Lost Lagoon

Prologue

Orm Kornnaphat had spent her high school years standing in the shadows, focused on academics and her small circle of close friends: Prikhing, Yeena, and Mint. Though she came from a wealthy family, her style was understated, her demeanor reserved, and her reputation that of the "sweet, smart girl." She was everything that Ling Ling Kwong, the notorious heartbreaker, was not.

Ling was known for her charm, confidence, and a string of admirers who couldn't resist her dark eyes and magnetic smile. She was someone most girls only dared to admire from afar, though Ling never left them waiting for long if they caught her interest. This "player" reputation didn't faze her friends Gap, Fluke, and Ying, who were equally bold and rich, their lives often filled with parties and laughter. Ling's unapologetic approach to life was what made her infamous in school, but to Orm, it was also a painful reminder of what could have been.

Ling had been Orm's crush for as long as she could remember, though Orm had never dared to approach her—until one day, Ling's current girlfriend Wachana entered the picture. Wachana and Orm had once been friends, but the moment Wachana realized Orm's interest in Ling, she'd changed. Wachana quickly charmed Ling and left Orm feeling betrayed and heartbroken. Wachana had become Orm's friend-turned-enemy, and seeing her with Ling only added to Orm's discomfort.

Now, as spring break approached, Orm felt a mix of excitement and dread. Her friends had convinced her to join the school trip on a yacht, promising her a well-deserved break from studies. Prikhing, her best friend, even insisted that this was her chance to move past everything with Wachana and Ling. But the knowledge that Ling, Wachana, and their friends would be on the yacht made Orm anxious.

When they all boarded the yacht, Orm stuck close to Prikhing, Yeena, and Mint, while Ling laughed with Gap, Fluke, and Ying, who teased her about the admirers who kept eyeing her. Ling barely noticed Orm in the crowd, too wrapped up in her usual carefree attitude and Wachana's possessive grip. As the sun set over the ocean, Orm tried to focus on her friends, putting the thought of Ling and Wachana out of her mind.

But everything changed when a sudden storm hit.

The once-peaceful sea turned violent, and chaos erupted as students scrambled to find safety. The yacht rocked dangerously, waves crashing over the sides, separating Orm from her friends. Desperately clinging to the edge, she found herself face-to-face with Ling. In that terrifying moment, they reached for each other, their hands meeting as a wave crashed over them, sweeping them both into the dark, churning water.

The storm left them stranded together, alone on an unknown island with no way to contact their families. As they came to terms with their new reality, they had no choice but to rely on each other to survive. Orm found herself face-to-face with her old crush in the harshest of circumstances, while Ling discovered a side of herself she'd never known.

On this deserted island, far from everything they knew, Orm and Ling would embark on a journey of survival, self-discovery, and an emotional awakening that neither could have predicted.