Between Us || LINGORM

Chapter 20: Orm's Confession

The sky was painted with hues of gold and lavender as the sun began to set over the campus. The usual buzz of students hurrying between dorms and cafes had faded, leaving behind a rare quiet. Orm sat beneath the sprawling banyan tree, fidgeting with her notebook, the words she had scribbled earlier no longer making sense to her.

She glanced at her phone again.

"I'll be there."

Lingling's response had been brief, but it was enough to keep Orm anchored here, even as her nerves threatened to undo her.

The events of the party still lingered in her mind—the way Lingling's lips had tasted faintly of red wine, the way she had looked at Orm afterward, vulnerable yet guarded. But since then, Lingling had withdrawn. She had returned to her cool, composed exterior, barely meeting Orm's eyes during their shared classes and even avoiding her in the dorms.

Orm sighed, running a hand through her hair. She had thought about leaving things unsaid, about letting Lingling retreat into her shell, but that wasn't an option anymore. Not when her feelings had become this undeniable.

She straightened up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Lingling emerged from the path leading to the economics building, her silhouette backlit by the setting sun. She wore a crisp white blouse tucked into high-waisted jeans, her usual polished style making her look effortlessly regal.

Orm's breath caught as Lingling approached.

"Hey," Lingling greeted, her voice calm but distant. She stopped a few steps away, her posture as impeccable as ever.

"Hey," Orm replied, standing awkwardly and gesturing toward the space under the tree. "Do you want to sit?"

Lingling hesitated for a moment before nodding. She lowered herself gracefully onto the grass, folding her legs neatly under her. Orm sat across from her, close enough to feel Lingling's presence but far enough to give her space.

For a moment, silence enveloped them. The wind whispered through the leaves above, and somewhere in the distance, the faint hum of campus life carried on.

Finally, Lingling broke the silence. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Orm swallowed, her heart hammering in her chest. "I, uh..." She hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I needed to see you. To talk to you about everything that's been going on since the party."

Lingling's gaze flickered briefly before settling back on Orm. "I see."

Orm fidgeted with a blade of grass, gathering her thoughts. "Look, Ling, I know things have been... weird between us. And I know you've been avoiding me."

Lingling's lips parted slightly, as if to protest, but she said nothing.

"I get it," Orm continued. "You said some big things that night. And I know it wasn't easy for you. But I can't let things just... hang in the air like this. I need to tell you how I feel. All of it."

Lingling's expression didn't change, but her hands tightened slightly in her lap.

"I like you, Ling," Orm said, the words tumbling out faster than she'd planned. "I have for a long time. And I don't just mean that I think you're beautiful—which you are, by the way. It's everything about you. The way you always push me to be better. The way you carry yourself, like you don't need anyone, even though I know you do."

Lingling's eyes widened, the faintest crack appearing in her composed facade.

"I know I can be a mess sometimes," Orm went on, her voice softening. "I know I'm not as organized or polished as you are. But I've never felt this way about anyone before. And I don't think I'll ever stop feeling this way about you."

The silence that followed was deafening. Orm could hear her own heartbeat, loud and unsteady.

Lingling finally looked away, her gaze dropping to the ground. "You shouldn't..." she began, her voice barely audible.

Orm frowned. "I shouldn't what?"

"You shouldn't waste your time on me," Lingling said, her tone colder now, as if she were trying to distance herself. "I'm not good at this, Orm. I don't know how to be what you want."

Orm blinked, taken aback. "What are you talking about? I don't want you to be anything other but than who you are."

Lingling shook her head, her shoulders stiff. "I've spent my whole life trying to control everything—my emotions, my future, my image. And with you, it's like... all of that falls apart. I don't know how to handle it."

Her admission made Orm's chest ache. She reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing Lingling's. "You don't have to handle it alone. I'm here, Ling. I'm not going anywhere."

Lingling flinched at the touch but didn't pull away. "You say that now. But what happens when you realize how difficult I am? When you get tired of dealing with someone who can't let their guard down?"

"I won't get tired," Orm said firmly. "I know you, Ling. I know how strong you are, how much you care—even if you don't always show it. And I'm not scared of your walls. I'm willing to climb them if it means being with you."

Lingling's breath hitched, her eyes shimmering with unspoken emotions. "Why?" she whispered. "Why would you do that for me?"

"Because you're worth it," Orm said simply. "Because I care about you more than I've ever cared about anyone. And because I see you, Ling—the real you. Not the perfect facade you show everyone else, but the person underneath. And I love her."

The word hung in the air between them, heavy and undeniable. Lingling's eyes widened, her lips parting slightly in surprise.

"You..." she began, her voice trembling. "You love me?"

Orm nodded, her heart pounding. "Yeah. I do. And I'm not expecting you to say it back—not yet. I just needed you to know."

Lingling stared at her for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she reached out and took Orm's hand in hers.

"I don't know if I can say it," Lingling admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Not yet. But... I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," Orm promised, squeezing her hand gently. "We'll figure it out together, okay?"

Lingling nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Okay."

For the first time in weeks, Orm felt a weight lift from her chest. They weren't perfect, and they didn't have all the answers. But they had each other, and for now, that was enough.

That evening, Lingling sat alone in her dorm room, staring out the window at the moonlit campus. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

Orm's confession had shaken her to her core. No one had ever spoken to her with such honesty, such vulnerability. And the way Orm looked at her—like she was the most important person in the world—made Lingling's heart ache in ways she couldn't explain.

She reached up, brushing her fingers against her lips, remembering the kiss they had shared at the party. It had been fleeting, but it had ignited something in her—something she couldn't ignore any longer.

For so long, Lingling had built walls around herself, believing that vulnerability was a weakness. But Orm was slowly chipping away at those walls, showing her that maybe, just maybe, letting someone in wasn't as terrifying as she thought.

Lingling closed her eyes, a single tear slipping down her cheek. For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to hope—for connection, for love, for something real.