Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 9: A Morning Run and Unexpected News

It was a crisp Saturday morning, and Y/N was already out on her usual run. The sky was a soft blue, the sun just starting to rise higher, casting long shadows across the park path. Today was her day off, and she relished the chance to unwind after a hectic week. Cebrus trotted happily beside her, his tail wagging as he darted off every now and then to chase after squirrels or pigeons. She had one earphone in, humming along quietly to *"I Fell in Love in October"* by girl in red, the soft beats and calming rhythm matching her pace.

The park was peaceful this time of the morning, the cool air refreshing against her skin as she kept a steady rhythm. She was just getting into the groove of her run when she suddenly heard a voice close by.

"On your left!" the voice called out, playfully.

Y/N immediately recognized it, and a small smile spread across her face before she even looked up. A moment later, a figure rushed past her, only to slow down and start running backward, a wide grin on his face. It was Chris, looking as energetic and playful as ever.

She giggled softly at his antics, pulling her earphone out and tucking it into her pocket. "Morning, Chris," she greeted, her breath steady as they fell into an easy rhythm, running side by side. Cebrus darted ahead of them, his energy boundless as he zigzagged across the path.

"Morning!" Chris replied, his grin still in place. "Didn't expect to see you out here this early."

"Day off," Y/N said, a hint of relief in her voice. "Figured I'd start it with a run."

"Good call," Chris nodded, then glanced at Cebrus, who had veered off to chase after a particularly bold pigeon. "Cebrus has more energy than I do this morning," he joked, watching as the dog bounded across the grass.

Y/N laughed, shaking her head. "He's always like this. Doesn't matter how many miles we cover, he'll still find the energy to chase after something."

Chris chuckled. "Sounds like someone I know."

They kept up a comfortable pace, chatting about random things as they ran, the conversation light and easy. After a while, they slowed to a stop under Y/N's favorite tree, the large oak that had become a sort of meeting point for her over the years. She took a deep breath, leaning back against the tree trunk as she wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead. Cebrus plopped down beside her, finally tired out, his tongue lolling happily.

"So, rough day at work yesterday?" Chris asked, sensing she had something on her mind.

Y/N groaned softly, rolling her eyes at the memory. "Yeah, you could say that. Had this awful customer. She was so rude, like... unnecessarily rude."

Chris raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Oh yeah? What happened?"

Y/N launched into the story, telling him about the woman in the café who had come in wearing a suit and immediately gave off the vibe that she was too important to be there. She described the way the woman had rolled her eyes at her, complained about the coffee, and then left without so much as a thank you. 

Chris listened intently, laughing softly when she imitated the woman's exasperated tone. "That's brutal," he said with a sympathetic shake of his head. "Sounds like one of my friends sometimes."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, laughing. "Really? I doubt they're that bad."

Chris smirked. "You'd be surprised. They can be a real diva when they want to be."

Y/N chuckled, feeling her mood lighten as they joked about the situation. It was nice to have someone to vent to, and Chris seemed to have a way of making everything feel less serious, more relaxed. After about twenty minutes of chatting, they both decided it was time to get back to their run.

"All right," Chris said, stretching his arms above his head. "Shall we?"

"Let's do it," Y/N agreed, giving Cebrus a quick pat on the head before they started jogging again.

They ran side by side for a while longer, the park still mostly empty, the early morning serenity wrapping around them like a blanket. After another mile or so, they reached a fork in the path, where they would part ways.

"Catch you later, Y/N," Chris said, offering her a small wave as he headed in the opposite direction.

"See you around, Chris," Y/N called back, her smile lingering as she watched him disappear down the path.

By the time Y/N and Cebrus finally made it back home, it was already around 8:40. She opened the door, grateful for the cool air inside her apartment, and kicked off her shoes. Cebrus darted to his water bowl, lapping up water noisily as Y/N grabbed a towel to dry off her face.

Before she could relax, though, a familiar voice rang through the apartment.

"Y/N! Get over here!" her best friend, Calie, yelled from the living room. Y/N groaned slightly, wondering what could possibly be so urgent this early in the morning not even worrying about how she got into her house but she knows she has the keys.

"What's up?" Y/N asked, walking into the living room with Cebrus padding along behind her.

Calie didn't respond immediately, too busy pointing at her phone with wide, excited eyes. "You need to see this!"

Y/N raised an eyebrow, walking over to see what had gotten Calie so worked up. On the phone screen was an article with a headline that read: "Chris Evans Spotted in the Park with a Small Child—Who's the Mystery woman?"

Y/N blinked, her mind trying to process what she was seeing. "Wait, what? When was this?"

"Last Wednesday! " Calie said, practically bouncing with excitement. "You were with him, right? And you didn't tell my you bitch?! Oh my god, did you meet the baby? Who is it?"

Y/N stared at the article for a moment, recalling her run with Chris and the few times she'd seen him with Rose. "Uh... yeah, I met her. He said her name was Rose. I just assumed she was his friend's kid."

Calie gasped dramatically. "Rose? As in Scarlett Johansson's daughter, Rose?!"

Y/N blinked, confused. "What, who? Scarlett Johansson?"

Calie stared at her, incredulous. "Y/N, how do you not know this? Scarlett Johansson is one of the biggest actresses!! Chris and Scarlett are super close. It's all over the internet!"

Y/N shrugged, her confusion deepening. "I don't really follow celebrity news, you know that."

Calie shook her head in disbelief, grinning from ear to ear. "You're living in the middle of a real-life movie, and you don't even know it. You've been running with Chris Evans and hanging out with Scarlett Johansson's daughter!"

Y/N groaned, flopping down onto the couch. "Great, just what I needed—more drama."

Calie laughed, throwing herself onto the couch next to Y/N. "Well, if it's any consolation, you've officially entered the realm of Hollywood gossip. You're practically famous now."

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh. She had no idea how she had gotten herself into this strange situation, but one thing was for sure—her Saturday off was already turning out to be far more eventful than she had expected.