Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 32: A Day Off

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across Y/N's bedroom as she lay nestled beneath the blankets, savoring the quietness of her day off. Cebrus, as always, was curled up at her feet, snoring softly, his presence comforting. Y/N let out a contented sigh, sinking deeper into her pillow. She'd planned on sleeping in, maybe even spending the entire morning in bed with a book.

But, of course, Calie had other plans.

Suddenly, the door to her room flew open, and Calie's loud voice shattered the peaceful silence. 

"Y/N! Get up, get dressed! We're leaving in thirty minutes!" 

Y/N groaned, pulling the blanket over her head as if that would somehow protect her from Calie's boundless energy. "Calie... it's my day off."

"I know! And that's why we're going to spend it doing something fun!" Calie shot back, pulling the blanket off Y/N. "Come on, you've got twenty minutes to shower, and then we're out of here."

Knowing there was no use in arguing—Calie was as relentless as she was loud—Y/N reluctantly threw off the covers and headed for the bathroom. Cebrus, sensing the change in energy, hopped off the bed and trotted after Calie, wagging his tail as she called for him.

Twenty minutes later, Y/N emerged from her room, dressed in dark gray suit pants and a comfortable green sweater. Her hair, still damp from the shower, was brushed back, but she paused, glancing at Calie who was waiting impatiently near the door.

"I've been thinking about cutting my hair into a mullet," Y/N said casually as she walked over.

Calie, who had been scrolling through her phone, looked up and studied Y/N's face for a moment, her eyes narrowing in thought. After a beat of silence, she gave a small nod of approval. "Yeah, I could see that. It'd suit you."

Y/N chuckled softly, a bit surprised at how quickly Calie agreed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. So, where exactly are we going?"

"We're spending the day at Chris's place," Calie said, her voice brimming with excitement. "He invited me over, and you're coming too. And before you say anything, Scarlett and Rose will be there later."

Y/N paused for a moment, eyebrows raised in mild surprise, but she didn't argue. Instead, she grabbed Cebrus's leash, clipping it on as the dog wagged his tail, eager to head out.

The taxi ride to Chris Evans' house was filled with Calie's usual chatter, but Y/N, calm as always, mostly listened, her thoughts drifting. She couldn't help but think about seeing Scarlett again today. The memory of their last encounter lingered in her mind—something about it had felt off, but she couldn't quite place why. 

When they arrived at Chris's house, Calie wasted no time, walking right in without knocking. Y/N followed, slightly surprised by Calie's boldness but choosing to ignore it. As soon as they stepped inside, Cebrus bolted off, his leash trailing behind him as he raced around, exploring the house.

Chris greeted them with his signature smile, ushering them into the kitchen. "Hey! Breakfast is almost ready. You hungry?"

"Starving," Calie replied enthusiastically, already heading toward the dining table. Y/N smiled politely, nodding as she took a seat. 

"Scarlett should be here any minute," Chris added, glancing at the clock. 

At the mention of her name, Y/N felt a small flutter in her chest. She nodded, keeping her expression neutral as she leaned back in her chair. 

As if on cue, they heard the front door open, and Y/N's heart skipped a beat. She stood up almost instinctively, moving toward the hallway to greet Scarlett. The familiar sound of Rose's soft babbling filled the air, and Y/N smiled, ready to greet both of them. 

"Scarlett," she greeted with a warm smile, her eyes softening as she stepped forward. "Hey, let me help you with Rose—"

Before Y/N could even finish her sentence, Scarlett, who was holding Rose tightly in her arms, gave her a small, almost polite smile but walked right past her. "I've got her, thanks."

Y/N stood there, blinking in confusion as she watched Scarlett disappear down the hallway, her mind trying to process what had just happened. The warmth in her chest was quickly replaced by a strange, cold sensation, something unsettling that she couldn't quite shake. 

Scarlett had barely looked at her.

Had she done something wrong? Y/N frowned, her heart sinking slightly as she stood frozen in place, still standing in the hallway where Scarlett had left her. The easy, comfortable connection they'd shared at the park seemed distant now, and Y/N couldn't understand why.

She stood there for a few more moments, staring after Scarlett, her thoughts racing.