Falling For You

Chapter 7: Between Light and Darkness

The day had arrived, and the sun shone brightly, illuminating the grand venue where Ling's wedding was to take place. The air was filled with excitement and anticipation, but all Orm felt was a gnawing sense of dread. She stood at the side, her heart heavy as she watched the elegant decorations transform the space into a fairytale setting-a place where dreams were supposed to come true. But all she could think about was how Ling was supposed to be hers.

"Are you okay, Orm?" Ying, her cousin, asked, glancing over with concern. Orm forced a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced at the front of the hall, where Ling stood in her stunning wedding gown, a vision of beauty and grace. The intricate lace hugged her figure perfectly, and the veil framed her face like a halo, enhancing her ethereal beauty.

The ceremony began, and Orm's heart sank as the priest welcomed everyone. She forced herself to focus, to be present for Ling. But each word spoken felt like a stab to her heart, a reminder of everything she could have had.

As Ling and Gap exchanged vows, Orm's mind wandered back to their last conversation. The look in Ling's eyes, the hope that had flared before it was snuffed out by reality. Orm had been too afraid to confess her feelings, too afraid to disrupt the fragile balance of their friendship.

Now, watching Ling stand there, promising her life to someone else, Orm felt the weight of her regret crush her. Why hadn't she said something? Why hadn't she fought for what they had?

The priest's voice droned on, but Orm couldn't focus on the words. All she could see was Ling's radiant smile, the way her eyes sparkled with joy. Ling looked happy, and that should have brought Orm solace, but instead, it felt like a dagger twisting deeper into her chest.

"Do you, Ling, take Gap to be your lawfully wedded husband?" the priest asked, his voice echoing through the hall.

Orm's breath caught in her throat. It felt like the ground had shifted beneath her feet. She held her breath, waiting, hoping for something-anything-that might change the course of this moment. She wanted to scream, to shout that Ling deserved so much more than this.

But the words wouldn't come. They felt lodged in her throat, choked by the fear of what it would mean. What if she did speak up? What if she shattered this perfect facade? The weight of the moment pressed down on her, suffocating her with indecision.

Ling turned slightly, her gaze sweeping over the crowd, and for a brief moment, their eyes locked. A fleeting connection sparked between them, and Orm felt the air crackle with unspoken words. She saw the flicker of uncertainty in Ling's eyes, and it nearly sent Orm rushing forward.

But then Ling's focus shifted back to the priest, her smile widening as she turned her attention back to Gap. "I do," Ling replied, her voice clear and steady, yet somehow filled with an underlying sorrow that only Orm could sense.

As the vows continued, Orm's heart shattered with each word. She recalled that night at Emerald X, when they had danced so closely, the warmth of Ling's body against hers, the laughter that had echoed through the night, and the way Ling had looked at her with such hope and light. In that moment, Orm had felt a flicker of possibility-a chance that had now slipped through her fingers like grains of sand.

"Do you promise to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do you part?" the priest asked, and Orm's heart raced as she clung to the edge of her seat.

But this wasn't the part she had wanted to hear. It should have been her there, holding Ling's hands, promising her the world, promising to fight for her, to stand by her side through every storm.