A girl sat on the still swing, legs dangling, eyes staring at the night sky teeming with glitter, alone.
“What are you looking at?” Yue asked.
“The stars,” came the answer.
“They sure are pretty aren’t they?” Yue walked up to the swing and knelt, putting her school bag lightly in the playground sand.
“Mmm.”
“Where’s your parents? Do you need help?” Yue smiled at the girl.
“I’ll go home now,” with a hop, the girl landed on earth.
As she turned around, Yue stood up. “It’s dangerous out here at night,” she patted the sand off her backpack and swung it on her shoulders, “I’ll walk you home…”
A girl sat on the still swing, feet rested on the sand, eyes staring at the night sky covered by dense clouds, rain drizzling down her face.
Backpack hanging in her hand, Yue stopped at the entrance of the playground as she saw the girl. The cold streetlight and the colder rain enveloped her as she stood there, staring at the girl, surrounded by the sound of raindrops and wind.
Yue lowered her head, bangs covering her face. After a while, the rain stopped. She swung her backpack on her shoulders and walked up to the girl.
“Where’s your parents? Do you need help?” Yue smiled at the girl.
“I’ll go home now.”
The girl stood up from the swing. The clouds parted, slowly revealing the stars.
“I’ll walk you home. It’s dangerous at night,” Yue quietly said. She looked into the girls eyes.
“… Um, have I met you before?”
The girl nodded, “you walked me home before.”
“Have I?”
“Thank you, miss.”
Yue froze.
“Are you ok, miss?” The girl tilted her head.
“Um… Yea. Yea I’m fine.”
The two of them walked towards the exit of the playground.
“Oh, and you can call me Yue.”
“Thank you, Ms. Yue. My name is Xing.”
Yue stopped and smiled. The moonlight dispersed the clouds, caressing the two. Xing turned around, as Yue’s hand petted Xing’s head.
“Thank you, Xing, for saying thank you.”
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