Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 51: Unseen

Y/N had been sitting on the terrace for what felt like forever—at least thirty minutes, maybe more. The cool night air kissed her skin as the distant hum of music and laughter drifted from the house. She'd lost track of how many stars she'd counted or how many times she'd tried to push her feelings down into the depths of her heart. It had been quiet—too quiet. No one had come looking for her, no texts, no calls. Not even a "Where did you go?" or a "Come back inside." 

She understood that Scarlett and Chris had to maintain their public personas, even among friends. They were celebrities, after all. But tonight, there were no cameras, no media—just friends, close ones at that. Yet, here she was, forgotten on the outskirts, isolated despite being in a house full of people. It hurt more than she wanted to admit.

What stung even more, though, was Calie. Her best friend, the one person who always knew when something was wrong, hadn't even noticed she was gone. Calie was caught up in her own world, as excited as she had been to be surrounded by famous faces. She, too, had forgotten about Y/N.

The sting of rejection settled deep in her chest, and no matter how much Y/N tried to brush it off, it lingered like a shadow, darkening her mood with every passing minute. The tears threatened to fall, welling up in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. 'No', she told herself. 'Not here. Not now.'

With a deep breath, she stood from the terrace, smoothing down her outfit before stepping back into the house. The warmth of the room hit her immediately, the energy buzzing with laughter, conversation, and music. It felt so foreign to her, as if she were intruding on someone else's life.

She didn't know exactly where she was going, only that she wanted to leave. She made her way toward the exit, careful not to draw attention to herself. But as she crossed through the living room, she caught a glimpse of the group—Scarlett, Chris, and the others—dancing in the center of the room.

Her heart stopped.

Scarlett was dancing close—too close—to Robert Downey Jr. Y/N's breath hitched as she watched Scarlett laugh, leaning in toward him, their bodies moving in sync. The way Scarlett's hand rested on his arm, the way her head tilted back in laughter, the easy comfort between them—it was too much.

A sharp, invisible pin jabbed at Y/N's heart, the pain sudden and overwhelming. It wasn't just the dancing; it was the way Scarlett seemed so carefree, so happy, so... distant. Y/N had never felt further away from her than she did in that moment.

She shook her head, forcing herself to look away, but the image was already burned into her mind. Without another thought, she hurried toward the door, slipping outside into the cool night once again.

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as she headed for her motorcycle, her breath coming in short, shallow bursts. She hadn't even thought to grab her helmet or jacket. It didn't matter. None of it mattered. The only thing she wanted was to get as far away from the house as possible.

Climbing onto her bike, Y/N revved the engine and took off down the street, the roar of the motorcycle barely drowning out the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her. She didn't know where she was going; she just needed to escape. The wind whipped against her face, and for a fleeting moment, the cold sting helped keep the tears at bay.

Fifteen minutes later, Y/N pulled into a small, empty parking lot on the outskirts of the city. She switched off the engine, the sudden silence wrapping around her like a blanket. The night was quiet here, the stars still bright above, but the world felt heavier.

She got off her bike, her legs shaky as she walked down a narrow path lined with tall trees. The ground crunched beneath her feet as she moved slowly, her thoughts spiraling into a mess of hurt and confusion. Her eyes burned, and she blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears from falling. But the more she tried to hold them back, the harder it became.

When she finally reached a small clearing, Y/N stopped. She looked up, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. The stars twinkled overhead, beautiful and distant. She crouched down, running her fingers through the grass, her throat tightening.

After a moment, she sank to the ground, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the clearing. The weight of everything she'd been feeling crashed down on her like a tidal wave—Scarlett, Calie, the party, being forgotten. It all came rushing to the surface, and there was nothing left to do but let the tears fall.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," she whispered, her voice trembling.

She wasn't sure why she was here, in this quiet, lonely place. But somehow, it felt right. Her parents were buried here, in this small, unassuming cemetery on the edge of the city. She hadn't visited in a while—not because she didn't want to, but because it was too painful. The loss still felt raw, even after all this time.

Y/N wiped at her eyes, sniffling as she looked up at the sky. "I miss you," she said softly, her voice barely audible. "I wish you were here."

Her parents had always known how to comfort her, how to make everything seem less complicated. They had been her anchors, the ones who grounded her when life felt overwhelming. Without them, she felt adrift, lost in a sea of emotions she didn't know how to navigate.

"I don't know what I'm doing," Y/N admitted, her voice cracking. "Everything feels so... wrong."

She wasn't sure if she was talking about Scarlett, or the party, or life in general. Maybe it was all of it. She didn't know. All she knew was that sitting here, beneath the stars, talking to the people she missed most in the world, made the weight on her chest feel a little lighter.

For a long time, Y/N just sat there, the night air cool against her skin, the world quiet around her. She let the tears come freely, no longer holding them back. It was just her, the stars, and the memory of her parents—silent, yet comforting in their own way.

Eventually, the tears slowed, leaving her feeling drained but a little more at peace. She wasn't sure what would happen next—whether she'd go back to the party or drive aimlessly through the night—but for now, sitting here, under the stars, was enough.