Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 58: Hidden Tensions

Everyone was seated around the table again, enjoying the food and conversation. Rose had just woken up from her nap, and Y/N passed her to Scarlett before excusing herself to answer the door when the bell rang. When Y/N opened the door, she saw Carolina standing there with a friendly smile.

"Hey! Come on in," Y/N greeted, stepping aside to let her in.

Carolina entered the apartment, and they walked together to the living room. As soon as they entered, Carolina's eyes widened with surprise when she saw Chris and Scarlett sitting there. She had met Scarlett briefly once at the café but seeing both celebrities together, casually hanging out at Y/N's place, was still a bit surreal.

"Carolina, this is Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson," Y/N said, introducing them casually. "And you've already met Calie."

Carolina nodded, still somewhat starstruck. "Yeah, uh, wow, I didn't expect this. Hi, nice to meet you again," she said, giving them a polite wave.

Chris smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Carolina."

Scarlett gave a small nod, though her expression seemed a little tight. "Yeah, we've met. It's... nice seeing you again."

Y/N caught the slight tension in Scarlett's voice but decided not to say anything. She didn't want to make things awkward, and Carolina didn't seem to notice.

"We're just going to the bathroom for a bit. Carolina's helping me with something," Y/N said, offering a small smile to the room before leading Carolina out of the living room.

Once the bathroom door closed behind them, the living room fell into a quiet, awkward silence. Chris, Calie, and Scarlett exchanged looks, even Cebrus seemed to be watching the bathroom door with curiosity. Rose sat quietly on Scarlett's lap, looking up at her mother as if sensing the shift in the room.

Suddenly, Scarlett broke the silence, imitating Carolina's voice with exaggerated sweetness. "Hi, I'm Carolina. Wow, it's so nice to meet you all! Y/N and I are, like, super close."

Her mockery earned a few chuckles from Calie, but Chris shook his head disapprovingly. "Come on, Scar. Be nice."

Scarlett shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "I am being nice."

Calie smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Uh-huh, sure you are."

Chris rolled his eyes, glancing toward the bathroom door again. "I wonder what they're doing in there."

After about 40 minutes, the bathroom door finally opened. Carolina stepped out first, looking at the group with a grin. "Okay, is everyone ready?" she asked, clapping her hands together.

The room fell silent, confused expressions on everyone's faces. "Ready for what?" Chris asked, his brow furrowed.

Before Carolina could answer, Y/N stepped out of the bathroom—and the sight of her made everyone freeze. Her long hair was gone, replaced with a short, stylish cut. Her cheeks were pink with a mix of nervousness and excitement, but her eyes darted to the floor as everyone's gaze fixed on her.

Scarlett, holding Rose, set her down quickly and walked up to Y/N, her mouth slightly open in shock. Calie and Chris followed, both staring at Y/N with wide eyes.

"Wow," Chris muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's... different. You look amazing."

Calie nodded, speechless for a moment before breaking into a grin. "You look so badass!"

Y/N blushed, shifting from foot to foot under their intense stares. "Thanks, guys... I just felt like a change."

But Scarlett didn't say anything at first. Instead, she walked right up to Y/N, her eyes narrowing with a mix of surprise and something else Y/N couldn't quite place. Then, in one swift motion, Scarlett's fingers slid into Y/N's short hair, tugging just enough to make Y/N gasp.

Y/N moaned softly in surprise, her face turning crimson as everyone watched. Scarlett leaned in close, her voice low and teasing. "Good," she whispered. "I can still pull it."

The room erupted into laughter. Y/N's face burned bright red, and she quickly pulled away from Scarlett, mumbling something under her breath as she fled to the kitchen, desperate for a moment of reprieve.

In the kitchen, Y/N filled a glass of water, trying to cool herself down, both from embarrassment and the flustered warmth that Scarlett's teasing had left behind. She stood there for a moment, calming her breath, when she heard slow footsteps behind her.

She turn around, Scarlett's hands were suddenly on her, pushing her gently against the counter. Y/N's heart raced as Scarlett's fingers threaded through her hair again, this time with a softer touch, scratching lightly at her scalp.

Y/N looked up, her cheeks still warm, meeting Scarlett's intense gaze. "What are you doing?" she whispered.

Scarlett didn't answer right away. Instead, her eyes softened, but there was still a trace of something more serious underneath. "You and Carolina," she said, her voice low. "You seem... close."

Y/N frowned, her heart sinking a little. "There's nothing between us," she replied firmly. "She's just a friend, Scar."

Scarlett's hand stilled in Y/N's hair, but her eyes stayed locked on Y/N's. "Are you sure?" she pushed. "Because the way she looks at you—"

Y/N's patience thinned, her brow furrowing as she cut her off. "Really? And you don't have a problem when you almost danced on RDJ at Chris's party?"

Scarlett's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden outburst. "That was just dancing, Y/N. You know Robert and I are just friends. You don't need to worry about him."

Y/N rolled her eyes, turning her head slightly to avoid Scarlett's gaze. "At least Carolina and I aren't flirting with each other in front of our partners."

Scarlett opened her mouth to argue but then shut it, surprised by Y/N's tone. Y/N's words stung more than she expected.

"We're not even partners," Y/N muttered, her voice thick with frustration. "We just kiss every now and then, and that's it. You called me your friend."

Scarlett was taken aback, the hurt in Y/N's voice cutting through her. Before she could say anything, Y/N pulled away, slipping past her and out of the kitchen.

Scarlett quickly followed, calling after her. "Y/N, wait—"

But Y/N ignored her, walking straight up to Carolina in the living room. "I'll walk you home," she said, her voice clipped. "Let's go."

Carolina looked between Y/N and the others, sensing the tension but nodding. "Uh, sure. Thanks."

Y/N grabbed her jacket, not looking at anyone else as she moved toward the door. Scarlett, Chris, and Calie exchanged worried glances, but no one said anything. They could all feel that something had shifted in the room.

As Y/N opened the door, Scarlett tried one last time, her voice softer now. "Y/N, can we talk?"

Y/N's jaw tightened, but she didn't turn around. "Not now."

And with that, she and Carolina left the apartment, leaving Scarlett standing by the door, feeling a growing pit of regret in her stomach.