger. "I don't know if love is enough," she finally whispered.

"Love isn't magic," Atid said with a small, sad smile. "It doesn't erase pain or make everything perfect. But it's the foundation, Earn. You can build on it if you want to."

Earn rubbed a hand across her face, her heart heavy. "I just... I'm scared, Atid. Scared that I'll never be able to get over this. And then there's Narin. She looks at me like I'm part of her family, and I don't want to let her down either."

Atid chuckled softly. "That girl adores you. You've been like a second mom to her. And whether you realize it or not, you've already become a family with Lada and Narin. You just need to decide if you want to embrace it or keep running."