My lover is my boss (LingOrm)

12 - Ridiculous and Right

"So... I was right?" Becky said, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of mischief and triumph as she looked up from her hand of cards.

I sighed, laying down my own hand in frustration. "Sadly, but yes," I admitted, my voice tinged with resignation. The truth had finally caught up to me, and there was no point in denying it any longer.

Becky grinned, clearly savoring the moment. "You have a two?" she asked, casually flipping through her cards. She was as relaxed as ever, already anticipating her victory in both the game and this conversation.

"No," I replied, my tone flat as I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Urgh!" she groaned, tossing a card down in frustration. "And you seem to really like Ling."

I hesitated, fiddling with my remaining cards. Did I really like Ling? Sure, things had been... developing between us, but I still wasn't sure if I was ready to admit the depth of my feelings. "I don't know if it's 'like,'" I started, shuffling through my thoughts as much as my cards. "I mean, I like being with her. I like holding her hand, kissing her. And I like her sassy self when she's flirting with me."

Becky gave me a knowing look over the rim of her cards. "Oh, honey," she said, shaking her head slightly as she laid down a card. "That's more than 'like.' You're totally falling for her."

I flinched inwardly, not quite ready to accept that conclusion. "I'm not," I protested, trying to keep my voice steady. Then, almost as an afterthought, I added, "And you're cheating."

Becky raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "How was that?" she asked, clearly enjoying my accusation as she shuffled her cards again, her smile never wavering.

"Stand up," I said, setting my cards down and crossing my arms over my chest, fully expecting what would come next.

Becky hesitated, giving me a suspicious look before slowly rising to her feet. As she stood, a card slipped out from behind her back and floated to the floor.

I leaned over, plucking the card off the ground with a smirk. "I told you."

She shrugged, not the least bit embarrassed. "So what? You'd still be falling for Ling, even if I hadn't cheated."

I let out an exasperated laugh, shaking my head. "You're unbelievable." I glanced down at my cards, trying to get my focus back, but Becky wasn't about to let the conversation end there.

"Anyway," she said, placing her cards down with a flourish, clearly feeling victorious, "I was right."

I shot her a playful glare. "Well, I've got a date with her tomorrow."

Becky's eyes widened with excitement, her hands still on her cards. "A date? Tomorrow?" She sat up straight, her grin stretching wide. "Uh, can I help pick your clothes?" she asked, practically bouncing in her seat now.

I knew there was no escaping Becky when she was in this mood, so I sighed and nodded. "Sure," I said, tossing my last card onto the pile.

...

Becky rummaged through my closet like it was her personal mission to find the perfect outfit for the date. We'd already gone through half of my wardrobe, discarding several options before we both agreed on a sleek, black dress. It was classy, simple, and elegant without trying too hard. I turned in front of the mirror, inspecting the way it hugged my figure. It was nice—maybe a little too nice for a casual date, but I could work with it.

Becky stood behind me, watching me with a proud smile. "That's the one," she said decisively, crossing her arms.

"But what if I get cold?" I asked, glancing at the thin straps and imagining the cool evening breeze.

Becky's smile grew wider, her eyes lighting up with a mischievous glint. "That's the point," she said, stepping closer. "It'll be a test. See if Ling offers you her jacket so you won't be cold."

I turned to face her, raising an eyebrow. "You're really testing us now?"

"Absolutely," Becky replied with a smirk. "I need to see if she'll take care of you."

I rolled my eyes, laughing despite myself. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"Ridiculous and right," Becky said, shrugging as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Anyway, I'll drive you there tomorrow, okay?"

I shook my head. "You won't. Ling's picking me up."

Becky's jaw dropped, her eyes widening. "She's coming to pick you up? In a car?"

I nodded, unable to keep the small smile off my face. "Yes."

Becky grinned like she had just won the lottery. "Perfect. This is perfect. She's already winning points."

I laughed, shaking my head at her dramatic response. "Calm down," I said, but Becky was already imagining how the entire evening would play out.

"Anyway," she said, grabbing her pajamas from her bag and tossing them onto my bed. "Let's sleep. You've got a big day ahead."

...

The next morning, I woke up with a sense of anticipation buzzing under my skin. The date was officially happening today, and despite my best efforts to remain calm, the excitement and nerves were starting to take over. Becky was already up, sitting cross-legged on the bed with her phone in hand, scrolling through social media as if today was just any other day.

I, on the other hand, was standing in front of the mirror again, staring at my reflection and wondering if the black dress had been the right choice after all. It looked nice, sure, but was it too much? Too little? I couldn't decide.

Becky, ever the supportive (and teasing) friend, chimed in from the bed. "Did you shave?"

I spun around, glaring at her with my cheeks already flushing red. "Becky!" I groaned, half-exasperated, half-amused.

She shrugged, completely unfazed. "Just making sure you're fully prepared for tonight." She paused, her smirk deepening. "Showered?"

I threw my hands up, my face now burning with embarrassment. "Yes, I did everything. Now stop asking!"

Becky laughed, clearly enjoying how flustered I was getting. "Hey, I'm just trying to help!" she said innocently.

I turned back to the mirror, shaking my head, trying to focus. Becky's teasing was part of her charm, but today, it was driving me a little crazy.

A few minutes later, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I glanced at it and saw a message from Ling. My heart did a small flip. "She's here," I said, more to myself than to Becky.

Becky jumped off the bed, rushing to the window to peek outside. "She drives a Porsche?" she asked, practically squealing with excitement. "I didn't think she could get any cooler!"

I grabbed my bag and slipped on my shoes, trying to ignore the butterflies swarming in my stomach. "Yep, classic black Porsche 911," I muttered, still half in disbelief myself.

As I headed for the door, Becky gave me a quick thumbs up, her face glowing with excitement. "You look amazing! Knock her dead!"

I smiled nervously and made my way outside. Ling was waiting by the car, dressed in her usual effortlessly stylish way. The sight of her standing there, leaning casually against the sleek black car, made my pulse quicken.

"You look so pretty," Ling said, her voice warm as she opened the passenger door for me. Her eyes were soft as she looked me over, and I felt my cheeks heat up at the compliment.

"Thanks," I said quietly, sliding into the seat.

Ling closed the door behind me and walked around to the driver's side, sliding in next to me. She leaned over and gave me a quick kiss, her lips soft and warm against mine, and I felt a sense of calm settle over me.

"Ready?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she started the engine, the low rumble of the Porsche filling the quiet evening air.

I only nodded, my heart racing, but not just from nerves. As she pulled away from the curb, I realized that this was the start of something new—something I was both terrified and excited to dive into.