Mom's Friend / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter Twenty: A Dangerous Love

The room was a blinding white as Y/N slowly opened her eyes, wincing at the harsh light. Instinctively, she brought her hand up to shield her face. The dull, pounding pain in her head wasn't helping, and she groaned as the noise around her filtered into her consciousness. It sounded like people were talking, but everything felt like static.

"Whoever's here... shut up," Y/N croaked hoarsely, her voice barely audible as her throat felt raw, like sandpaper. "I have a headache..."

The voices quieted almost immediately, and Y/N could feel the weight of several pairs of eyes on her. She opened her eyes more cautiously this time, squinting at the blurred shapes that filled the room. The first thing she could make out was a hand, offering her a glass of water.

It was Scarlett.

Confusion clouded Y/N's face as she grabbed the glass, her hand trembling slightly. She took a sip, the cold water soothing her dry throat, but the momentary relief didn't stop her mind from racing. As her vision cleared, she took in her surroundings—cold, sterile walls, medical equipment, the steady beep of a heart monitor.

She was in a hospital.

"Shit..." she muttered under her breath, cursing at the situation.

Before she could gather her thoughts, her mother's voice cut through the quiet, sharp and filled with anger.

"Do you have any idea what you've put us through?" Elizabeth's voice trembled with a mix of anger and relief, but mostly anger. Her eyes were bloodshot, red from tears, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I can't believe you, Y/N! After everything we've been through, after everything you've been through, you still go out and do this reckless, insane shit!"

Y/N groaned internally, bringing a hand to her temple as she listened. She wasn't sure if it was the headache or the guilt that was making her feel worse.

"Mom..." Y/N started, but Elizabeth cut her off immediately, her voice rising in volume.

"No, you don't get to say anything right now! Do you know how terrified I was? How we all were?" Elizabeth's voice broke, and she paced at the foot of the bed, unable to stay still. "You could've died, Y/N! You almost did! And for what? For some stupid fight in a dingy underground ring?"

"I'm sorry," Y/N mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper, but Elizabeth wasn't finished.

"You've been keeping this secret life from me for God knows how long! Fighting? Risking your life? I didn't raise you to be this reckless! How many times have I warned you about making impulsive decisions? You're not a child anymore, Y/N! You're an adult, and you need to start acting like one!"

Before Y/N could even respond, Calie's voice chimed in, sharp and just as furious. "What the hell were you thinking, Y/N? Do you even realize how lucky you are to be alive? You could've bled out on that floor, and for what? To prove you're tough?"

Y/N turned her head slightly to look at Calie, her childhood best friend, who stood by the window, her arms crossed tightly against her chest. Like Elizabeth, her eyes were red, filled with tears of frustration and worry.

"Calie, I—"

"No! I don't want to hear any excuses. You know how much you mean to me. To your mom. To everyone! How could you throw all of that away for a fight?"

Y/N sighed, pressing her fingers to her temples as the overwhelming weight of their words pressed down on her. Her head throbbed more, and her chest tightened. She had no defense, no justification for her actions that would make any of this okay. She knew they were right. They had every right to be angry.