Ink & Intentions (Lingorm)

16. A trip?

Orm tapped her pen against her notebook, trying to focus on her notes. But her mind kept drifting back to Ling—Ling, who'd been steadily avoiding her all week. The memory of their double date lingered, a night that had felt strange and half-forgotten, the details blurry after the drinks she'd had with Ying. She knew she'd gotten tipsy, maybe even said something embarrassing, but whatever had happened, she couldn't remember any of it. And Ling hadn't brought it up, either.

That was the strangest part: Ling's silence. Normally, if Orm had done something ridiculous while drinking, Ling would have teased her about it, laughing and turning it into a funny story they could share. But instead, Ling had been distant. There was no teasing, no friendly jokes—just a quiet, uncomfortable silence that hadn't existed between them before.

Orm glanced across the library where Ling was sitting with Wisanu. The two of them were working on an assignment together, and while Orm usually wouldn't have felt any kind of jealousy, there was something different this time. Ling was laughing easily, leaning close to Wisanu, completely at ease in a way she hadn't been with Orm in days. Orm's stomach twisted as she looked away, guilt mixing with frustration.

She closed her notebook and got up, making her way out of the library, her thoughts spinning. She wasn't sure how to get through to Ling, especially if she didn't even know what had gone wrong.

Later that afternoon, Ying found Orm pacing outside the coffee shop they usually went to, a frustrated expression on her face. She waved her over, and Orm launched right into her worries.

"Ling's been avoiding me all week," she said, her voice strained. "I feel like I did something, but I can't figure out what. She's been spending all this time with Wisanu, and it's like I don't even exist anymore."

Ying gave her a sympathetic look, leaning against the wall. "You don't remember anything from that night? Not even what happened after I brought you home?"

Orm shook her head. "Nothing. Just... I remember talking with Ling, I think? But I don't know what we talked about, and I passed out before I could ask her anything. She was fine with me before, but now..." Her voice trailed off, frustration mixing with a hint of sadness. "I just want things to go back to normal."

Ying placed a hand on Orm's shoulder, a reassuring smile playing on her lips. "Look, I've been watching you two for years. Whatever's going on, it'll pass—but maybe we just need to give Ling a little nudge."

Orm raised an eyebrow. "A nudge? How?"

Ying's eyes sparkled with an idea. "How about a trip? We're in the middle of the Christmas season; let's get everyone together and head up to the mountains for some skiing. We could all use a break, and maybe getting away from all this will give you and Ling a chance to reconnect."

Orm's eyes brightened at the thought. "You really think it could help?"

"Absolutely. A change of scenery does wonders," Ying replied with a grin. "We'll get the whole gang—Bow, Tan, Wisanu, Ling, and you. I'll handle the planning; all you have to do is pack and show up."

Orm smiled, some of her worries lifting at the thought of the trip. If she could just get Ling alone, maybe they'd finally have a chance to clear the air.

Two days later, Ling was at home, flipping through a book when her phone buzzed with a message from Ying: "Can I drop by? Need to talk to you about something!"

Curious, Ling agreed. Soon enough, the doorbell rang, and Ling opened it to find Ying standing there, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Hey, what's up?" Ling asked, noting the excitement in Ying's expression.

"Alright, hear me out," Ying began, walking into the room and sitting on the couch. "I'm organizing a trip for all of us. Christmas season, mountains, skiing, snow... the whole holiday vibe. I thought it'd be great to get everyone together for some fun before the new year."

Ling hesitated, feeling a flicker of nerves at the thought of being around Orm. But she couldn't deny that part of her missed her friend, no matter how complicated things had become. She nodded slowly, forcing a smile.

"Sounds... nice. Who's going?"

"Oh, just the usual crew—me, Orm, Bow, Tan, and... Wisanu too," Ying said, her voice light, as if she were talking about any ordinary weekend. "I thought it'd be fun to get everyone in the same place."

Finally, Ling nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Alright. Count me in."

With that, Ying beamed, already planning out the details. As Ling watched her friend's excitement, she couldn't shake the hope that maybe, just maybe, this trip would be the key to untangling the mess her heart had become.