Chapter 12

The next day, Orm, though still recovering, felt significantly better.

The medication and care provided by Lingling had worked wonders so far.

She was now able to sit up on the couch, facing Lingling with a hint of determination in her eyes.

"So... What's the plan?"

Lingling couldn't help but playfully tease Orm as she noticed the girl's excitement.

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting you to be this interested. You sound like you're actually looking forward to it."

Orm blushed at the teasing comment, not expecting to be called out so directly.

She tried to play it off with a shrug, but the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Ah, shut up," she muttered, her voice lacking its usual bite. "I just... want to help, that's all."

Lingling couldn't help but chuckle teasingly at Orm's response. Raising an eyebrow, she shot her a disbelieving look.

"Really?"

"Alright, alright," Orm confessed, her voice lowering to a softer tone as she admitted her interest in the plan.

"I admit, it's... kinda exciting. I mean, getting the chance to mess with someone else's love life isn't something that happens every day. It's a bit thrilling, if I'm being honest."

Lingling chuckled at Orm's admission, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes.

She leaned back in her chair, a sly smile playing on her lips.

"I knew there was something about you that made you perfect for this. I can count on you to pull this off. I can tell."

"Yeah, yeah," Orm muttered, trying to hide her embarrassment. "I just hope this won't backfire on me. So, who's the target of our little scheme?"

Lingling's voice laced with a hint of fondness.

"Prigkhing," she said, rolling the name off her tongue slowly.

"She's a good friend of mine. Bit clueless, though - she's always been painfully oblivious. That's why I need to catch her attention somehow."

Orm couldn't help but tease Lingling a bit, especially considering her reputation.

"So, let me get this straight," Orm began, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"You, the all-time player, can't manage to catch a mere friend's attention? Isn't that supposed to be your specialty?"

Lingling, her pride stung by Orm's comment, shot back with a quick retort.

"Hey, it's not that easy, alright?" she protested, a hint of defensiveness in her voice.

"Prigkhing is... different. She's always been immune to my charm. And trust me, I've tried every trick in the book."

Lingling continued, her voice a mix of disappointment and determination.

"Thing is, Prigkhing seems a little interested in our friend Ying. But there's no way I'm gonna let that happen. Not only because Ying isn't into her that way, but also because I know Prigkhing will end up getting her heart broken. I can't let that happen."

Orm's inner writer awakened, feeling inspired by the story unfolding before her. She began to pace the room, her mind spinning with ideas.

Her sass was on overdrive.

Lingling watched her, a mixture of amusement and confusion in her eyes.

"Woah,woah, hold up," Lingling exclaimed, "What the hell are you doing, girl? Running some marathon in here?"

Orm, not even flinching, turned to face her and exclaimed, "I'm getting inspired here!

She continued a smug grin on her face.

"Seriously, this is too perfect to pass up - an excellent material for my new novel. You may have unintentionally become the muse for my next masterpiece!"

"No way, missy," Lingling said, her voice a mix of exasperation and disbelief. "You're definitely not going to turn this into some kind of fiction."

She quickly got up from her seat and grabbed Orm's arm, gently pulling her back onto the couch.

"Come on, sit down, and let's focus on the real issue at hand."

Orm suddenly perked up, her eyes widening as an intriguing notion crossed her mind.

She exclaimed, her voice raspy but filled with a spark of realization, "Wait a moment. Prigkhing... as in the renowned fashion designer?"

Lingling, catching on to Orm's line of thought, nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, the one and only," she continued slightly amused.

"I thought you wouldn't know her, considering the fact that you don't strike as the fashion-savvy type."

"Hey, don't judge a book by its cover,"Orm retorted, still as defiant as ever.

"Not every woman who dresses simply is clueless about fashion. I can appreciate a good style when I see it and can dress well when the occasion calls for it."

Lingling nodded in agreement, a smirk on her face.

"Damn right, it does. That's why I need you to look your absolute best when we meet Prig. No half-assed attempts, got it?"

Orm, growing tired of Lingling's authoritative tone, snapped back in response.

"Hey, cut it out with that bossy attitude. I'm helping you, remember? You should be the one expressing gratitude, not acting like you're in charge."

Lingling, her smirk growing wider, responded with a hint of playful innuendo in her tone.

"Oh, honey, you have no idea, I'm always in charge, and I intend to stay that way."

Orm, not one to be intimidated by Lingling's attitude, returned the eye roll with an exasperated expression.

"I don't give a flying fuck," she retorted, her voice laced with annoyance.

"I'm only agreeing to help you because I need a place to stay. So, tone it down before I change my mind, got it?"

Lingling couldn't help but smirk as she observed Orm's attitude. She found it both aggravating and slightly endearing.

"You've got quite the feisty attitude, don't you?"

Lingling paused before issuing a command, her tone firm and authoritative.

"Alright, no more bickering. Follow me."

Orm followed Lingling quietly. Once the latter stopped, Orm looked around the familiar surroundings, her eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion as she turned to face the actress.

"What exactly are we doing here? In my bedroom?" she inquired, her voice raspy.

Lingling surveyed Orm's current attire, her eyes taking in the casual, unassuming clothing the girl was wearing.

She pursed her lips in disappointment before turning her attention back to the task at hand.

"Clearly, what you have on won't do," she stated bluntly. "We need to find something that looks a hell of a lot better than that."

As Lingling rummaged through her closet, she came across a stunning backless dress.

A sly smile played on her lips as she pulled it out, appraising it.

"This will do nicely," she said, holding the dress up against Orm's frame. "It'll look great on you. Now, try it on."

Orm gritted her teeth at the sight of the backless dress, a hint of irritation in her eyes.

"Are you serious?" she retorted, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"This thing is barely hiding anything."

Lingling shrugged nonchalantly, unphased by Orm's protest.

"So what?" she echoes, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "It's fashionable, and it's what I want you to wear. So stop whining and put it on."

Orm let out a resigned sigh, knowing there was no point in arguing further.

She snatched the dress from Lingling's hands and headed into the bathroom to change.

She emerged from the bathroom, looking a far cry from her usual simple attire.

The sight of Orm in this dress clearly took Lingling by surprise.

"Oh, you actually look... good."

Lingling admitted begrudgingly, her gaze roaming over Orm with begrudging approval.

Orm shot a sidelong glance at Lingling, noticing the woman's unashamed gaze, and protested.

"Hey, stop staring," she muttered, her arms crossing over her chest instinctively.

Lingling gathered her purse and keys, not bothering to defend herself.

"Alright, now that you're all dolled up," she said, a hint of anticipation in her voice. "Let's get going. Prigkhing's shop awaits."

********

As they exited the car, Lingling casually placed a possessive hand on Orm's back, guiding her towards the entrance of the shop.

Orm, feeling a mixture of irritation and resignation, shot Lingling a sharp glare and muttered a soft curse under her breath.

"For the sake of the damn house," she muttered, reluctantly accepting the touch.

Lingling leaned in a bit closer and whispered an instruction to Orm.

"Shhh, be a good girl," she said, her tone a mix of authority and flirtation. "Put on your best smile and behave."

Orm gritted her teeth at the instruction, disliking the condescending tone.

Nevertheless, she forced a smile on her face and attempted to look pleasant.

"Oh, so now you're giving me orders, huh?" she quipped, her voice slightly hoarse but full of defiance. "But consider yourself lucky I'm doing this at all."

As they entered the shop, Prigkhing's eyes lit up at the sight of Lingling, her voice brimming with excitement and warmth.

"Ah, Lingling!" she exclaimed. "What a lovely surprise! I missed you!"

However, when her gaze shifted to Orm, her cheerfulness and warm smile faltered, replaced by curiosity.

"Lingling dear, who is this lovely girl you've brought along with you?"

Her eyes flickered between Orm and Lingling, waiting for a response.

Without missing a beat, Lingling responded with a hint of feigned possessiveness.

"Oh this lovely lady?" she said with a proud smirk, her arm sliding around Orm's waist. "This is my girlfriend."

"Your girlfriend?" Prigkhing repeated, a hint of surprise in her tone.

"I must admit, this is a surprise. And here I thought you preferred being single."

"Well, people change, don't they?" Lingling replied, a hint of forced carelessness in her voice.

"And there's no way in hell I could let this one go. I mean, have you seen her?"

She gave Orm a slightly mocking glance and pinched her hip subtly asking her to cooperate.

Orm knew it was a signal to hold back her usual sassiness and play along...at least for now.

She did her best to suppress her natural responses, opting for a more reserved and polite demeanor.

Though the effort made her teeth ache, she managed a slightly forced smile, her grip on her own tongue tight.

Prigkhing studied both of them for a moment, clearly not fully convinced by their display of affection.

She hummed thoughtfully, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"You make quite the unusual couple," Prigkhing commented, her tone slightly dubious.

"But I suppose opposites can attract, after all."

Lingling seemed unfazed upon Prigkhing's comment. She chuckled nonchalantly, her hand still firmly on Orm's back.

"Ah, true love works in mysterious ways, doesn't it? But trust me, you should see us together when we're alone. It's a whole different story, isn't that right, darling?"

Lingling turned her gaze towards Orm, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Oh, absolutely," Orm forced out through gritted teeth, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "We can hardly keep our hands off each other. It's quite scandalous."

Prigkhing let out a wistful sigh, watching the "lover" pair in front of her. She shook her head slightly and said,

"Ah, it's undeniable that single life does get rather lonely at times, especially when witnessing couples being so affectionate. It makes one envious, you know?"

It seemed like Lingling's plan of stirring jealousy backfired.

Instead of feeling jealous, Prigkhing was actually envious of their supposed "lovey-dovey" behavior.

This had not been part of Lingling's plan, and the tables were turning in an unexpected way.

"You know, I've been waiting for Ying for a while now," Prigkhing said, a hint of longing in her voice. "I thought she'd come by earlier."

As she mentioned Ying again. A flicker of annoyance crossed Lingling's face, but she quickly masked it with a forced smile.

"Oh, Ying," she replied, trying to hide the hint of disdain in her voice. "I'm sure she'll be here soon enough."

"Since you two are here, why don't we make it a double date night?"

Prigkhing suggested, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Ying and I had planned a dinner together, but the more the merrier, right?"

Both Lingling and Orm exchanged knowing looks and plastered fake smiles on their faces, neither one pleased with the unexpected turn of events.

Prigkhing's suggestion of a double date was definitely not part of their plan.

Lingling's mind raced, silently cursing their bad luck.

They had now to play along even harder to keep up the act.