A/N:

CamilleCM – College Mondler really is quite difficult to write, I agree, but I'm going to give it a whirl and pray it turns out okay. Thank you for believing I'm up to the challenge, it's much appreciated :).

larisaanadeeljin – Aha, yeah, Ross had consumed a lot of alcohol in that moment. I tried to play on how Ross always says the wrong thing and takes things too far – something I need to work on. Thanks for reviewing!

waynoway – Thank you :) btw I love your username.

Boris Yeltsin – Thank you for reviewing!

Guest – I have a lot planned for this story so there will be more chapters in the future.

Mondler2017 – Thank you! I'm a sucker for college Mondler too – there'll definitely be more chapters, don't you worry.

Please continue to let me know your thoughts on this story.

If you have any suggestions for other stories that you want me to write then feel free to leave a review with the idea or private message me.

/2 weeks later – April 7 – thursday/

Chandler marched as quietly as he could through the College library trying to find them, turning several corners before he saw the brunette and blonde sitting by a window drinking coffee and reading the same book. He made his way to them with a bomb of nerves ticking away in his stomach.

"Uhm," he practically whispered. They clearly hadn't heard him or were deliberately ignoring him because neither looked up. "Rachel... Phoebe?" he stuttered.

The two girls looked up, Rachel quickly closing the book to disguise the fact they had actually been reading a magazine, and the blonde smiled mischievously at him.

"Well, hello there," she said in a low voice.

"Phoebe, it's just Chandler. Don't flirt with him."

'Just Chandler', that was a phrase people seemed to love when referring to him and it was one he'd simply grown accustom to.

Chandler plucked up the courage to move further to their table and asked if he could sit down. Rachel looked hesitant and examined who was around before letting him sit.

"What do you want?" said Rachel in a harsh whisper.

Chandler swallowed the lump in his throat and mumbled something incoherent.

"What?"

"Oh, I think he's shy," said Phoebe pointing at him and nodding, knowingly.

"Shy? People are still shy these days?" scoffed Rachel. "Come on, Chandler, speak up."

He rubbed his sweaty hands on his jeans legs and sighed, "I need some advice."

Rachel and Phoebe raised their eyebrows.

"About what to do as a date with Monica," he added.

"Oh, you two are actually going through with that?" asked Rachel and Chandler couldn't help but take offence at her tone. "Look, I'm just saying, you two are very different. I mean, come on, she's Monica and you're just some goofy kid from down the road with God-knows how many personal issues."

"Monica seems to like that," said Phoebe with a shrug and sipped her coffee. Rachel shot her a look. "I'm just saying, Monica said yes to going on a date with him, we may as well help him out."

Rachel turned to look at Chandler and narrowed her eyes, "Fine," Chandler smiled and sat up straight, "but I thought you two were friends, don't you know stuff about her?"

"I do, I just want to make sure it's perfect that's all."

"Fine, but this does not mean we are friends," added Rachel with a point of her finger.

"Hey! I invited you to my party the other night."

"And? Doesn't mean we're friends. It was a party, you only invited us because we're friend with Monica. She was adamant about going sand we weren't going to let her go alone - plus, you know, booze."

Chandler just nodded. Phoebe pulled out a notebook and pen and wrote 'Operation Monica' at the top of the page.

"Okay," Rachel started, "We've obviously got to think of stuff she likes-"

"Ooh, cleaning!" said Phoebe loudly gaining disapproving looks from others around.

"She's not going to want to clean on a first date."

"Have you met Monica? She'd love that!"

Rachel shook her head and began listing things, "Okay, let's see, she likes anything competitive. So, maybe bowling? Ooh, or uh, the arcades!"

Phoebe nodded as she made notes and Chandler watched.

"Though, she does like romantic stuff too. So, a romantic meal at a restaurant and it has to be expensive-"

"I think he has the money for that," added Phoebe, winking and blowing Chandler a kiss.

"She doesn't like Roses so no Roses. Oh! She does like just sitting in and watching movies though. That could be fun, maybe a little blanket thrown over the floor, some candles – she can't get enough of candles – some music later in the evening-"

"Her favourite song is The Way You Look Tonight but Tony Bennett's version. Rachel, your mom has that on vinyl, right? Chandler can borrow that," said Phoebe.

Rachel gave a reluctant nod.

They continued to list ideas, coming to the conclusion that the first date should be simple and relaxed and that he should save anything competitive or expensive for if he was lucky enough to gain a second date.

"I think the movie night idea sounds good," said Chandler.

"One question, Chandler" said Rachel, "Do you really think this will work out?"

His hands suddenly started sweating again and he bit away at the inside of his mouth. "I… I hope so."

"Why do you like her?"

"I just do."

"Yes, but why?" said Phoebe leaning over the table.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realise I was being interrogated by Holmes and Watson," he suddenly defended.

Rachel and Phoebe both raised their eyebrows, making him gulp. Once he looked down, they shared a confused look with Rachel mouthing "Holmes?"

"Look I... I've liked her for a long time," he began, "she's – she's gorgeous and I, well, I never thought I'd be good enough for her because I'm so... awkward... but, she actually said yes – I'm just as shocked as you are."

Phoebe held her hand to her chest and gave him a pitied smile while Rachel picked up her book and stood up.

"Maybe you're still a little too awkward for her. Better speed your talking up a little Mr. Chatty and quit the stammering," she said bitterly and walked away.

"Ignore her," said Phoebe "she's just mad because she's not getting any," and with that she sipped her coffee.

/April 8 – Chandler's birthday – friday/

With a start, he woke up. The knocking at the door persisted. It wasn't loud but it was enough to break him out of his peaceful slumber and into an annoyed state of being. Ross too had woken up but simply turned onto his side and put his pillow over his head.

The knocking continued, irritating him further. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants over his boxers and ran his hands over his face and through his hair. Opening the door with a bitter "What?" granted him a disapproving look from her.

"Oh, Monica, hi," the tone of his voice pitched higher and he moved to the side, letting her in.

"You're not a very pleasant morning person are you," she teased then looked to her brother who began to snore, "nice to see you too, bro."

"What are you doing here so early?" he scratched his head, yawned and stretched.

"It's not early, it's 8 am. I get up at 5.30."

He scrunched his nose, imaging how awful he would find it waking up so early.

"Anyway, here," she held out a glittery bag, "Happy birthday, Chandler!"

"For me?" he asked and she pursed her lips.

"No, no, I always greet people with birthday wishes, it's my form of 'hello'," she quipped, "of course it's for you!" she wiggled the bag at him.

He smiled and took it, sitting on his bed as she stood and watched him unwrap the gift. It was a photo frame with a photo of himself, Monica, Ross and her father in.

"It's from last Thanksgiving when you came to our house. I know you don't really like Thanksgiving but I thought it was a cute photo," she smiled, "there's another thing in there too."

He stood the frame on his bedside table and reached into the bag. He pulled out dark blue tie and she spoke again, "I thought you could wear it to that interview you have next month. You told me you didn't really have anything to wear for it so I figured I could help you out a little."

She bit slightly at her thumb nails as she watched him look over each gift once more. Then he stood up and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you," he smiled at her, "I love them."

She bit her bottom lip slightly, watching him adjust the new photo frame.

"Though, I don't know how to tie a tie."

"I can show you," her voice was lower as she took a step closer to him, "I'll come another time," she nodded towards Ross, "when my brother isn't howling like a hog in the corner."

They laughed and she hugged him, squeezing him tighter than normal and drawing out the hug.

"Don't be late for your 9am lecture," she warningly pointed at him and exited the room, slamming the door loud enough for Ross to wake with a start and roll out of bed onto the floor.

/later that day/

Ross was out with a girl, so Chandler was left in his dorm room alone. His friend, Joey, was busy with his Drama work so told him he would see him the next day to celebrate his birthday and so Chandler really was completely alone.

He'd just ended a phone call with his mother and opened his presents from her which had been posted to him. He'd thrown his card from his father to the floor along with the card from his aunt and uncle of which he hadn't seen in several years. A beer sat on his desk beside the new tie Monica had bought him. He stroked his hand over it, smiling as he pictured her face in his mind. She had looked so happy when he had thanked her for buying it. In fact, she'd looked a considerable amount happier these days. Chandler couldn't help but think that it was since he had asked her on a date. They hadn't actually been on this date yet but they had shared more moments together where it was just them and grown a lot closer. They were a little more touchy-feely with one another, it still made him nervous to be close to her but she didn't seem to have a problem with being close to him.

He sipped his beer, keeping his eyes on the tie as a pleasant distraction from the paperwork he had to do. That's when he heard a knock at the door. His brow furrowed wondering who it could be. Before he had the chance to get up to answer it, the door opened and his mood instantly lifted.

"Hey," smiled Monica, closing the door behind her, "sorry, are you working?"

"God, no," he laughed and waved her over.

She hopped onto his desk, holding the edge of it and swinging her legs, "Have you had a good birthday?" she asked.

"Not really, but it's better now you're here," he placed a hand on her knee and the smile she'd worn since she stepped into the room widened. He withdrew his hand as fast as he had placed it there though, for fear that the nerves he always felt around her may cause him to sweat and for her to be put off him touching her.

"Well, I wasn't going to let you spend your birthday alone so I came here as soon as my classes were done. I was there from 9am till 6, I mean that's just horrendous! Sure, I got breaks but come on."

He laughed as she continued to ramble about how unfair and exhausting all the work was she had to do. He enjoyed when he got to do this; just sit watching her talk about everything and nothing. Getting to watch the way her cheeks flushed, the way her lips moved and her tongue wetted them, how her hands animated everything she said and hair bounced around her shoulders with her expressive movements.

"You're staring again," she broke him out of his trance, "you like doing that, don't you," she looked down at him with a sparkle in her eyes and he felt his palms starting to sweat.

"I wasn't staring, I was-"

"Staring."

"No."

"Yes."

"No, no, I was admiring," he stunned himself by what he said but she laughed and shrugged.

"Same thing," she took his beer and sipped it, "wow, this is warm."

"Yeah, I've been teetering about whether or not to drink it all day, so it's warmed up a little. Couldn't decide if alcohol was the best way to get through this dreaded day or not."

"Why do you dread this day?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Oh, I just, well, it's a birthday, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I think that's what people call it," she laughed, "what's your point?"

"It's just a day to point out the fact I'm getting older. Don't really want to celebrate taking a step closer to death once a year. I don't have very good memories linked to my birthdays. And I always spend it alone."

"What am I, a mirage?"

"Well, I'm not alone this year," he rolled his eyes, light-heartedly, "thank you for coming by, by-the-way."

"It's what potential girlfriends are for."

The word 'girlfriend' made his heart skip for a second and he watched her jump from his desk and move out of his sight. She appeared at the other side of him and picked up his tie, "I said I'd show you how to do this thing, come on!"

She pulled him up by the sleeve of his t-shirt, "You're going to need a collar," she told him and moved to his wardrobe, pulling out a shirt and handing him it. He put it on and she popped its collar. She placed the tie around the collar and explained to him what she was doing as she overlapped and looped the material.

Rather than watching her hands, he watched her face, focusing on her incredibly black eyebrows as they creased together showing she was concentrating.

"You should be watching my hands, mister."

He snapped out of it and looked to her hands. They were so small to him. Her fingers were slim and delicate-looking, and moved with such ease as she formed the knot. He watched them flatten out the made tie. He felt them, like feathers fluttering, as she ran them down his chest.

"There," she beamed up at him.

She left her hands placed on his chest and he felt his breathing grow heavier. She was close enough to him for him to notice the light freckles that scattered her face and neck.

"Chandler," she ran her hands up his chest and rested them on his shoulders, "you're 'admiring' me again."

His eyes lifted from the freckles on her nose to her eyes. The blue in them sparkled in the street light that radiated through his window. He lowered his eyes to her lips that were apart, showing her teeth, her tongue showing slightly through the little gap as she smiled at him.

"I like to 'admire' too, you know?"

He took a deep breath and hummed in response.

"I like to 'admire' you when you think I'm not looking. Like when you're working at your desk and I'm on your bed procrastinating. Or when we're in the library, or at my house."

"Really?" he asked, gulping back his nerves.

"Mhm, I like to watch you bite your lip and bounce your leg up and down when you focus," that was something he didn't know he did, "and run your hands through your hair when you get frustrated and watching your hair fall back over your forehead, all dishevelled the way it does," she played with the back of his collar as she spoke, "and when you laugh at your own jokes and roll your eyes as Ross'. I watch you all the time."

"I… I, uh, didn't… didn't know."

She moved her eyes from his lips, where they had fallen when she had first started to speak about his lip biting, to his eyes and smiled. "Now you do. And hopefully now, this is a birthday you'll be thankful for."

"Oh, it is… uh, do you want to stay for a little while?"

She nodded and loosened his tie, "you better have remembered how to do this," she said and removed it from his neck. She pushed his shirt over his shoulders after he'd unbuttoned the few buttons that were done up and placed it back on its hanger for him. Pulling back his covers, she got into his bed and he smiled to himself. He enjoyed how comfortable she was around him; how she just made herself at home in his room. This was his best birthday by far.