Here is another big and important chapter :) So big I had to cut it in two parts since it was taking me too much time and pages.


Chapter 7 : The Date (part 1)

"What ? You said no to Dan ? What's wrong with you, Monica ?" Rachel is not happy when I tell her that I'm not going to the restaurant with them. "I already have a date, okay ?!" I defend myself. Rachel is – of course – really surprised : "What ? Who is he ?"

I prepared myself for that question, I have everything under control : "He's a guy from work. Our new waiter, Chad." I picked a name close to "Chandler", in case if in the future I make a mistake... Yes, I'm thinking about the future because, let's face it, I don't plan to stop dating Chandler after this night. I'm already addicted to him. Addicted to his smile, to his eyes, to his voice, to... Okay stop Monica, Rachel is looking at you. I carry on : "We have to meet at the theatre at 8." This way, she won't insist to stay and meet him.

"You should have told me back then, Mon ! But I'm so happy for you !" Rachel hugs me when I say the truth : "Well, I wasn't sure to go on a date with Chad that night, so..."

###

I don't see much of Chandler the days before Saturday, it's like he's avoiding me. Not in a bad way, because seeing the knowing glances he gave me every time we were in the same room, I'd say he's not avoiding me because he's uncomfortable, but rather because he wants to put a distance between us, so that night can be even more special. I can't wait...

###

Saturday is here, it's 6 PM and Rachel and I are trying different dresses. I'm nervous knowing that, just the other side of the hallway, Chandler is also getting ready for our date. I wonder where we're going to go.

At 7.05, we hear a knock on the door. It's Rachel's date, she introduces me, we have a small talk and they soon leave. Now I'm alone, and I have to wait 20 minutes for Chandler to come. Alone with my thoughts, I'm more and more nervous : I'm going to be sweating when Chandler will arrive... Just a minute later, I hear another knock on the door. Did Rachel forget something ?

I open the door and see Chandler. So handsome. He's in a black suit with a white shirt underneath, and he's got a rose in his right hand. But the only thing I see is his smile and his blue eyes. I'm melting and I can't even say "hi", I only smile ridiculously. Chandler notices my surprise and explains : "Oh, I heard Rachel and his date leaving and I thought that, well, you were ready too and... I was ready... So..."

I gulp, he's so cute when he rambles like that, shyly. I give him my best smile : "That's perfect ! Let's go !" Though I said we should go, we both don't move and stay smiling at each other. Chandler is the first one to react physically, handing me the single rose : "Oh, by the way, this is for you. I know I know : only one rose ? But, see, it's our first date, so it's the first rose I'm giving you. When we'll have our one hundred date, you'll have a big bouquet of 100 roses, I promise."

Does he want to make me cry and ruin my make-up already ? I'm discovering a new Chandler, a romantic one. He continues : "I hope you still like it even if there's only one."

Or, we could skip the date and stay here, starting in the bedroom... No no no Monica, don't rush things... I say : "With what you said ? You bet I like it ! I love it ! I'm going to put the rose in the water and I come back."

I leave the door open and he passes his head in the apartment. "So... That's where you live, uh ? Nice, I like the purple walls." I turn around and laugh. He acts surprised and confused : "What ? What did I say ?" Oh, I get him... He wants to pretend we don't know each other... That'll be hard, but I can try. "Thanks. I'm living here with my roomate."

He frowns : "A girl roomate I hope ?" Again, I laugh. I have to stop, or I'm going to spend the evening laughing stupidly at every single thing he says. That's amazing the effect that this man has on me. How come I never noticed until a few weeks ago ? Answer his question, Monica, he's looking at you : "Yes, a girl, Rachel."

He nods and offers me his arm : "Shall we ?" Such a gentleman. I take his arm and close the door. "So... where are you taking me ?"

"Tatatatata ! It's a surprise miss Geller…" And to my surprise, we don't go down the stairs, but up. While we climb the stairs, he explains : "I wanted something... intimate. I want to learn to know you, and I think the best way to do that is to be only the two of us, don't you agree ?" I agree with him. I like that. Every places I had in mind when I wondered where he would take me, there were a lot of people. Restaurant, movie, game, theatre... I would never have thought he could take me on the roof of our building. I look at him admiratively because he succeeded in surprising me, and that was hard because we know each other so well. And he still have surprises in store...

When we arrive in front of the door of the roof, he knocks. I look at him, puzzled, and he winks at me. A man dressed up like a waiter opens the door : "Yes, can I help you ?"

I'm speechless. Chandler doesn't hesitate : "We have a reservation for two. Chandler Bing." The "man/waiter" nods in agreement : "Certainly Sir, please follow me." Who the hell is this guy ? Where did he find him ?

My eyes grow even bigger when I see the roof : there's a single table in the center, with two candles. On the floor, there are a lot of petals of roses and candles are organized so it makes a way to lead to the table. I'm so stunned I stop walking. "Chandler..." I can't find my words, that's too beautiful. Why putting so much effort in this date ? I'm the one who has feelings, I'm the one who has to convince him to take me as his girlfriend... Right ? Or... ? What if he... ? Since when does he... ?

Chandler has an innocent look on his face : "What ? Don't tell me you've never been to that restaurant before ?!"

I look into his beautiful blue eyes, searching for answers. "Chandler, why did you..." but he cuts me off : "Come on, let's eat". Okay, he doesn't want to talk about it now. But I won't let it go. He takes my hand in his and that feels so... normal. I don't say anything and I follow him to the table. Are we really going to eat ? There are no plates, but I see cutlery, glasses and champagne on ice. He pulls the chair for me and I sit down. A second later, he's sitting in front of me, asking : "What do you want to eat ?"

I'm confused : "What ? They have a menu or something ?"

Chandler doesn't smile and answers with a verious serious face : "Oh no. You order what you want to eat and Gary will bring it to you."

I look at the man/waiter/Gary waiting a few meters away from us and lean over the table to ask to Chandler : "Is Gary a magician or what ?"

Chandler remains mysterious : "Order what you want and we'll see if he is..."

"Um... Okay... I'll have... Lasagna ?" I ask, because I don't know if it's the right answer. How on earth could he know what I'd order ? And where's the food ?

Chandler raises one eyebrow : "Is that a question ? Order, Monica, don't be afraid..."

He seems so sure of him. How can he not be nervous ? Where's the Chandler I know ? Insecure, anxious... "Um, I... A plate of lasagna, please."

Chandler still doesn't smile (am I punished tonight ?) and snaps his fingers. Gary comes closer and Chandler says : "A plate of lasagna for the lady, and one of macaroni and cheese for me, please." I'm amazed and I'm almost expecting Gary to make the plates magically appear on the table. But no, Gary opens the door of the roof and disappears in the building.

"Where is he going ?" I ask Chandler, who pretends to be confused (I can see in his eyes he's having fun...) : "In the kitchen, of course. Looking for the food. I thought you were a chef ?"

I shook my head, smiling at him. Unbelievable. I was expecting to spend a nice evening with one of my best friend, chatting, flirting, talking about what was happening around us. But this ? It's totally unexpected. "Champagne ?" he asks, taking the bottle. I nod and wonder when is he going to smile to me. I've given him plenty of smiles and laughs ! And I ? I only got one when I opened the door of my apartment. Not fair.

He fills up my glass, then his. We raise our own glass and before clinking it he says, looking me deeply into the eyes : "To our date." I repeat : "To our date."

I drink, but he doesn't. I see him putting his glass down on the table and looking at it nervously. Maybe he's tired of playing the "we-don't-know-each-other" game. I know I'm starting to be, mainly because I'd love to see his smile and his eyes brightening. I break the silence : "Who's Gary ?" He vaguely smiles looking at his glass (meh, better than nothing) : "Ha ! He's... um... a colleague from work. He needs extra money, so...", he stops talking and shrugs his shoulders.

He then passes is left hand through his hair and I note that the effect on me is still the same : I have butterflies all over my stomach and I want to pass my hands in his hair. He seems embarrassed : "Gosh... I'm sorry Mon, I thought I'll be able to do this all night..."

I understand and I laugh, he's so cute... "Don't worry Chandler ! It's perfect ! And I wanted a date with you, not your unsmiling twin !"

Ha ha ! He smiles ! Finally ! I'm so happy ! And he's a bit unsecure, good, I have my Chandler back. "Really ?"

I put my hand on his, on the table. "Yes, Chandler, really. I mean... Look at what you did there ! It's amazing ! I'm... I have no words ! I would never have expected something like that."

He nervously manipulate his fork with the other hand : "You know... If I would have invited you to a restaurant, or see a play, or I don't know what, it would have been so common. We already know each other so well, we already shared a lot of secrets, we spend so much time together..."

I swallow hard. He's right. It wouldn't have been THAT amazing. He takes a deep breath and continues : "So I looked for a way to surprise you. REALLY surprise you. Not surprise you like "oh-you're-sweet-it's-my-favorite-restaurant-I-spent-a-nice-evening"... Surprise you like "OH-MY-GOD-WHAT'S-HAPPENING ?!""

I can't help but laughing. "Well, you definitely succeeded. And I have a lot of questions about it ! Starting by : where the hell is the food ?"

It's his turn to laugh : "In my apartment. Gary told me his wife is a good cook. I hope he's right though..." and he crosses his fingers. He adds : "Don't worry about the time it'll take, I already warned her that you'd probably eat lasagna, so that won't take long."

I can't believe it. I so want him to be my boyfriend. Who would have thought, a year ago ? He's the best, seriously. It reminds me that I am the one who asked him out. I should have been the one to make all the efforts. And I'm sitting here, watching him doing everything for me. Like in London.

I stroke the back of his hand and ask him seriously : "Chandler... Why... ?"

"Because I know you like to eat lasagna."

"Chandler..."

He sighs and I see him biting is tongue, it's like he doesn't want to tell me the honest answer.

"Because I have feelings for you for a very long time."


TBC...

I thought about different kind of dates these two could have, and finally chose this one because we never saw a date like this in the show and because I wanted to have them alone. I hope you enjoyed reading it :)