Faking It, Lovin' It || Lingorm

Chapter 21: The Breakup

The following days were a blur for Lingling. Orm's absence left a hollow ache that she couldn't ignore. She threw herself into work as a distraction, staying late at the office, answering emails, and pushing through meetings without letting anyone see the cracks in her façade. But every night, she returned to an empty apartment, the silence pressing down on her like a heavy weight.

Orm, on the other hand, retreated into her own world. She stayed with a friend, avoiding Lingling's calls and messages. She wandered the city, camera in hand, snapping photos, trying to lose herself in her art. But no matter how much she tried to escape, her thoughts kept circling back to their fight, to Lingling's words.

She had told herself for so long that she wasn't built for serious relationships, that freedom was more important to her than anything else. But now, with Lingling gone, it didn't feel like freedom. It felt like loss.

The tension between them had been building for weeks, maybe months. Orm had tried to ignore it, hoping that they could find a way to make things work. But now, standing in the middle of her friend's living room, the truth hit her: maybe Lingling was right. Maybe they were too different to make this last.

Back at Lingling's apartment, the days blurred into each other. She couldn't escape the nagging thought that her rigid control over everything had driven Orm away. She had tried to fit their relationship into the same structured box she used for her work, and it hadn't worked.

But was it really all her fault? Orm had always been elusive, always chasing the next thrill. Lingling had known that going into this, but she hadn't realized just how hard it would be to keep up.

One evening, as she sat at her kitchen table, staring blankly at her untouched dinner, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw Orm's name. Her heart raced as she answered.

"Hey," Orm's voice was soft, tentative.

Lingling swallowed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Hey."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, the silence filled with all the things they weren't saying.

"I think we need to talk," Orm said finally.

Lingling closed her eyes, knowing what was coming. "Yeah, we do."

They agreed to meet at a small café they used to frequent, neutral ground. When Lingling arrived, she spotted Orm sitting by the window, her usual confident air replaced by something quieter, more subdued.

Lingling slid into the seat across from her. "How are you?" she asked, though she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

Orm shrugged, avoiding her gaze. "I've been better. You?"

"Same."

Another long pause. They had never struggled to talk before, but now the words felt heavy, weighed down by the knowledge of what was coming next.

"I've been thinking a lot about us," Orm started, finally looking up. "About where we went wrong."

Lingling nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. "Me too."

"I don't think we're good for each other right now," Orm said, her voice pained but steady. "We keep hurting each other, even when we don't mean to. And I don't want that for either of us."

Lingling bit her lip, fighting back the tears threatening to spill. She had known this was coming, but hearing Orm say it out loud made it feel real, final.

"I know," she whispered. "But I don't want to give up on us."

Orm reached across the table, gently taking Lingling's hand in hers. "Neither do I. But maybe we need some time apart. To figure out who we are without trying to fit into something that's hurting us."

Lingling stared at their hands, feeling the warmth of Orm's touch, and it broke her heart that this might be the last time. "So... this is it?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Orm looked at her, her expression torn. "For now, I think it has to be."

Lingling nodded, even though every part of her wanted to fight, to scream, to hold on to what they had. But deep down, she knew Orm was right. They were pulling in opposite directions, and no amount of love could fix that right now.

"I'll always care about you," Orm said softly, squeezing her hand.

"Me too," Lingling whispered, her voice breaking.

They sat in silence for a few more moments before Orm gently let go of her hand, standing up. Lingling followed suit, and they walked out of the café together. The cool evening air hit them as they stepped outside, and for a moment, they just stood there, facing each other.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" Orm said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lingling nodded, unable to speak, tears now freely falling down her cheeks.

Orm leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Lingling's forehead, lingering for just a moment before pulling away. "Goodbye, Lingling."

Lingling watched as Orm turned and walked away, her figure growing smaller and smaller until she disappeared around the corner.

She stood there for what felt like an eternity, the weight of their breakup settling over her like a heavy blanket. Finally, she wiped her tears, took a deep breath, and started walking home, knowing that this chapter of their story had come to an end.