Orm's POV
Another random day at college. But today, Lingling felt like a magnet, pulling my attention like never before. I kept stealing glances at her from across the room. Even with her head buried in her notebook, she looked... incredible. There was something so effortlessly captivating about her, especially when she was so serious about her studies. It was sexy, and I could feel my heart racing just watching her.
Lingling must've felt my gaze because, now and then, she'd look up and give me this soft, shy smile, which only fueled the flutter in my chest. She was... addictive. And that kiss we'd shared kept replaying in my mind. I wanted nothing more than to feel that again. It was like discovering a side of myself that only Lingling could unlock.
After class, I made sure to catch up with her before she could slip away. "Hey," I said, giving her a playful nudge. "Got a few minutes? Let's head up to the rooftop."
She nodded, and a small, knowing smile crept onto her face. That boldness from last time was still there, lingering just beneath her shyness. It was thrilling.
---
On the Rooftop
Lingling's POV
The rooftop was quiet, and the breeze felt calming as I stood beside Orm, my heart beating faster with each second. I could still feel the taste of our last kiss, and the thought of it made me want to be close to her all over again. Somehow, Orm felt like more than a friend, more than anyone else had ever been.
Orm turned to face me, her expression soft but intense, as if she was fighting to find the right words. "So... I've dated a few people before," she began, her voice low, almost hesitant. "But with them, it was never... serious. I was never head over heels, you know? I didn't think I could feel that way about anyone." She laughed a bit, almost shyly, and looked at me with this raw, vulnerable honesty. "But with you, Lingling... it's different. It's like every day I'm falling deeper, and I don't even want to stop."
Her confession sent a rush of warmth through me, and I felt myself smile, a blush creeping up my cheeks. "Orm, I... I've never been in love before. I don't know what it feels like, but... being with you feels special. It feels like maybe... this is what I've been missing."
Orm's eyes sparkled, and she took a step closer. "You're perfect, you know that?" she whispered, her hand reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "And that kiss? It was like nothing I've ever felt." She paused, her lips quirking up into a playful smirk. "Are you sure you've never kissed anyone before? Because you're... amazing."
Her words made me feel bolder, something I'd never felt with anyone else. I looked up at her, meeting her gaze with a newfound confidence. "Maybe I just had the right person to make it perfect," I teased, my heart pounding as I closed the space between us.
---
Orm's POV
Lingling's words hit me like a wave, and before I knew it, my lips were on hers, deeper this time. I could feel the intensity, the warmth, the unspoken connection between us. And wow-Lingling kissed back with a fierceness I wasn't expecting. She was bold, confident, like she knew exactly how to take my breath away.
When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathless, and I couldn't help but laugh in sheer amazement. "Lingling... I don't think anyone's ever kissed me like that," I admitted, slightly in awe. "I don't know where you've been hiding all this confidence, but... I'm impressed."
Lingling just grinned, looking at me with a sparkle in her eyes that was both shy and daring. "Maybe I'm just learning from the best," she murmured, her fingers lacing through mine. There was something intoxicating about this side of her, this blend of shyness and newfound boldness, and I felt myself falling even harder.
---
Lingling's POV
Just as I was about to join Orm after class, my phone buzzed with a message from the principal's office. Confused, I read it: "Your parents are here to meet with you. Please come to the office as soon as possible."
A knot tightened in my stomach. Why would they both be here? We hadn't spoken much since I moved in with Mom, and I knew things between them were strained, but something about this felt... final.
Orm noticed my hesitation, her playful smile fading. "Hey, everything okay?"
I forced a smile, but my voice was shaky. "I... I have to go see my parents. They're waiting in the principal's office.They're here to take me to court. It's for the final step... the divorce."
---
Orm's POV
As I watched Lingling's face change from a soft, happy glow to something cold and distant, my heart twisted. She stood there, phone in hand, her expression blank yet filled with a pain she couldn't hide. Her parents were here? Now?
"Lingling... is everything okay?" I asked gently.
She hesitated, as if she didn't want to answer. "They're here to take me to court. It's for the final step... the divorce." Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper.
Without a second thought, I stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Do you... do you want me to come with you? I don't want you to go through this alone."
Lingling looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise. For a moment, it seemed as if she was about to protest, but then she just nodded, her strength slipping away. "Yes... please."
The silence was heavy as we walked to the principal's office, but I could feel Lingling's tension growing with every step. Her hand trembled in mine, and I squeezed it, hoping to give her some sense of strength. When we reached the office door, I saw her take a deep breath, forcing herself to walk inside.
Her parents were already there, standing with the court representative. They barely looked at her as she entered, and her father's voice was cold, businesslike.
"Yes, we're here for the legal formalities," he said, barely sparing her a glance. "Lingling is above the legal age, so we have no further obligations toward her. She can live on her own." His words hit like ice, as if she was nothing more than a box to check off in his life.
Every word made my blood boil. How could anyone treat their daughter like that? I wanted to shout at them, to demand how they could stand there so indifferent, but I held my anger back. This was Lingling's moment, not mine.
Lingling just stood there, her face frozen in that awful blank expression, like she'd heard it all before. And maybe she had. But the way her hand gripped mine a little tighter, I could feel the silent pain she was holding back.
When they finally turned to her, it wasn't to apologize, to offer support, or even acknowledge her pain. It was only to remind her that the paperwork would be handled without her involvement beyond today's formalities. To them, she was already on her own, like she'd never been part of their lives at all.
The finality of it all hit hard. They were just... done with her.
---
Lingling's POV
I felt hollow as we left the principal's office, like a part of me had just shattered. I knew my parents didn't care much for me, but hearing them officially cut me off... it felt like I was being erased from their lives. I glanced at Orm, her expression fierce, her jaw clenched in anger she was barely holding back. It gave me some comfort, knowing she cared-more than they ever did.
Once we reached the apartment, I turned to Orm, trying to find words, but I could only manage a whisper. "This is it. This is... all I have left." My voice cracked, and before I knew it, the tears I'd been holding back began to fall.
Orm pulled me into her arms, wrapping me in a hug that felt like it was the only thing holding me together. "They don't deserve you, Lingling," she whispered, anger still simmering in her voice. "You're worth so much more than they ever gave you. They can walk away, but I won't."
I buried my face against her shoulder, her words seeping into my heart, filling that void left by my parents. As her hands gently stroked my back, I felt the weight of everything lifting just a little. She was here, and somehow, that made everything less unbearable.
---
Orm's POV
Holding Lingling like this, I could feel every bit of her heartbreak, her silent battle against a lifetime of loneliness. Seeing her parents so cold, so detached, left me furious, a kind of anger I'd never felt before. They had no idea what an amazing person they were giving up. But I did.
"You're not alone, Lingling," I whispered against her hair. "I don't care what they say or do. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."
She pulled back a little, looking up at me through her tears, her expression vulnerable. "Thank you, Orm... I don't think I could have done this without you."
I brushed a tear from her cheek, feeling a fierce protectiveness surge through me. I would do whatever it took to show her what it meant to be truly valued. Her parents might have walked away, but I was here, and I wasn't letting go.
---
Lingling felt more secure, knowing that even if her parents couldn't be there for her, Orm would be. And as they stood there, lost in the quiet comfort of each other's presence, a new strength grew between them-one that could face whatever was ahead.
_to be continued _