Stars Waited Above Empty Streets by Lorin Wren 247

Chapter 247 Late Night Calls 

Linden tapped his Holoband, looking at Ava. “Hey, want to add me as a friend?” 

“Sure, why not?” she replied. 

0 

Finished 

They added each other, and Ava sent him the money while saying, “We’ll head out first, just want to walk around a bit.” 

After finishing dinner, the girls left together, leaving the guys still at the table. 

Dario glanced at Linden. “You added her on Holoband?” 

Linden didn’t deny it. “Yeah, I did.” 

His tone was calm, his expression unreadable. 

Dario snorted. “You’re good at hiding things, huh?” 

With that, he turned his face into a scowl and walked away. 

Edwin stood nearby, watching them. He rubbed the back of his neck and said, “You’re something else, Captain Oestergaard… You easily added a girl as a friend. I asked once and got rejected.” 

He slowly stood up and sauntered out of the private room. 

The others pretended they hadn’t noticed, exchanged a few casual words, and left as well. 

The girls wandered through the nearby night market after dinner and didn’t return until almost ten o’clock. 

Back in the dorm, Ava opened her Holoband and saw messages from Keith and Mason that they’d sent while she was eating. She didn’t reply yet–first, she called Ryan on video.. 

The call connected quickly, but the screen was dark. “Ryan?” she called uncertainly. 

She heard his faint breathing, and then the lights came on, revealing him. His hair was damp with sweat, beads sliding down his forehead. “Busy?” she asked. 

Ryan wiped his face with a towel, nodded, then grabbed a bottle of water and gulped it down. Ava noticed his Adam’s apple moving and quickly looked away. 

After finishing half the bottle, he finally looked up. “Back at the dorm?” 

Ava nodded. “Yeah. Ate, walked around a bit, then came back. You still working?” 

“Rehearsing. Not many days left before the concert.” Ryan’s gaze sharpened as he looked at her. “You’ll be there, right?” 

“I will,” she promised. 

Ryan’s tired expression lifted as he heard her certainty, a smile spreading across his face. “I saved you a great 

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18:39 Sat, Jan 24 MG. 

Chapter 247 Late Night Calls 

seat. The e–ticket’s already sent–check it out.” 

Ava raised her brow. “Got it. I’ll be there early.” 

“Want me to have Soren pick you up?” 

“No, I’ve got it.” She waved him off. “Rehearsals must be brutal.” 

Finished 

Ryan looked into her eyes, a warm satisfaction filling his chest. “Not too bad. Compared to you this past month, my schedule’s nothing.” 

Ava shook her head. “It wasn’t that bad. I can handle it.” 

They chatted a little longer when a knock sounded on Ryan’s door. Ava quickly said, “You should get back to work. I’ll hang up.” 

Ryan’s expression darkened, clearly annoyed at the interruption. “A month without seeing you…” 

Ava looked at him–Ryan’s brow was slightly furrowed, his eyes bright and shiny, yet somehow carrying this pitiful little look. 

He really looked like a puppy. 

“I know. My training’s over now. You can reach out anytime. All that hard rehearsal… the concert’s going to be amazing, and I can’t wait to see it live.” 

Another knock came. Ava waved. “I’ll let you get back to it. Good luck!” 

Ryan sighed. “Yeah. Goodnight.” 

Once Ava ended the call, Ryan’s face soured. He opened the door. “What now?” 

Seeing his mood, Soren immediately pointed behind him. “Dolly’s here. She wants you.” 

Ryan ran a hand through his hair in frustration and stepped out. Soren exhaled, relieved–he almost got on Ryan’s bad side. 

Shortly after, Keith called on Holoband. Ava answered. He was still in his lab coat, looking a little worn out Ava was surprised. “You’re still at the lab?” 

Keith smiled at her. “Yeah. Working late.” 

“You’re still there so late? Did you even eat dinner?” 

“Not yet. I’ll grab something to eat in a little while.” 

Ava frowned. “Skipping meals isn’t good for your stomach.” 

Keith reached toward the screen, lightly brushing her cheek. “Okay, I’ll eat soon. A month without seeing you… it feels like centuries.” 

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