Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Friends characters (too bad ^^)

A/N: I'm german, so if you find small typos, ignore them. If you find grammatically wrong sentences, tell me so I can get better :D Enjoy! Please R&R

Chapter 1

He was tired. So very tired. Not in a physical way. He was tired of this life. After once more running home to escape a bunch of bullies lead by those football guys, something in his head clicked. He had to change himself in some ways. He would never stop being what others call a geek. He was intelligent, interested in science and history and not really a sports guy.

He looked in the mirror and contemplated his reflection.

"Ross Geller, do something. You have the whole summer to do it." he said to himself.

Tomorrow the finals would be over.

"Dad!" he yelled downstairs.

"Yes, son?" his father yelled back.

"I have a plan what to do during the summer holidays."

"Okay, come down and tell me and we'll see if it is possible."

Ross went downstairs and laid out his plan to his parents.


Rachel and Monica walked home from school chatting and laughing as almost everyday. Rachel had a lot of friends but only with Monica she felt at ease. Her other friends were always talking about boys, sex and their easy lives.

It was different with Monica. They also talked about boys but Monica was more shy around the topic of sex and she definitely has no easy life. Her family was not rich like those of her other friends and she was overweight so she became the butt of jokes almost every day.

Suddenly a bike screeched to a halt next to them. It was Chip Matthews, Rachel's boyfriend.

"Hey honey." he said to Rachel.

"Hi Chip." she responded.

She looked at him. He was the cutest guy in school and when they started their relationship he was really sweet. He mostly hung out with his friends and drank beer. But lately he had changed. He became more aggressive, not only towards others but also towards her. He made no bones about the fact that he wanted sex with her but Rachel didn't feel ready for it yet.

"Wanna come for a ride?" he asked, pointing towards the back seat of the bike.

"I'd love to but I have to get home first, my helmet is there. Also, I'm walking home Monica."

"Come on, leave the MoniCow, I give you a ride home." he responded, grinning derogatory in Monica's direction.

"Chip!" Rachel said mildly shocked. "How can you be so insensitive?"

"What?" he asked, addled.

"What do you mean 'What?' Did you just hear yourself talking?" Rachel asked exasperated.

"Come on, I'm not saying anything the other kids at school say."

"That's even worse. You know what, right now I don't want to be with you right now."

Chip's eyes widened. Did Rachel just denied him? How dare she?

"Fine." he said angrily. "I see you tonight."

Rachel saw him putting on his helmet and she could have sworn she heard him mutter the word 'bitch' before he started the bike and drove away furiously.

She turned around to see tears running down Monica's face. She closed the distance between them and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry. Chip can be a jerk sometimes." Rachel said apologetically.

"He's not the only one." Monica responded in tears. "He's just one of the more vocal. Most others do it behind my back."

"Just forget about it."

"How can I? Do you know why more people aren't like Chip in regards to me?" Monica asked.

"Erm..." Rachel racked her brain, thinking of a reason. "Not really."

"It's you." Monica flatly stated.

"What?"

"If it weren't for you being my best friend, way more people would be openly mean to me like Chip." I know they are snickering when they think I can't hear them. And it hurts."

Monica continued sobbing and Rachel could do nothing but hold her. After a few minutes, Monica hat calmed down enough for them to continue their way home.

During their walk, a plan formed in Monica's mind. She could do something, she just needed to talk to her parents.

"So, what are you doing in the summer?" she asked Rachel, mostly to change the topic.

"I don't really made any specific plans." Rachel responded. "My family will visit a couple of relatives and the rest will consist of hanging out with the girls and Chip."

As she said that, Rachel started thinking about Chip. 'Do I really want to spend time with him?' she thought to herself. 'He has become such a jerk during the past weeks.'

Rachel was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't realize Monica talking. After a few minutes they reached the Geller house.

"Wanna come in?" Monica asked.

"Why not, but only a few minutes. I have to get home too." Rachel answered, smiling.

They headed towards the front door but before she could touch the knob the door opened.

"Hey you two." Ross said.

Rachel noticed him looking at her. As he was looking into her eyes, she noticed his. They were a dark hazel color, and had a warmth and depth in them that was almost painful to look at. They were the exact opposites of Chip's eyes, whose eyes were always filled with lust or nothing. Before she could drown in his eyes, his gaze wandered down.

"What?" she asked. "Do I have something on me?"

"Actually yes." Ross answered, somewhat enjoying the look on Rachel's face as she looked down on herself to find whatever he spotted.

"What is it?" Rachel asked, becoming annoyed with the grin on his face.

"Your nose." Ross answered, grinning. "Since you got it done, you look stunning."

Rachel started to blush but Before she could respond to that, Ross got called away by his father. Rachel watched him go, strange feelings coursing through her. Something was different about him. She couldn't pinpoint it. He still looked the same, with that ridiculous looking mustache and that Mister Kotter afro.

"What's with him?" she could Monica hear saying.

"I was just thinking the same thing." Rachel said to her.

Then she saw it. His walk had a happy quality to it as if some weight was lifted from his shoulders. She wondered what brought that on. Last thing she remembered was him being once again chased away by Chip and his cronies.

Then she saw it. He had a spring in his step what wasn't there before. She wondered what news he could have gotten to make him happy like that, especially one day before finals.

"Rachel?"

Rachel snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Monica say her name.

"Yes?"

"I said, you want to come up in my room? You have been standing here for almost a minute, watching my brother."

"What? No." Rachel said, slightly embarrassed. She wasn't watching Ross, he was a geek.

Yes, a geek.

After they entered Monica's room, they began talking.

"Rachel, I've decided to go to a fitness camp during the summer." Monica stated.

"What? Why?"

"Because I want to lose weight and I need an incentive. I don't believe I can do it here."

"But then we won't see each other all summer." Rachel said almost whining.

"I'm afraid so. But you could come visit." Monica said smiling. "Or come with me for the whole time. Although you don't need it."

"Seriously, I don't want to go to a fitness camp for the whole summer" Rachel smiled back "because I have to visit relatives with my family but I can come visit."

"Great." Monica said happily.

"But I have to go now, my parents are surely waiting for me."

"I walk you to the door." Monica said finally.

As they walked through the hallway and down the stairs Rachel noticed Ross standing in the living room, looking out the back window. She could swear that he stood taller and straighter then she had ever seen him.

She shook her head. 'What is wrong with me? He's Monica's geeky older brother who has, according to her, a crush on me. I'm with Chip.'

Before Rachel was out the door, Judy walked in from the kitchen.

"Rachel dear, do you want to stay for dinner?"

"No thank you, Mrs. Geller, my parents are waiting for me." Rachel said with slight sadness. The Geller cooking was always amazing. With a few more words of good-bye, Rachel left the house and walked the half mile distance home.


When the Gellers said at the table eating, As they finished and started picking up the dishes, Monica decided, now would be a good time as any to tell her parents of her plans.

"Mom, Dad, I want to go to a fitness camp during the summer."

"Why, darling?" Judy asked.

"Because I am sick and tired of being overweight. I want to lose weight and enjoy living more. I want to jog a mile without getting out of breath or being afraid of by knees giving way. I want to go to school without being snickered at, without enduring he laughter I get from all the thin girls. I... just want to live happier."

Her father got this facial expression again that said he had a great idea, at least in his mind.

"Harmonica, how convenient. Ross is going to a sports camp during the summer, you can go together." he said, smiling.

Ross and Monica exchanged an exasperated look.

"Oh no." both sighed in unison.

End of Chapter 1