Faking It, Lovin' It || Lingorm

Chapter 4: Orm's Perspective

Orm had always been someone who thrived in chaos. As a freelance photographer, her life was built around spontaneity—no schedules, no rules, and no long-term commitments. She liked it that way. Life felt more like an adventure when you didn't know where you'd end up tomorrow. So, when she'd jokingly suggested fake dating Lingling Kwong at that party, she hadn't really thought it through. It had seemed like a funny way to break up the monotony of her life, and besides, she'd always liked to push Lingling's buttons.

Lingling was the exact opposite of Orm in every way—calm, composed, and controlled. She walked through life with careful steps, always knowing what came next. Orm found that both admirable and a little suffocating. How could anyone live without a little chaos?

But something strange had happened after their fake relationship started. Orm had agreed to the ruse thinking it would be a fun distraction—a way to help out a friend and maybe have a few laughs at the awkwardness that would surely follow. She hadn't expected to actually enjoy Lingling's company so much.

The problem was, she didn't just enjoy it. She found herself looking forward to their "dates" more than she'd like to admit. There was something about the way Lingling's eyebrows furrowed when she was annoyed, how she always tried to maintain her cool even when Orm was driving her crazy with teasing. It made Orm want to push more, to see how far she could go before Lingling snapped.

But now, something was starting to shift in Orm's mind. It wasn't just fun anymore.

Orm had begun to notice small things—like how Lingling's face lit up when she talked about her job or how she would always be the first to ask about Orm's day, even though she pretended she didn't care. She could still feel the way Lingling had tensed in her arms for just a second, before leaning into her, even though it was all supposed to be fake.

Orm couldn't deny it any longer. She liked Lingling. But she wasn't sure what to do about it.

Commitment wasn't her thing. She wasn't good at staying in one place for too long, and the idea of being tied down to someone who thrived on stability made her anxious. What if Lingling expected too much from her? What if Orm couldn't give her what she needed?

Still, Orm found herself thinking about Lingling more often than she should have—wondering what she was doing, if she was thinking about their next outing together, or if she had already forgotten about her until the next fake date. It was driving Orm crazy, but she couldn't stop.

One evening, after finishing a shoot, Orm found herself scrolling through her phone, looking at photos she had taken from their last outing. She lingered on one of Lingling laughing, caught off guard by a joke Orm had made. That laugh, that smile—it was real, and it tugged at something inside Orm.

She groaned, tossing her phone onto the couch. "This wasn't supposed to happen," she muttered, running a hand through her hair.

Her feelings for Lingling were getting more complicated, and for the first time in a long while, Orm didn't know how to handle it. She wasn't sure if she was ready to face the truth—that she might be falling for someone who was only supposed to be her fake girlfriend.