Chapter 12 The Ex #2
Ariya joined the campaign planning sessions.
She knew the Aurelia brand extremely well.
She understood international marketing.
She had excellent ideas.
She was also completely charming.
Orm hated that.
It would have been easier if Ariya were obnoxious.
But she wasn't.
She was intelligent.
Funny.
Professional.
And, most annoyingly, genuinely kind.
Which meant Orm couldn't even justify disliking her.
She simply did.
During lunch, Ariya sat beside Ling.
Orm sat across from them.
P'Cherry and Khun Dew were discussing event logistics.
Fluke was eating.
Bow was trying not to stare at Orm.
Ariya turned to Ling.
"Do you still hate coriander?"
Ling looked surprised.
"You remember that?"
"I remember everything about you."
Orm's fork stopped.
Fluke slowly lowered his food.
Bow closed her eyes.
P'Cherry suddenly became very interested in her phone.
Ling cleared her throat.
"I don't hate it."
"You used to."
"People change."
Ariya smiled.
"Not that much."
Orm took a sip of water.
She nearly choked.
Ling noticed.
"Are you okay?"
"Perfect."
Fluke coughed.
Orm kicked him again.
Ariya looked at her.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
Orm smiled.
"Just swallowed wrong."
Ariya nodded.
Then she turned back to Ling.
"Do you still hate horror movies?"
Ling shook her head.
"Yes."
Ariya laughed.
"Still."
Orm stared at her plate.
She knew these things.
That was the problem.
Ariya knew things about Ling that Orm had never known.
She knew how Ling took her coffee.
What food she hated.
What frightened her.
What made her laugh.
She had memories.
History.
Years, perhaps.
Orm suddenly felt very young.
She had only known Ling for weeks.
Ariya had known her long before Orm had ever walked through the doors of Veyra.
And that thought hurt.
More than it should have.
?
That afternoon, Orm was helping with the event materials when Ling appeared beside her.
"You've been quiet."
"I'm working."
"I know."
Orm didn't look up.
"What do you want?"
Ling frowned.
"Are you angry?"
"No."
"Jealous?"
Orm looked at her.
"No."
Ling's lips twitched.
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"Why would I be jealous?"
Ling crossed her arms.
"I don't know."
"Exactly."
Ling stared at her.
Orm returned to her laptop.
After a moment, Ling said,
"Ariya is only here for work."
"I know."
"We're not together."
"I know."
"She means nothing to me now."
Orm's fingers stopped.
She looked up.
Ling's expression was serious.
"You don't have to explain."
"I want to."
Orm stared at her.
Ling continued.
"We were together a long time ago."
"How long?"
Ling hesitated.
"Several years."
Orm swallowed.
"That's a long time."
"It was."
"What happened?"
Ling looked away.
"We wanted different things."
Orm waited.
Ling didn't elaborate.
"You don't have to tell me."
"I know."
"Then why are you?"
"Because I don't want you to misunderstand."
Orm looked at her.
"Do you still love her?"
Ling's expression changed.
"No."
The answer was quiet but certain.
Orm nodded.
"Okay."
Ling watched her.
"Do you believe me?"
Orm hesitated.
"I want to."
Ling sighed.
"That's not the same thing."
"No."
Orm looked down.
"I believe you."
Ling smiled faintly.
"Thank you."
Orm closed her laptop.
"You know, for someone who hates explaining herself, you're doing a lot of explaining."
Ling laughed.
"Maybe I'm learning."
Orm smiled despite herself.
Then Ariya called from across the room.
"Ling?"
Ling turned.
Ariya was standing near the entrance.
"I need your opinion on something."
Ling nodded.
"I'll be there."
She looked back at Orm.
"Don't overthink."
Orm raised an eyebrow.
"I never overthink."
Ling smiled.
"That's the biggest lie you've told me."
Then she walked away.
Orm watched her.
She wanted to be annoyed.
Instead, she smiled.
?
The smile lasted until Thursday.
The Aurelia event was enormous.
The venue was filled with lights, media representatives, clients, photographers and influencers.
Orm stood backstage in a stunning outfit selected specifically for the campaign.
She should have been excited.
Instead, she was nervous.
Not about the event.
About Ariya.
She hated admitting that.
She hated that the woman could walk into a room and make Orm question something that hadn't even been promised to her.
Because Ling hadn't said she loved her.
She hadn't asked Orm to be her girlfriend.
They hadn't defined anything.
And yet, somewhere along the way, Orm had started thinking of Ling as hers.
The thought frightened her.
It also made her jealous.
Ariya appeared beside Ling.
They were talking.
Laughing.
Orm looked away.
P'Cherry noticed.
"Don't."
Orm frowned.
"Don't what?"
"Stare."
"I'm not staring."
"You've been watching them for three minutes."
"I'm observing."
P'Cherry laughed.
"That's a very creative word for jealousy."
"I'm not jealous."
P'Cherry smiled.
"Of course not."
Orm sighed.
"I hate everyone."
"No, you don't."
"At the moment, I do."
P'Cherry patted her shoulder.
"You'll survive."
"Will I?"
"Probably."
Then she walked away.
Orm stared after her.
"Very comforting."
?
The event began.
Orm and Ling were called onto the main stage.
The host introduced them as one of the central faces of Aurelia's campaign.
The crowd applauded.
Orm smiled.
Ling stood beside her.
Their hands touched.
For one second, Orm forgot about Ariya.
Then the host said,
"We also have a special guest tonight, someone who has worked extensively with Aurelia internationally."
Ariya walked onto the stage.
Orm's smile tightened.
Ariya stood beside Ling.
The host laughed.
"Looks like we have an old friendship reunited tonight."
Ariya smiled.
"Very old."
Ling remained calm.
Orm felt the entire internet preparing to explode.
The host asked about their history.
Ariya answered easily.
"Ling and I worked together for several years."
The host smiled.
"Only professionally?"
Ariya looked at Ling.
Ling looked back.
There was a pause.
Then Ariya laughed.
"We were young."
The crowd laughed.
Orm smiled.
But her stomach had dropped.
The host continued.
"You must know Ling very well."
Ariya's eyes softened.
"I used to."
Orm looked at Ling.
Ling's expression was unreadable.
Then Ariya added,
"Some things don't change."
Orm didn't like that sentence.
Not at all.
?
After the stage appearance, Orm escaped backstage.
She needed air.
She found an empty hallway and leaned against the wall.
She closed her eyes.
This was ridiculous.
She knew it.
She was behaving like a jealous girlfriend when she wasn't even technically a girlfriend.
She had no claim.
No right.
No agreement.
And yet—
"Orm."
She opened her eyes.
Ling stood at the end of the hallway.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
Ling walked closer.
"You keep saying that."
Orm looked away.
"Maybe because it's true."
Ling stopped in front of her.
"You've been avoiding me."
"You're one to talk."
Ling sighed.
"Orm."
"I know."
"What do you know?"
"That you and Ariya have history."
Ling nodded.
"I told you."
"I know."
"Then what's wrong?"
Orm laughed softly.
"Nothing."
Ling stared at her.
"You're jealous."
Orm looked at her.
"I'm not."
"You are."
"Maybe."
Ling's expression softened.
"Thank you."
Orm frowned.
"For what?"
"For finally admitting it."
Orm crossed her arms.
"Don't enjoy this."
"I'm not."
"You look like you are."
Ling smiled.
Orm tried not to smile back.
Failed.
Then Ariya's voice came from behind them.
"Ling?"
The smile disappeared.
Ariya approached.
She looked between them.
Then she smiled.
"I've been looking for you."
Ling nodded.
"I was talking to Orm."
Ariya looked at Orm.
"Of course."
Something about her tone made Orm uncomfortable.
Ariya turned to Ling.
"Can we talk?"
Ling hesitated.
Then nodded.
Orm stepped back.
"I'll go."
Ling looked at her.
"Orm—"
"It's fine."
She walked away.
She didn't look back.
She told herself she wasn't jealous.
She told herself she trusted Ling.
She told herself she was being mature.
She told herself many things.
None of them helped.
?
The conversation between Ling and Ariya lasted fifteen minutes.
When Ling returned, Orm was nowhere to be found.
She searched the backstage area.
Nothing.
She checked the lounge.
Nothing.
Finally, she found Orm outside near the service entrance.
Orm was standing beneath the night sky, looking at the city.
Ling approached.
"You left."
"I needed air."
Ling stood beside her.
"Ariya asked about us."
Orm's heart tightened.
"What did she say?"
"She knows."
"Knows what?"
"About the campaign."
Orm nodded.
"Right."
Ling looked at her.
"And she knows there's something else."
Orm turned.
"What?"
Ling's expression was serious.
"She asked if I was falling in love with you."
Orm stopped breathing.
"What did you say?"
Ling looked directly at her.
"I told her it wasn't her business."
Orm's heart raced.
"And?"
Ling stepped closer.
"And she said she already knew."
Orm swallowed.
"Does she?"
Ling shook her head.
"She doesn't know anything."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Orm looked away.
Ling reached for her hand.
Orm let her.
"I don't care about Ariya," Ling said.
"I know."
"I don't want her back."
Orm looked at her.
"Do you mean that?"
"Yes."
"Completely?"
"Completely."
Orm smiled.
"Okay."
Ling squeezed her hand.
"Are you still jealous?"
Orm looked at her.
"Yes."
Ling laughed.
Orm narrowed her eyes.
"Don't laugh."
"I'm not laughing at you."
"You are."
"I'm smiling because..."
She stopped.
"Because what?"
Ling looked at her.
"Because you care."
Orm's heart skipped.
"Of course I care."
Ling went quiet.
Orm realised what she had said.
She looked away.
"You're important to me."
Ling's expression softened.
"You're important to me too."
They stood beneath the night sky.
Their hands remained intertwined.