Hearts in Bloom

"Orm," Lingling murmured, her voice quieter now, almost a whisper. She leaned forward slightly, her face inches away from Orm's. "Do you want to kiss?"

"Wh-what?" Orm stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You heard me," Lingling said, a smile tugging at her lips. "Do you want to kiss...me?"

Orm's mind raced. She wanted to say yes. God, she wanted to say yes more than anything. Lingling was beautiful, intoxicating, and in this moment, heartbreakingly human. But then the image of Lingling's girlfriend flashed in her mind.

"You're drunk," Orm finally managed, her voice trembling slightly. "You don't know what you're saying."

Lingling leaned back, a bitter laugh escaping her. "That's what everyone says, isn't it? I'm drunk, so I must not mean it. But what if I do? What if, for once, this is the most honest I've ever been?"

Orm didn't know how to respond. She wanted to believe Lingling, to give in to the pull she felt toward her, but the weight of reality held her back. "You have a girlfriend," Orm said quietly, the words feeling like stones in her mouth.