Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 3: Of Books and Cookies

The soft hum of fluorescent lights echoed through the library as Y/N glided between the rows of bookshelves, her fingers tracing the spines of neatly stacked novels. It was a ritual she had come to love—a quiet escape from the outside world, where time seemed to slow down, and all that mattered were the words on the pages she carefully selected.

Trailing behind her, Calie groaned loudly, dragging her feet as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. "I don't understand how you can spend hours reading these massive bricks," she complained, her voice echoing faintly off the tall shelves. "Why read when you can watch a movie? You know, with actual moving people and colors."

Y/N smiled to herself, her eyes scanning the titles of the books. "Because," she replied softly, "a book lets you see things in your own way. You imagine it, you feel it. A movie doesn't give you that kind of freedom."

Calie snorted. "Freedom? More like homework."

Y/N ignored the jab, pulling out a thick novel and examining the cover. The gold-embossed letters gleamed under the light as she flipped through the first few pages. She felt Calie's eyes on her, silently begging for a reprieve from their weekend tradition of library visits.

"You don't even have a TV, Y/N," Calie grumbled. "I'm pretty sure that's some form of torture in today's world. How do you survive without it?"

Y/N looked up, the faintest hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I survive just fine. Maybe you should try it."

Calie scoffed, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. "Please, I'd rather die. I need my shows, my movies, and definitely my Chris Evans. You're just a bookworm who lives in a world of pages."

Y/N's smile widened slightly as she tucked the book under her arm. She knew Calie wasn't serious, just venting in her usual sarcastic way. "And yet, here you are, following me around in the library."

"I'm only here because I'm a good friend," Calie shot back, her voice dramatic. "And because you promised me we'd study today. You're making me endure this torture first."

Y/N shook her head as she continued browsing the shelves. "We'll study soon. I just need a new book for this month."

Calie groaned again, this time louder, as if she were in physical pain. "You already have like fifty books at home. Why do you need another one?"

"Because I've read them," Y/N answered simply, pulling another book from the shelf to inspect.

After what felt like an eternity to Calie, Y/N finally settled on a thick, paperback novel. She held it up for a moment, studying the cover before nodding to herself in approval.

"Found it," Y/N said calmly.

Calie let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Thank God. Can we please go back to the table now?"

Y/N chuckled softly. "Yes, let's go."

As they made their way back to their usual spot near the large bay windows, Calie grabbed the book from Y/N's hand and plopped down in her chair, making a show of reading the description out loud.

"Of course it's some romance novel," Calie muttered, rolling her eyes. "'A love story filled with heartbreak, longing, and ultimate redemption.' I can already tell you how it ends. They'll cry, break up, cry some more, and then—boom—true love forever. What a surprise."

Y/N sat across from her, her calm demeanor unshaken by Calie's dramatics. "It's not always about how it ends. Sometimes the journey is more important."

Calie raised an eyebrow, smirking as she set the book down. "Spoken like a true hopeless romantic."

They settled into their study routine, Calie pulling out her anatomy textbooks while Y/N retrieved her law notes. For the next several minutes, the only sounds were the soft turning of pages and the occasional exasperated sigh from Calie as she muttered complaints under her breath.

"Ugh, why do people need so many bones?" Calie grumbled, flipping through her textbook. "This is ridiculous. Who even remembers all of this?"

Y/N glanced up from her notes, offering a small smile. "You'll remember it when it matters."

Calie shot her a look of disbelief. "Sure. Just like I'll remember to never take another anatomy class again."

Y/N didn't respond, knowing Calie was just venting as usual. It was a familiar routine—Calie complaining about her studies while Y/N quietly worked, occasionally offering a calm word of encouragement. It was their dynamic, and Y/N had long since learned to just let Calie grumble her way through the day.

A few minutes later, the sound of soft footsteps approached their table. Y/N looked up to see Mrs. Harding, the elderly owner of the library, smiling warmly as she made her way toward them. In her hands, she carried a small plate of cookies.

"Good morning, girls," Mrs. Harding said, her voice as gentle as ever. "I thought you might like a little snack."

Calie's face lit up as she reached for a cookie. "Mrs. Harding, you're an angel."

Mrs. Harding chuckled, setting the plate down on the table. "You girls are here so often, it's the least I can do. How's the studying going?"

"Terrible," Calie answered with her mouth full. "I'm pretty sure I'm failing anatomy."

Y/N smiled, shaking her head slightly. "She's not failing. Just a bit dramatic."

Mrs. Harding laughed, her eyes twinkling as she looked between the two of them. "Well, you've always been the calm one, Y/N. And you, Calie, are... well, let's just say lively."

Calie grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

The three of them chatted for a few minutes, Mrs. Harding asking about their studies and their weekend plans. Y/N, as always, was polite and reserved, offering quiet responses while Calie filled the conversation with her usual energy. 

After a while, Mrs. Harding excused herself, leaving the plate of cookies behind as a parting gift.

As they returned to their studying, Calie leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms above her head. "You know, if it wasn't for these cookies, I don't think I'd survive these study sessions."

Y/N smiled softly, her eyes flicking to the book she had chosen earlier. "You'd survive. You're stronger than you think."

Calie rolled her eyes playfully. "There you go again, being all wise and calm. Seriously, Y/N, sometimes I wonder how you do it."

Y/N didn't answer right away, her fingers absentmindedly toying with the corner of her notebook. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I guess I've just had to learn how to be."

Calie gave her a long, thoughtful look, sensing the weight behind Y/N's words but deciding not to press. Instead, she stuffed another cookie into her mouth and grumbled something about studying being a form of torture, earning a soft laugh from Y/N.

And so, they continued—Calie's loud complaints contrasting with Y/N's quiet calm as the day passed in the familiar rhythm they had grown so accustomed to.