Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 54: Avoidance

Y/N tied her apron with a swift, practiced motion, glancing at the clock. It was 2:30 PM—time for her shift to begin. She plastered on her perfect smile, the one she'd been using for as long as she could remember, and stepped out to the front of the café. The usual bustle greeted her, and she immediately got to work, cleaning tables, taking orders, and making coffee. She hadn't heard from anyone yet—Scarlett, Chris, Calie—but it didn't bother her, or at least, that's what she told herself.

The day was busy, and Y/N threw herself into her tasks. She didn't let her mind wander because, as long as she stayed busy, she didn't have to think about anything else. It wasn't until around 5 PM, when the rush died down, that she found herself with nothing to do. The café had calmed, and she started searching for small tasks to keep her hands occupied—anything to avoid sitting with her thoughts.

Just as she began wiping down the counter, the familiar sound of the bell over the door jingled. At first, Y/N didn't think much of it, but then she heard familiar laughter. Her body tensed involuntarily as she turned toward the entrance. Chris, Scarlett, and Calie were walking in, laughing and chatting as they found a table. They placed their bags down, settling in like any other group of customers.

Y/N felt her pulse quicken. Without thinking, she turned toward Carlos, one of her coworkers, and muttered, "Can you take this one? I need to, uh, do something."

Carlos gave her a confused look. "What do you mean? They're your friends, aren't they?"

"I just... I need to do something," Y/N repeated, her voice slightly strained. She didn't wait for his response, slipping into the back of the café. She grabbed a carton of milk from the fridge, then started restocking the shelves, trying to busy herself with anything that kept her away from the front of the store.

For the next ten minutes, she moved around quietly, finding menial tasks—things she'd normally never worry about during a shift. Every now and then, she'd glance over to see if they were still sitting at the table. They were. They were all chatting happily, and Y/N's chest tightened. She didn't want to face them, not after the party, not after everything. 

Eventually, Carlos found her, raising an eyebrow as he approached. "What's going on with you today?"

Y/N straightened up, trying to act casual. "Nothing, what do you mean?"

Carlos didn't buy it. He gave her a knowing look and tilted his head toward the table where Scarlett, Chris, and Cerlie are sitting. "They're here, and you're acting like you don't even know them. What gives?"

Y/N shrugged, her throat tightening. "I'm just... busy. There's a lot to do."

Carlos sighed, not fully convinced. "Right, well, since you're so 'busy,' I guess you should take this tray to them." He held out a tray of coffee and cakes, raising a brow.

Y/N swallowed hard, hesitating before finally nodding. She couldn't avoid it forever. With the tray in hand, she walked toward the table, her steps slower than usual. Her heart was pounding, and she felt a bit unsteady, but she forced herself to keep moving.

As she approached the table, she greeted them with the same professional smile she gave any other customer. "Here's your order," she said, placing the coffee and cakes down in front of them.

All three of them—Chris, Scarlett, Calie—looked up at her in surprise. There was a moment of silence before Chris broke into a teasing grin. "Well, look who it is! First, you run away from the party, and now you're acting like you don't even know us."

Y/N tensed, her smile faltering slightly. "I wasn't feeling well last night," she said, her voice calm but distant. "And today, it's just busy. You know, work."

They exchanged glances, clearly not buying it, but none of them pressed further. Chris laughed it off, and the conversation at the table resumed as if nothing had happened. But Scarlett's gaze lingered on Y/N, her expression filled with quiet concern.

Y/N quickly excused herself and walked back to the counter, feeling the weight of Scarlett's eyes on her the entire time. When she reached the desk, Carlos gave her a pointed look. "You sure everything's okay?" he asked, folding his arms.

"I'm fine," Y/N replied, her voice clipped. "I'm just going to take a quick break."

Carlos watched her, skepticism still on his face, but he didn't argue. Y/N leaned closer, lowering her voice. "If they ask where I am, just say the boss needed me to do something, okay?"

Carlos frowned but nodded. "Okay, whatever you say."

Y/N slipped into the back room, closing the door behind her. She sat down on an empty crate and stared at the floor, her mind buzzing. She stayed there for thirty minutes, her thoughts swirling but her body still. She waited until she was sure they were gone, until the café felt empty again. 

Only then did she finally return to the front, her expression neutral as she picked up where she left off. It was easier to go back to work now, the façade of calm slipping back into place.

But inside, the ache hadn't faded.