Maybe This Time

012

Orm was finishing up her work late one evening, her thoughts still a chaotic blend of confusion and guilt from the previous night's talk with her friends.

She'd convinced herself that avoiding Lingling was the only way forward. Just as she packed up her things, she heard a soft knock at her office door. She glanced up, surprised to see Lingling standing there.

Lingling shifted nervously, a hesitant smile on her face. "Hey... I didn't expect to find you here this late."

Orm tensed, her guard immediately up. "Lingling, what are you doing here?"

Lingling stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her. "I wanted to talk. I know I should probably give you space, but... I can't shake this feeling that we left things unresolved."

Orm sighed, her gaze drifting toward the window. "Ling, I don't think there's anything left to resolve. I'm with Anada now. And you... you're part of my past."

Lingling's expression softened, hurt flickering in her eyes. "But I don't want to be just your past, Orm. I've been trying to show you that l've changed. That I'm not the same person who hurt you."

Orm shook her head, her voice laced with frustration. "You can't just decide to come back and expect me to forget everything. It doesn't work like that, Lingling. People don't work like that."

Lingling stepped closer, her voice barely a whisper. "Orm... I know I made mistakes. I know I hurt you. But losing you was my wake up call. I'm here because I want you to see that I'm different now that I won't make those same mistakes again."

Orm looked away, a battle waging within her. "Ling, I can't keep doing this. Every time I think I've moved on, you show up and... it's not fair to me. And it's not fair to Anada."

Lingling took a shaky breath, her voice trembling. "I know it's selfish. But I couldn't stay away. I'm still in love with you, Orm. I never stopped."

The silence that followed was thick with emotion, the air between them heavy with unspoken words. Orm felt her resolve wavering, her defenses breaking down piece by piece.

The way Lingling looked at her, the vulnerability in her eyes stirred something deep within her that she'd buried long ago.

Orm's voice was a strained whisper. "Ling... this isn't fair. I've spent so long trying to move on, trying to build something real with Anada. I can't keep letting you pull me back."

Lingling reached out, gently touching Orm's arm, her fingers lingering for a moment longer than they should, "Then don't think about the past. Think about right now, about how you really feel."

Orm looked into Lingling's eyes, feeling the weight of all the years they'd shared, all the pain, all the joy. Her heart pounded, her mind spinning with the tangled mess of emotions she'd tried so hard to control.

Without thinking, without planning, Orm leaned in, her hand finding its way to Lingling's cheek, her thumb brushing softly against her skin and in that brief moment, all the walls she'd built around herself came crashing down.

Their lips met in a slow, gentle kiss, both tentative and intense, as if they were both scared of what it meant yet couldn't pull away.

Lingling responded, leaning closer, her hands resting softly on Orm's shoulders. The kiss was filled with all the words they hadn't said, all the hurt they'd felt, all the love that lingered between them. For a brief moment, it felt as if time had stopped.

But then, just as suddenly, Orm pulled back, reality crashing down on her like a wave.

"Oh... Ling, I-" Orm stammered, taking a step back, her hand covering her mouth as if to erase what had just happened. "This... this was a mistake."

Lingling's face fell, but she nodded, trying to keep her voice steady. "Orm... I didn't mean to make things harder for you. I just... I needed you to know how I feel."

Orm shook her head, her voice thick with emotion. "I can't do this, Ling. I thought I was past all of this, but... I can't keep going back and forth. It's not fair to Anada, and it's not fair to me."

Lingling looked down, hurt clear in her eyes. "I understand. I just... I couldn't help myself. But I don't want to make things worse for you."

Orm's hand trembled as she ran it through her hair, her heart a storm of conflicting emotions. "Lingling, maybe it's better if we keep our distance. We both need to move on, and I can't do that if... if I keep seeing you like this."

Lingling took a shaky breath, nodding slowly. "If that's what you need... I'll respect it. But Orm, just know that I'll always care about you. And if you ever change your mind... I'll be here."

As Lingling walked out of the office, Orm sank into her chair, her head in her hands. The kiss had shaken her to her core, bringing all her unresolved feelings to the surface.

She felt like she was being torn in two part of her desperate to hold on to Anada, to the stability and love she offered, while another part of her yearned for the connection she'd once had with Lingling.

Her phone buzzed, a text from Anada, "Anada: Miss you. Can't wait for our weekend plans.

Orm stared at the message, a pang of guilt twisting in her chest. She typed out a quick reply, forcing herself to focus on her relationship with Anada, to ground herself in the life she'd built with her.

But as she sat there, alone in the quiet office, she couldn't shake the lingering ache of that kiss.