Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 31: Conversations at the Gym

The rhythmic thudding of feet against the treadmill echoed through the gym as Y/N picked up speed, her steady pace carrying her along the track. Sweat dripped from her forehead, and the muscles in her legs burned, but the workout felt good—her way of releasing the tension that had been building up inside her over the past few weeks. The gym was relatively quiet today, just a few people scattered around, but Calie was, as always, loud and animated beside her, talking more than actually working out.

"I'm telling you, Y/N," Calie said between breaths, leaning against a nearby bench, "this weekend with Chris was... aamazing." She waved her hands dramatically as if to emphasize her point. "He's so much better in person than in any of those movies. I swear, I'm already in love with him."

Y/N, her focus locked on the treadmill screen, glanced over at Calie and rolled her eyes. "Didn't you say you were in love with him when you were a teenager? You know, back when you saw him in all those movies?"

Calie groaned in response, slumping dramatically against the bench as if Y/N's words were a physical blow. "Oh my god, since when did you get so talkative, huh? You're killing my vibe!"

Y/N smirked, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "I'm just saying, Calie. You've been obsessed with the guy for, what, ten years now? And now you finally get your date. How was it anyway?"

Calie immediately perked up, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "It was perfect. We went to this little restaurant, super cozy, and he was so sweet! He even complimented me on my outfit—can you believe it? Chris freaking Evans complimented me! And we talked about everything, like movies and life in general. He's such a down-to-earth guy, Y/N. I swear, by the end of the night, I thought, 'Yep, I'm definitely in love.'"

Y/N chuckled softly, picking up her pace on the treadmill. "Sounds like you had a good time, then. I'm happy for you."

Calie leaned over, resting her elbows on her knees as she gave Y/N a playful smirk. "Oh, I know you're happy for me, but what about you? What did you do this weekend? You've been awfully quiet about it."

Y/N slowed down slightly, grabbing her water bottle and taking a long sip. "Well, I met up with Carolina. We've been reading this book together, and we talked about that for a bit."

Calie raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "And?"

"And," Y/N continued, her voice nonchalant, "I saw Scarlett and Rose at the coffee shop when I was leaving with Carolina."

At the mention of Scarlett, Calie's eyes narrowed slightly. She leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. "You saw Scarlett at the coffee shop?"

"Yeah, she was with Rose. We talked for a minute before Carolina and I headed out."

Calie mumbled something under her breath, just loud enough for Y/N to hear but not quite enough to make out the words. Y/N slowed her pace on the treadmill, glancing over at Calie with a raised eyebrow.

"What was that?" Y/N asked, curious about Calie's sudden change in mood.

Calie hesitated for a moment, her lips pursing as if she was debating whether or not to say what was on her mind. Finally, she sighed. "I just don't like Carolina."

Y/N blinked in surprise, slowing the treadmill to a stop as she stepped off the machine. "You don't like Carolina? Why not? She's always been super nice to you."

Calie shrugged, her eyes flicking away from Y/N's questioning gaze. "I don't know... I just don't like her. She's too... I don't know, intense sometimes. And besides," she added, her voice taking on a teasing tone, "you should be dating Scarlett, not Carolina."

Y/N sighed, already knowing where this conversation was headed. She grabbed a towel, wiping down her face before tossing it over her shoulder. "I'm not dating Carolina, Calie. We're just friends. And even if I did like Scarlett, it wouldn't matter. She's straight. There's no point in thinking about it."

Calie stood up, following Y/N as they made their way toward the locker room. "You don't know that," she said, her tone more serious now. "I mean, come on, Y/N. You've told me how Scarlett looks at you sometimes. And don't even try to deny that you've felt something too. I see how you get when you talk about her."

Y/N didn't say anything for a moment, her thoughts racing as she grabbed her bag and headed toward the showers. The truth was, Calie wasn't entirely wrong. Y/N had felt something when she was around Scarlett—something she hadn't fully understood. There was this undeniable pull, like an invisible thread connecting them, but every time she started to wonder if Scarlett might feel it too, she pushed the thought away. It was too dangerous to hope for something that could never happen.

"You know I've never really felt this way before," Y/N finally admitted, her voice quiet as they stepped into the shower area. "But I don't want to lose them. Not Scarlett, not Rose... not anyone. It's hard to explain."

Calie turned on the shower, the steam rising as she spoke, her voice softer now. "You're not going to lose them, Y/N. You deserve to be happy. You've been through enough already, with your parents and everything."

Y/N closed her eyes for a moment, letting the water cascade over her. The memory of her mother's death and her father's harsh words came flooding back, the weight of it still lingering in her chest even after all these years. She swallowed hard, the pain familiar but no less sharp.

"I'm scared," Y/N admitted softly. "I'm scared of losing them the way I lost my parents. I don't know if I can handle that again."

Calie reached over, giving Y/N's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You're not going to lose them, Y/N. You've already built something with Scarlett and Rose. That's not going to disappear overnight."

Y/N nodded, though the fear still lingered in her heart. She didn't say anything more, letting the sound of the water fill the silence between them. After a few moments, Calie's playful tone returned, as she leaned against the shower wall with a grin.

"Plus, let's be real," Calie teased, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "If Scarlett had the chance, she'd probably eat you alive."

Y/N groaned, rolling her eyes as she reached for the shampoo. "Oh god, Calie."

"I'm serious! You're hot, Y/N. Scarlett's not blind."

"Please stop."

Calie laughed, undeterred by Y/N's protests. "You know I'm right. If she could, she'd—"

"Calie, enough."

Y/N's voice was half-exasperated, half-amused, but Calie's laughter only grew louder. Despite herself, Y/N couldn't help but smile. As much as Calie's teasing got on her nerves, it was also comforting in a way, reminding her that not everything had to be so heavy.

As they finished up in the showers and headed back to the locker room, Y/N felt a little lighter. Maybe Calie was right—maybe she deserved to be happy. And maybe, just maybe, there was more to her connection with Scarlett than she was willing to admit.

But for now, she pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the present moment, grateful for the laughter and the lightness that Calie always seemed to bring.