Ink & Intentions (Lingorm)

3. No sign of ceasefire

The day dragged on for Ling, her mind buzzing with legal jargon as she sat in her law lecture. The professor droned on about tort law, but all Ling could think about was her chaotic new roommate and the disaster of a breakfast that had left the kitchen looking like a paint-splattered art studio. Every time she glanced at her notes, she imagined Orm, carefree and reckless, leaving a trail of chaos in her wake.

Finally, the class ended, and she bolted from her seat, eager to escape the classroom and the suffocating atmosphere of law books. She hurried back to the apartment, hoping for some peace and quiet. Instead, as she opened the door, she was greeted by the unmistakable sound of loud music pulsing from the common area.

"Seriously?" Ling muttered under her breath, stepping inside. The living room was alive with color—sketches scattered across the coffee table, paint tubes littering the floor, and Orm sprawled on the couch, her legs draped over the armrest, headphones on, completely lost in her own world.

Ling felt a familiar wave of irritation wash over her. "Orm!" she called out, trying to be heard over the music. "Can you turn that down?"

Orm pulled one earbud out and looked up, her eyes wide and playful. "What's the matter, Miss Perfect? Can't handle a little noise?"

"I need to study!" Ling snapped, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Do you even care that we have neighbors?"

Orm shrugged, grinning mischievously. "They might appreciate some good music for a change. Besides, art is meant to be loud and vibrant!"

Ling rolled her eyes. "Art doesn't have to be a nuisance. You could at least try to be considerate."

Orm sat up, her expression shifting from playful to serious. "And you could try to loosen up a bit, you know. Just because you're in law doesn't mean you have to be a total buzzkill."

"Buzzkill?" Ling echoed incredulously. "I'm trying to maintain some order in this place. You're the one who's acting like a toddler throwing a tantrum!"

Orm stood up, hands on her hips. "Maybe I wouldn't need to throw a tantrum if you didn't act like such a control freak! It's not my fault you can't handle a little chaos."

Ling felt her face flush with anger. "And it's not my fault you can't see beyond your own little world! Do you even know what it's like to actually take something seriously?"

Orm stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "I take my art seriously! Just because it doesn't come with a label and a boring textbook doesn't mean it's not valuable."

"Art? Valuable?" Ling scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "Try telling that to the law firms and the judges. They might have a different opinion on what's valuable in life."

Orm laughed, a sound filled with disbelief. "You really think the law is the only way to succeed in life? That's so narrow-minded. What about creativity? Passion? Isn't that what makes life worth living?"

Ling shook her head, exasperated. "You're talking about fantasies, Orm. Real life doesn't work like that! You need a solid foundation, something tangible to rely on."

Orm stepped even closer, her voice low and intense. "And what if that foundation is just a cage? You think you're so safe in your little law bubble, but you're missing out on everything outside of it!"

Ling took a step back, surprised by Orm's intensity. "What are you even saying? You think I'm missing out? I'm building a future, while you're flitting from one whim to the next."

Orm's expression hardened, and she crossed her arms defensively. "Maybe my whim will lead to something great one day! Ever thought about that? Maybe I'll be the one to change the world, and you'll be stuck in your boring office reading boring cases!"

"Change the world?" Ling scoffed, her irritation bubbling over. "What are you going to do, paint a mural and hope it magically fixes everything?"

"Maybe I will!" Orm shot back. "Art can inspire people in ways law never could! You're so focused on the rules that you can't see the bigger picture."

"Bigger picture?" Ling echoed, her voice rising. "What's the bigger picture, Orm? Living in a fantasy where everything is sunshine and rainbows? You need to get real!"

"Real?" Orm laughed, a sound devoid of humor. "You want to talk about real? How about realizing that life isn't just about what you can put in a box? It's about experiences! You're missing out on all of it!"

Ling threw her hands up in frustration. "I can't believe you think it's okay to be this irresponsible! I have responsibilities, unlike you!"

Orm stepped closer, her eyes flashing. "Responsibility? It's just a word you hide behind! You're scared to actually live your life, and you want to blame me for it!"

Ling felt her heart race, her annoyance morphing into something else entirely. "You don't know anything about me!"

Orm smirked, her confidence radiating. "I know enough. You're so wound up that you wouldn't know fun if it danced naked in front of you!"

"Fun?" Ling shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You call this fun? A chaotic mess of paint and noise?"

Orm leaned in closer, a teasing glint in her eye. "Maybe I just know how to enjoy life more than you do. Ever thought of that?"

Ling opened her mouth to retort, but the boldness in Orm's gaze stopped her short. She felt an unfamiliar rush of energy at the challenge in Orm's words, a part of her intrigued despite the irritation boiling within.

"Do you ever stop to think before you speak?" Ling finally managed to say, crossing her arms defiantly, though her heart raced from the unexpected connection in their banter.

Orm shrugged, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Nah. That's what makes it fun. You should try it sometime."

Ling rolled her eyes again but couldn't help the corner of her mouth from twitching upward. "You're impossible."

"Only because you make it so easy," Orm shot back, her grin widening.

Ling turned on her heel, trying to regain her composure. "I'm going to study in my room. If I hear one more sound from you, I swear—"

"Yeah, yeah! I'll keep it down, Miss Perfect!" Orm called after her, laughter in her voice.

As Ling retreated to her room, her heart still racing, she couldn't shake off the lingering spark from their clash. No matter how irritating Orm was, there was something about her that was oddly intriguing. And as much as Ling hated to admit it, a part of her was curious to see where this chaotic energy would lead them—if only to keep it contained.