Scarlett Johansson | One-Shots (1)

NR - Stood Up Pt. 1

Natasha:
I check my phone for the 20th time, this time letting go of some of the hope I've been hanging onto when I see no messages. Clearly, he isn't showing up, but I feel stupid leaving this restaurant alone, all fancied up after sitting here for almost an hour.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry but if you don't order anything, we're going to have to ask you to give up the table..." I look up from my glass of water to see a sympathetic waitress towering over my table, her hands crossed uncomfortably.

"Yes, I know. I'm sure my date will show up momentarily. Just traffic... New York traffic... you know?" I try to justify why my date isn't here even though he obviously stood me up.

The waitress just nods.

"I can give you another 5 minutes. I'm sorry. I'll be back in 5 minutes to escort you out if you aren't going to order anything."

"Okay," my voice cracks as she walks away.

Callie:
"Do what you fucking want, Callie. I don't care," my girlfriend, Piper, almost yells at me.

"Keep your damn voice down. We're still in public," I urge as I look around at the people around us who took interest in our fight.

She scoffs and goes to stand up but I gently grab her wrist.

"Pipes, stop. Can we just talk about this?" I plead, holding back tears that have been fighting to stream down my face this whole night.

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm sorry. It's over." She rips out of my grip and leaves the restaurant, leaving me at our table alone.

A tear finally makes its way down my face but I quickly wipe it away. I can't get myself to leave the table. We already paid a little bit ago so I can leave whenever I want but I feel paralyzed. I take a few minutes to gather my thoughts and collect myself, looking around the room to make sure no one noticed my almost mental breakdown. I flatten out the blazer of my suit—I've never liked wearing dresses—and stand up. I do one last check on my phone, half hoping Piper would text me, wanting me back but when I don't see anything from her, I shove my phone in my pocket and do a final sweep of the restaurant.

"I'll be back in 5 minutes to escort you out if you aren't going to order anything," I overhear a waitress tell someone and instinctively turn my head to see what's going on.

I see a gorgeous redheaded woman sitting alone at a table, immediately looking at her phone when the waitress walks away. Out of personal experience, I put the pieces together and come to the conclusion that she most likely got stood up. I doubt myself for a moment because of how beautiful she is, I don't understand who would ever want to stand her up.

I watch as she puts her face in her hands on the table. I think to myself how I just got broken up with and how this woman got stood up so we must be feeling similar, and it's a shitty feeling. Maybe it'll make me feel better, I think to myself as I consider going up to her. I stare in her direction as I try to decide what I want to do.

"I'm sorry ma'am... You're going to have to give up the table if you aren't going to order anything." The waitress suddenly shows up again, making the redhead visibly more upset and it's at that moment that I make my decision.

Natasha:
"I'm sorry ma'am... You're going to have to give up the table if you aren't going to order anything." The waitress comes over again, this time with another man, probably the man to escort me out.

I sigh heavily but don't fight it anymore. "Okay." I slowly collect my little handbag and phone.

I reluctantly and slowly stand up, trying to stall for some reason. I guess I'm still hanging on hope for the date. I'm almost all the way standing when we hear a shout from across the restaurant.

"Babe! Oh my god, babe, I'm so so sorry. My plane landed late and my phone died so I couldn't text you. And I know, shitty excuse." A woman I've never met in my life comes running up to me with a gentle smile.

I stare at her as she stops at the opposite side of my table and takes a seat, gesturing for me to do the same.

"I'm sorry miss, traffic. Can we get some menus?" she says to the waitress who's expression changed from annoyed to uncomfortable and confused within seconds.

The waitress just slowly nods and walks away, basically dragging the other man with her, and leaves me with this random woman.

"Hi. I'm Callie." She holds out her hand across the table for me to shake, which I do.

"Natasha Romanoff."

Callie:
I can't stop my mouth from hanging open when she introduces herself. No wonder she looked slightly familiar.

"The guy who stood you up seems like a dick. I'm sorry." I drop my shock and let my sympathy shine through.

"Oh. Yeah, it's fine. I should've known anyway. I'm just an idiot."

"No, I don't think you're an idiot."

"I don't know. But thanks." A smile tugs at her lips. "So why are you here alone?" she asks.

"Oh um I was out to dinner with my girlfriend." She looks at me with an unreadable expression.

"Your girlfriend?" She raises her eyebrows at me.

"Oh, no. We broke up. She broke up with me at dinner. Walked out on me then I was about to leave when I saw you here... having a um... hard time."

She just nods and lets a smile grow. The waitress comes back and she orders her dinner and I order a small salad because I already ate. Our dinner is full of small talk, laughter, and getting to know each other. Even though I had such a shitty night, Natasha made me feel better. After dinner, I paid, of course, I walk her out but we don't part ways yet, just stand at the curb.

"Hey. Thank you for tonight. Being stood up is so embarrassing. I guess I was just lucky you were here tonight. Oh also, is there any chance you can give me a ride home?"

"Yes, of course."

I drive her home, which is literally the Avengers Tower and I can't hide my excitement. She invites me in to meet the Avengers and introduces me as "her savior".