Stars Waited Above Empty Streets by Lorin Wren 188

Chapter 188 Their Playdate 

$6 

Finished 

Mason raised an eyebrow, glancing first at the photo of Ava playing the guitar, then at the same Ava now, fully absorbed in her play. 

I didn’t know she could play the guitar! 

All morning, Ava had been playing joyfully with a group of children, big and small. Midway through, she had asked Mason if he wanted to join, but he simply said no. Ava didn’t press him and continued to enjoy herself. 

It wasn’t until lunchtime that she reluctantly stepped away from the fun. 

Mason sat upright on a bench, alone, with no other tourists nearby. His calm demeanor made everyone steer clear from him. 

Ava approached him, a little embarrassed. “Sorry, I got so caught up in playing that I lost track of time… I also forgot about you.” 

Mason handed her some water. “Watching you play makes me happy too. Here, have some water. Jason has already booked our flight back to Capitol Planet. We’re leaving at 9:40 p.m. later tonight. 

“Once we land, I’ll send you back home. If our flight gets delayed, we’ll stay at a hotel for the night.” 

“Do you think we’d arrive home too late?” Ava asked, feeling uncertain. Given how late their flight was, plus another two hours of travel, they’d arrive late at night. 

“It’s hard to say. The weather forecast isn’t great,” Mason explained. “Let’s hope it all 

goes well.” 

He then said, “Why don’t we grab a bite before checking out the Eternal Bridge? You’ve been looking forward to it, haven’t you?” 

Jalal led them to a private restaurant which locals frequented. Aside from it being a bit pricey, there were no complaints. Jalal, usually too frugal to dine here himself, was happy to tag along this time since the guests weren’t short on money. 

As usual, he left the table mostly to the two of them, taking a separate seat for himself. 

The Eternal Bridge, as its name suggested, came from the idea of life being like a fleeting dream. The bridge stretched over three hundred feet, connecting the two banks of the river. At this time of year, the river below had frozen into a thick sheet of ice, with many visitors skating across it. 

Nearby were two large parks, surrounded by well–developed commercial streets, making it the 

1/3 

66 

Chapter 188 Their Playdate 

perfect spot for photos. 

Finished 

Ava ignored the commercial streets and headed toward the parks. There were fewer people there, which was a little disappointing. Compared to the online hype, the place felt slightly underwhelming. 

The park was quiet. Footprints marked the paths, and the treetops were draped with glistening frost. Two children were playing under a tree; one shook a branch suddenly, and the frost fell like a silken curtain, surrounding them as if in a fairyland. 

Ava tilted her head back, gazing at the frost above. She rubbed her hands together, picked a smaller tree, and ran under it. She pulled on her hat, adjusted her scarf to cover her mouth and nose, and shook the branch as she imitated the children. Thousands of frosty strands cascaded down, landing on her head and shoulders. 

Mason activated his Holoband, watching her play through the lens. Even the falling frost brought her visible delight. 

Ava shook off the frost from her body and stepped out from under the tree. Walking along, she said, “It’s so cold! Quick, check if any got inside my scarf.” 

She removed the scarf, shook it in her hands, and leaned forward, letting Mason check. 

Mason looked at her and smiled. “Finally aware of the cold, huh? I thought you were having fun, even diving right into it.” 

Ava giggled. “Come on, I’ve never experienced snow before. Now that I have, hurry up and check if there’s any inside here.” 

He stepped behind her, leaning slightly to look at her fair, exposed neck. A few frost strands clung to her collar and upper back, so he gently brushed them off. As his hand moved over her collar, his fingers lightly touched the back of her neck. 

Ava shivered instantly. “It’s a little chilly…” 

“Is that so?” 

Suddenly, warmth spread up the back of her neck where his fingers had rested, pressing softly against the nape, giving a few gentle squeezes. Ava trembled and quickly straightened, saying, “Okay, that’s enough.” 

Mason withdrew his hand, letting it fall naturally to his sides. Ava adjusted her scarf, covering her fair skin. He lowered his gaze, no longer looking. 

Ava felt slightly awkward. She wasn’t sure if his touch had been intentional, but now was not the time to think about it. She pretended nothing had happened, straightened her scarf, and shook 

her hat. 

2/3 

16:49 Sat, Jan 17 M… 

Chapter 188 Their Playdate 

She stole a glance at Mason. He was standing there, his eyes focused elsewhere. 

Wanting to break the tension, Ava asked, “Why isn’t this part of the river frozen?” 

Under the Eternal Bridge, the river had formed a solid sheet of ice. But here, the water remained liquid. It was strange, almost like the river itself was refusing to freeze. 

290 

W 

2/2