I place the tea kettle on the stove and turn so I face the peninsula countertop. With a sigh I rest my elbows on the surface and wrap my own hands around my neck. It wasn't a very pleasant day on my part.

One thing about Maria that I have learned is that she overly protective of Chandler. If any girl (including me) tries to get close to Chandler she will go into super hyper girlfriend mode. That's basically where she will make it very clear that he is taken.

So in today's instance Chandler and I were alone in the coffee house. It was just like old times when our limbs were all tangled up together and we would just talk. It was amazing to see him as my best friend for a change. You know instead, of I'll-do-anything-for-my-girlfriend Chandler. Although the second Maria walked into the coffee house, anger filled her eyes. Seeing this Chandler quickly pulled away from me, and walked over to Maria to try to reassure her.

While Maria tried to cover up her real feelings about me, for Chandler's sake, she never looked at me. Not once.

Chandler ended up going to work, that's when Maria came clean to me about her 'feelings'. But what she said crushed me, it crushed me.

"Look, Monica, I don't know you very well. But I can tell that you like my boyfriend. He tries to reassure me that you guys are just friends…but I see the way you look at him. So all I'm asking, is for you to take a step back."

The pain in my heart was so strong that all I could do was nod. And boy do I regret it.

The sound of the kettle boiling snaps me out of my reverie. I turn to the stove and slide the kettle off of the stove and onto the counter. I look over into the mug that I'm about to fill with hot water. It's empty, just like my heart.

I fill the mug with the hot water and place the tea bag inside. I look around the empty apartment as I take the hot glass in my hands. I look out to the picture window and see all the stars that fill the sky.

Sometimes I think stars symbolize people sometimes. You'll look up at the star and you'll see a group of stars put together. Then you look to your left or right and there will be one star that is all alone. The lone star, I like to call it. I feel like the lone star at times, but right now I defiantly feel like the "lone star".

I whip my head around to the sound of the apartment door opening. Rachel. Thank God.

"Hey, Mon," she says with a genuine smile. I force a smile in return and turn back to the picture window. "You ok?" I hear Rachel ask. With a sigh I look down into my now dark tea.

"Mon?"

I know that the tears are clinging to my eyes, but I chose to ignore them. "It's too hard," I whisper.

I screw my eyes shut as the first tear rolls down my face.

"Mon, honey, what happened?" Rachel asks softly.

My throat constricts, and a sob escapes my lips. "Maria, s-she told me to- to take an s-step back" I shudder out. "She told- told me to stay away from him," I cry.

I tuck my chin to my chest as I cry. Not believing the day I had.

I feel Rachel's arm wrap around my shoulders as I continue to cry. I can hear Rachel whispering assuring words in my ear, but my brain isn't possessing them.

Rachel's hand lifts my chin up so I can look at her. The tears that shine in her eyes catch me off guard. Over that last few months she has seen me cry on multiple occasions, but I think this time caught her off guard.

"It'll be ok," she says in a hushed tone.

A small smile tugs at my lips, knowing that it's just a minor setback. Rachel pulls me into a tight hug as the apartment door swings open.

We pull apart and see Joey standing in the door way to the apartment.

"Hey, Mon, do you mind if I crash here tonight?" Joey asks as if he's in some sort of distress.

I was about to ask why, but then I hear a yell come from his apartment. It sounds like fighting. "Chandler and Maria," Joey explains seeing Rachel and I's face.

Joey's sad face looks almost scary. This isn't the first time that Chandler and Maria fought. In fact it seems like their always fighting. I'm surprised that Chandler is still happy with her.

This fight is different, though. Usually their fights will be about the future; relationship opinions; cheating accusations.

This one seems to be about us. And by 'us' I mean me, Joey, Rachel, Ross, and Phoebe.

"Chandler, all I'm asking is for you to find new friends!"

I cringe as Maria screams.

"What's wrong with my current friends?!"

Thank god he's putting up a fight.

"They are attached to you like some barnacles, especially the girls! My god, what was that in the coffee shop today between you and Monica?!"

I feel my heart break at the mention of my name.

"That was nothing! We're best friends, so what?!"

Joey and Rachel stare at each other searching for answers, while I on the other hand continue to stare at my open apartment door that leads to Chandler's.

"So what?! So what?! What do you mean so what?! For the love of god Chandler you couldn't keep your hands off of her!"

"Yea, that's what we do! You haven't learned anything about me! All of my friends know that, that's what Monica and I do!"

"Well stop!"

Silence.

Chandler's response isn't loud enough for any of us to hear. But my heart constricts knowing that he agreed to her.

"Joey, close the door." I say in a whisper. Obediently, he does.

I sigh as I turn to Rachel in defeat. Wow. That's not like me to give up. But I have to.

"I lost him, I give up."

TBC…