Chapter 20

Earlier that day:

Orm took a deep breath, steeling her nerves as she stood before the imposing yet eerily silent house.

She clutched the paper bag containing her prized cinnamon rolls, a peace offering if there ever was one.

"It's now or never," she muttered, rolling her eyes at her own nervousness.

"Not that a few overpriced baked goods are going to make her forgive me. Then again, stranger things have happened..."

She smoothed out the creases in her dress, wanting to look her best.

Not that she was trying to impress Lingling or anything.

No, no, this was purely about making amends and setting things right.

At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

Taking a deep breath, Orm marched towards the front door, a determined expression on her face.

"Alright, Orm," she coached herself under her breath. "Just be honest, be sincere, and most importantly, steer clear of any mention of Ying. Tread lightly around the Prigkhing topic, and for the love of god, do NOT bring up..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "No, scratch that. I'm still screwed!"

******

Orm knocked on the door three times, hoping for a response, but was met with silence.

She stomped her foot impatiently as she waited, frustration mounting with each passing second.

Surely Lingling wouldn't be so stubborn as to ignore her completely? She knocked again, more insistently this time.

"And again..." Orm muttered, her patience wearing thin.

With an exasperated sigh, she gave the door a kick for good measure.

Not the most dignified move, but desperation breeds creativity.

Just as she was about to turn away, a light bulb moment struck her.

The keys! Of course, she still had her set from before... well, she hoped Lingling hadn't changed the locks in a fit of pique.

Fumbling in her bag, Orm found the keys and let out a triumphant "Phew!" as she slid the right one into the lock. The door swung open, revealing...

A gloomy and empty house that seemed to echo with a sense of despair.

Orm's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the kitchen - pots and pans strewn about, the unmistakable sign of a cooking catastrophe.

As she wandered further into the house, a scene of devastation greeted her.

Shattered books lay strewn across the floor, pages ripped and scattered.

Orm's eyes narrowed as she took in the sight, anger simmering within her.

"Okay, that's just plain childish," she declared, hands on her hips. "Someone needs to teach that arrogant hag how to manage her temper."

"It's not about asking for forgiveness anymore. I won't go down without a fight!"

She glanced around the disheveled house, cracking her knuckles in anticipation. "Bring it on, Ling. Let's see who really wears the pants in this relationship, fake or not!"

********

Orm had spent the whole day tidying up the house, desperately hoping for Lingling's return, by evening, when she was beginning to lose all hope, she heard the door open with a faint creak, stirring a mix of anticipation and relief within her.

But then again, she stood there, shocked and stunned, as she watched Namtan stumble in with a very intoxicated Lingling draped over her shoulders.

Lingling's eyes were glazed over, her words slurred and incoherent as she mumbled something about 'stupid woman'.

Namtan looked up, her gaze landing on Orm. She eyed her from head to toe, a mischievous smirk spreading across her face as recognition dawned.

"Quite the sight you make...I must say, those paparazzi shots didn't do you justice."

She pushed Lingling towards Orm, who instinctively reached out to catch her before she stumbled. "Here, take good care of her, won't you? She's a handful sober. Imagine what she's like drunk. Good luck, you'll need it!"

Ignoring Namtan's comment, Orm focused on the task at hand. "Lingling, can you hear me?" she asked, gently patting the actress's cheek.

Lingling mumbled incoherently, her words slurring together.

It seemed the poor thing had drank far too much.

Lingling slurred something incoherent, her words running together as she draped her arms around Orm's neck.

She leaned in close, her lips brushing Orm's ear. "Ormie..." she giggled, "did you miss me?"

Orm sighed, realizing Lingling was in no state for the confrontation she had in mind. She tightened her grip, preventing her from toppling over.

"Not now, Lingling. Let's get you to bed first," Orm replied, guiding her towards the stairs.

Lingling pouted, her bottom lip trembling. "Nooo, I wanna talk to ya..." she whined, her words slurring together.

"Come on, you're not making this easy," Orm muttered, trying to maneuver Lingling's dead weight.

She draped Lingling's arm over her shoulder and wrapped an arm around her waist, hoisting her up.

Lingling mumbled something unintelligible, her head lolling against Orm's shoulder.

Orm couldn't make out a word, but she caught the whiff of tequila and something sweet, like cranberries. Apparently, Lingling had been on quite the bender.

Step by laborious step, Orm managed to heave Lingling up the stairs.

She paused at the top, catching her breath. Lingling took the opportunity to nuzzle into Orm's neck, her cool breath tickling Orm's skin.

"Mmm, you smell nice..." Lingling slurred, her fingers fiddling with Orm's collar.

Orm rolled her eyes, a small smirk tugging at her lips despite herself. "Thanks," she replied dryly. "And you smell like a distillery. Let's keep moving, wasted one."

She continued down the hallway, As they reached the bedroom, Orm maneuvered Lingling to the bed.

"Alright, time for bed," she declared, attempting to lower Lingling onto the mattress. However, Lingling clung to her like a barnacle, making it difficult to extract herself.

"Nooo. Stay with me!!!" Lingling whined, her words drawn out and slurred.

*********

Lingling slumped onto the bed, her limbs splayed out at odd angles. She let out a dramatic sigh, her breath hitching as she struggled to speak coherently.

"I tried..." she slurred, her words running together, "but she's so stupid! She turned me down!!!" Lingling whined, her voice thick with self-pity and alcohol.

She rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling as if seeking answers from the heavens above. Her eyes were glazed over, unfocused, and brimming with unshed tears.

"Ughhh, I hate you Ying!" Lingling suddenly burst out, her voice rising in pitch and volume. "Damn you for getting them all girls..." She pounded a fist on the mattress for emphasis, then immediately winced at the sting.

She turned to Orm with a crooked grin, her eyes narrowing as she tried to focus on her.

"Y'know, Orm," she slurred, poking a finger at Orm's chest, "you're not so bad, for a traitorous little minx who kissed my best friend behind my back."

She let out a breathy chuckle, shaking her head. "I mean, I still hate you, but... I hate you a little less than before. So, um, I guess that's something."

Lingling tried to cross her arms over her chest but ended up flailing a bit before managing it. She fixed Orm with a lopsided glare, her eyes still unfocused.

"And don't think this means I forgive you. It doesn't. I'm just... too tired to stay mad right now. But tomorrow? Tomorrow, I'm gonna be all over you again like a rash!"

Despite her drunken bravado, there was a playfulness in her voice that Orm had never heard before.

It was almost... cute? No, Orm shook her head, dismissing the thought.

Lingling was many things, but cute was not one of them. Still, there was a certain charm to her inebriated state, a vulnerability hidden beneath the sharp edges.

*********

As Lingling's ramblings slowly faded and her breathing evened out, Orm noticed something glinting from the actress's pocket.

Curious, she leaned in closer, her eyes widening as she realized it was a ring. But not just any ring.

With trembling fingers, Orm carefully extracted the item, holding it up to the light.

The diamond sparkled brilliantly, catching the room's dim illumination. It was a stunning solitaire diamond ring, the kind that would make any woman's heart skip a beat.

Orm's mind raced with the implications of such a find. A ring this exquisite could only mean one thing - an engagement ring.

But who was it for? Certainly not Prigkhing, given Lingling's drunken tirade about her best friend rejecting her advances.

The realization hit Orm like a ton of bricks. Lingling had been planning to propose to Prigkhing. That's why she was so devastated and drunk out of her mind. The rejection must have shattered her world.

****

Out of impulsiveness, Orm slipped the ring onto her finger, admiring how it caught the light, casting mini rainbows across her skin. She couldn't help but shower herself with compliments, turning her hand this way and that.

"It's stunning," she murmured, "Wow, it looks... it looks fabulous," Orm breathed, turning her hand back and forth. "I bet it's a top-quality diamond. Lingling has excellent taste, I'll give her that. But what was she thinking, wanting to give this to Prigkhing? She's crazy!"

Lost in her admiring daze, Orm failed to notice the ring was a slightly snug fit.

She went to slide it off, ready to return it to its rightful owner, when she encountered resistance. The ring refused to budge, gripping her finger like a vice.

"What the..." she muttered, tugging harder. The metal dug into her skin, unyielding. "Come on, you stupid ring," Orm growled, giving it another firm yank.

"Come on, it has to come off..." She tugged harder, but the ring remained stubbornly in place, as if it had a mind of its own.

A sheepish grin spread across Orm's face as she realized what she had gotten herself into.

"Oh shit," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief. "Of all the stupid, impulsive things to do... Now I'm stuck with it."

She glanced over at Lingling, still fast asleep and blissfully unaware of the ring's new temporary home.

Orm bit her lip, wondering how she would explain this to the fiery actress when she woke.