July 24, 2011
Author's Note: Wow, we are already on Chapter number ten! You could probably tell that I was in a mood to write this weekend – it's a long one!
Thanks for the reviews – I am glad you guys liked how Monica and Chandler got "officially" found out – I was originally going to have Ross walk in on them. :P
Any familiar quotes that you read in this chapter are from Friends – and I don't own them. I may have used one or two, but I forgot.
Leave a review – you will make a girl's day! :D
Trysts – Chapter 10
(Monica's POV)
"So Monica, which girl out of all of Chandler's girlfriends did Chandler love the most?" Rachel asks the next question while trying very hard to assume a poker face.
But it doesn't fool me – I know perfectly well what my best friend Rachel Green is up to.
Rachel's asking the question in the past tense – but there is no way in hell I am saying that Chandler loved another girl more than me. (I just can't bear it!)
Damn Rachel for forcing me into a corner!
Damn my need to win this stupid game! (Why didn't I quit the game like everyone else?)
I feel the intensity of everyone's gazes being directed upon me – and I think furiously whether or not to throw the game or answer the question. And I see Chandler anxiously looking at me, probably wondering how I am going to dig myself out of this hole!
But what came next completely blew me away.
"I love Monica more than any other girlfriend I've ever had! I love her!"
Oh my god! Did Chandler just declare his love for me in front of everybody, including my brother? My eyes grow misty – I can't believe it!
I just want to run over to Chandler and kiss him into oblivion.
An awkward silence fills the room – you could literally hear a pin drop. But my brother stands up from his chair and shatters the silence.
"Chandler! What the hell is going on around here?" (Typical Ross!)
Chandler has this petrified look on his face. I think it's more from shock than fear.
"Please don't run Chandler – we will deal with this mess! Please don't run!" I plead silently in my head. But he probably won't – he's grown up a lot during the past three months and a bit.
Rachel, Phoebe and Joey are completely mesmerized by the scene unfolding in front of them.
"I am seeing your sister," Chandler finally manages to respond to Ross's question.
"You are seeing my sister?" Ross's eyes grow as large as saucers.
"Yeah, and I... I love her!" Chandler's voice gets more confident with every word he speaks. (I love you, too, Chandler!)
"You love her?" (Stop repeating everything Chandler says, Ross! You sound like a big parrot!)
"Yes, I love her!" Chandler is starting to look irritated at Ross.
"And does she love you back?" Ross asks. (That's my cue to step in!)
I get up from my chair and walk around the table to stand beside Chandler. I grab his hand.
"I love him, very much!" I reply for Chandler.
Ross makes a strange noise and runs out the door. (What the hell was that?)
"Oh, don't worry about Ross – he just lost a hundred dollars!" Rachel has regained control of her tongue. (What? They were betting on us?)
"So, you guys are in love? We thought you guys were just doing it!" Phoebe exclaims.
"So how is it?" Joey finally finds his voice too.
I look at Chandler – he looks at me. (He's so sweet!)
"It's amazing. It's better than amazing!" I say it more to Chandler than to Joey.
I give Chandler the wink, and we kiss – passionately – making up for all the lost time from sneaking around.
"Aw... I don't wanna see that!"
"Aw..." Phoebe and Rachel both sigh simultaneously.
We break apart and Chandler replies back to Joey.
"Sorry Joey, you are going to have to get used to it!"
"Monica! You owe me three months and a half of details!" Rachel exclaims.
"Yeah!" Phoebe chimes in. (Oh no!)
"Oh and Phoebs – you owe Joey and I twenty-five bucks each." Rachel turns to Phoebe.
"Money, baby!" Joey jumps up and down. Phoebe takes out her wallet reluctantly and hands both Rachel and Joey twenty-five dollars each.
"You guys were betting on us?" Chandler looks bemused.
"Yeah! It had such great odds too!" Rachel smiles rather dreamily.
"I am twenty-five plus half of hundred dollars richer! Thanks Chandler!" Joey pats his pants pocket, happily.
"Anytime, Joe," Chandler grins at Joey and gives him the thumbs up.
"And I am totally looking forward to tomorrow. All the things that I can make Ross do!" Phoebe thinks dreamily about the prospect.
"Mm... Foot massages, breakfast in bed – the possibilities are endless! Joey, are you taking notes?" Rachel inquires.
"What? Notes!" Joey looks befuddled.
"Looks like I win the game!" Chandler bends over to pick up the score tallies.
"What?"
Chandler shows me the paper. He's won by one.
"I could have answered that last question you know, if you didn't interrupt!" I try to defend my loss. (But I am forever glad that he did interrupt!)
Chandler merely shakes his head. I smile sheepishly back at him.
Oh well, there are more important things than winning – plus Chandler loves me best – so I win at the end anyways.
(Chandler's POV)
"Chandler and Monica, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Rachel is singing rather enthusiastically on Monica's couch while we all wait for Joey to come back from the video rental place across the street.
"First comes love, second comes –" Phoebe picks up the next line.
"Shut up! Shut up!" Monica cries out desperately before any of the two could get to the marriage part.
I give Monica an amused smile. I like how she thinks that I will freak out whenever someone mentions the M-word in front of me. You know, it doesn't sound so bad anymore. (Actually, who am I kidding – still somewhat terrified!)
"I wish we were actually sitting on a tree and kissing – at least it will get us away from this lot!" I point to Rachel and Phoebe who are giggling at something that I completely missed.
"Too bad it's already evening – or I would take you up on that offer," Monica replies. I feel her hand sliding up and down my thigh.
"I hope Joey comes back soon, before we will need to go do laundry." I whisper to Monica.
"Oh, he should be back any minute now." Monica looks towards the front door.
Surely enough – Joey pushes open the door with a bag of videos in one hand and the Joey Special in the other hand.
"Hey guys, sorry for taking so long!" Joey greets us.
"Oh, did you get any pizza for us?" Rachel asks.
"Oh yeah, you guys get half the Joey Special!" Joey walks over and places a box in front of Phoebe and Rachel.
Rachel opens the box. There is a half a pizza inside.
"Hey, that's a quarter – not a half!" Phoebe exclaims. (Joey was never really good at math!)
"Oops. The other half kind of vanished on the way over here." Joey looks around, awkwardly.
"Oh never mind!" Rachel immediately goes to the telephone and dials the pizza place.
"So what movies did you get, Joe?" I point to the bag of movies.
"Yeah, let's see!" Phoebe reaches for the bag.
"The Lion King? Really Joey?" I ask after seeing the first movie that Phoebe pulled out the bag.
"Hey, I have you know that that movie is an excellent movie!" Joey defends his selection of movies.
"I've never seen it before – ever!" Phoebe exclaims excitedly.
"Really Phoebe, never?" Monica looks surprised.
"Yeah," Phoebe replies.
"At least it's not Diehard – again!" Rachel gets off the phone.
"Hey! Don't you go insulting Diehard!" Joey folds his arms across his chest.
"Alright, let's watch the Lion King – since Phoebe's never watched it and I haven't watched in years!" I try to defuse the Diehard argument – knowing that Joey would never let anyone get away with an insult to his favourite movie of all times.
"Well, it doesn't really matter what movie we are going to watch – anyways." Monica whispers in my ear. She moves to curl up in my lap. (It's so nice to do this out in the open!)
Joey goes over to fiddle around with the DVD player and everyone sits back to watch the movie. Yup, I haven't watched this in years – five to be exact.
So while the story unfolds, Monica and I are cuddling on the couch – sharing the occasional kiss and watching the TV screen as well. I hear Phoebe tearing up when Mufasa gets killed by Scar. (Phoebs always cries during the sad parts of movies.)
Just then, someone knocks loudly on the door. Rachel immediately gets off the couch and stops to pause the movie – to Joey's chagrin and goes to get the pizza from the delivery-man.
Rachel pays the man, closes the door and sets the pizza on the coffee table. She then promptly resumes the movie – while getting a piece of pizza and a napkin. (Monica would be pissed if there's any stains on the couch.)
"You want a slice, Chandler?" Monica whispers to me.
"I am kinda hungry, but you are on top of me." I reply.
"Shush guys, we are trying to watch here!" Joey sounds annoyed.
I watch as Monica removes a piece from the box and we end up sharing the slice. She takes one bite and I take another.
After we finish two slices, Monica and I sit back to watch the rest of the movie – careful not to annoy Joey again.
"Can you feel the love tonight?" I whisper to Monica when that song starts playing.
"Oh yeah," Monica grins back at me.
"Do you think they will mind too much if we are gone for a bit?" I whisper back.
"Frankly, honey, I don't think they will care." Monica winks at me.
"My place?"
Monica nods, and we quietly leave the couch and the apartment to do some loving of our own.
"Hey, Rach, Pheobs? Where did Mon and Chandler go?"
The movie had just finished and the other three had just noticed that Monica and Chandler had gone missing.
"Did you notice them leave?" Rachel asks.
"Nope, too absorbed in the movie – Joey was right, it was a good one!" Phoebe exclaims.
"I didn't notice anything either," Joey admits.
"Well, she's definitely not in her room!" Rachel goes to check Monica's room.
"Not here, either!" Phoebe looks into Rachel's room.
"Oh wow, they probably went off to have some alone time." Rachel smiles knowingly.
"More like fun, naked time!" Phoebe exclaims.
"Well, in that case, I better stay here – since Chandler and Monica are you know – probably over there." Joey points towards the front door.
"They couldn't resist until the end of the movie either," Rachel smirks.
"Well, I am sure if Monica had a choice to watch a movie or do Chandler – we both know what she would pick – judging by all the praises she was and still is currently singing about him in the past three months!" Phoebe sighs.
"Yeah... Go Chandler!" Joey smiled for his friend.
"Hey, we can have a sleepover tonight!" Phoebe suggests.
"Oh yeah! I love sleepovers! Let's build a fort!" Joey exclaims.
"Alright!" Rachel grins.
And all of them went to go find fort-building materials.
(Monica's POV)
I awake to the sun shining through the curtains. I am a little confused because I am not on my bed – but Chandler's bed and it is clearly late in the morning – judging by the clock on the night-stand.
I am struck with panic, but then...
I remember – how our little secret was out, and that I could relish the privilege of sleeping in on a Sunday with my boyfriend.
Chandler is twisted in his blanket, still blissfully sleeping the morning away. (He's so cute when he's sleeping!)
I try to fix his blanket but I end up waking him instead.
"Monica!" He exclaims sleepily, "What time is it?"
"It's almost ten." I reply brightly.
"Ten! Oh my god! What are we going to do?" Chandler begins to freak out.
"Relax Chandler, think about yesterday." I try to soothe him.
He closes his eyes and I can see him thinking about what happened yesterday.
"Oh right. That was a pretty good night." He grins.
"It was." I smile back at him – while remembering everything we did after we ditched the movie.
"Hey, it's Sunday – and you know what that means!" Chandler grins.
"More naked time?" I ask him.
"No, remember the prize for winning?" (I was hoping that he wouldn't remember!)
"I don't remember."
"Monica, don't you try and play dumb with me! I – for one – know that you remember these things very well!" Chandler groans.
"Alright! What do you want me to do for you today, Mr. Bing?"
"Well, for starters, you can kiss me good-morning and get me some breakfast! I am starving!"
I kiss him. "What would you like for breakfast?"
"Anything you cook is excellent in my book." Chandler replies.
Well, at least I am my boyfriend's slave for the next three days – and he did say he wanted to take turns – so it's not too bad – I could just imagine what Ross and Joey are going through right now. And I don't mind cooking for Chandler at all. (I always do, anyways!)
I open Chandler's fridge and I see he has eggs and milk – everything else seems unfit for consumption. (Good thing he eats mostly at my place!)
I go across the hall to my apartment to go get other ingredients.
"Joey! What are you doing?" I ask as soon as I see the enormous mess in the kitchen.
"It's all Rachel's fault – she wants me to cook for her – and the only thing I know how to make that's eat-able is spaghetti!" Joey groans.
That's true – Joey makes excellent spaghetti – it's even better than mine! (But I'd never admit to that!)
"You could make Chandler and I some too!" I exclaim, "In return, I will clean up the mess for you, later."
"We have a deal!" Joey looks relieved.
"Where's Ross?" I ask Joey.
"Oh, he's out with Phoebe – I think they are going shopping!" (Poor Ross – he hates shopping trips – especially with girls!)
"So how are you holding up?" I ask Joey.
"Pretty good – at least she let me sleep in till nine – Ross had to be at your apartment at six!" Joey sighs.
"Well, I am making breakfast for Chandler – you can come by later and eat." I open my own fridge and start pulling out food.
"Okay – I will bring over the spaghetti when I am done." Joey flashes me a grin before returning to the pot of noodles that he was slaving over earlier.
I return back to Chandler's and start cooking. I make sunny-side up eggs (because Chandler likes his eggs done that way) and some scrambled eggs with tomatoes for Joey. I cook some sausages, fry some pieces of bacon, toast some bread and voila, I have breakfast!
When I place everything on a plate for Chandler, I see him walk out of the room in his PJs and he heads off to the washroom. I put Joey's food on another plate.
Then I start making an omelette for myself.
In short order, Chandler emerges from the washroom and joins me by the kitchen counter – where he pulls up a chair and sits.
"So you made breakfast for Joey too?" He inquires at the plate behind me that had a napkin labelled Joey.
"Oh, he's making spaghetti, so I offered a trade. Here's your breakfast." I set his plate in front of him.
"Thanks, Mon. How did you get Joey to make spaghetti anyways? He never makes it willingly!" Chandler looks befuddled while he picks up the fork and knife that I had set out earlier.
"Rachel asked him to cook something for her." I reply while stealing one of Chandler's sausages.
"Ah, and that's the only dish he knows how to make." Chandler smiles knowingly.
"Hey guys!" Joey opens the front door with a big pot of spaghetti in his hands. The aroma is making Chandler and I salivate. Rachel walks behind him – still clad in PJs as well.
"So it's the four of us, having breakfast and spaghetti – like always." Chandler quips.
"Oh yeah." Rachel responds casually, while pulling up a chair beside Chandler.
Joey hands his pot of spaghetti to me and I distribute the noodles in four equal portions on four other plates and pass them out.
"Joey, this is divine!" Rachel sighs as she takes the fork out of mouth.
"Yeah, it's great!" Chandler grins.
"You should make it for us more often." I exclaim at Joey.
"I want this for dinner too, Joey!" Rachel demands.
"Alright, alright! I will make my special spaghetti more often!" Joey looks resigned.
"So what are you guys planning to do afterwards?" I ask.
"Well, I think I want to get some shopping done, now that I have a porter!" Rachel winks at Joey who has a please-get-me-out-of-here expression.
"I was thinking that we should go out and explore New York City as a couple." Chandler grins.
"That sounds good!" I smile back at him.
"Monica, for you, this isn't even punishment!" Rachel smirks.
"Oh I know," I reply.
(Chandler's POV)
We are all sitting here, at Central Perk - again. It is Wednesday – so our three day slave thing is done – which was probably some of the best days of my life. I did switch roles with Monica often throughout the three days – and I got sex on the balcony! Hell yeah!
"It's a shame those three days are over, Phoebe." Rachel reminisces.
"Shame, shame indeed, Ross knew how to massage!" Phoebe sighs.
"Told you so!" Rachel grins.
"So, Monica, what did Chandler do for you when you guys switched?" Phoebe asks.
"Oh, he did lots of things – he cleaned, he actually cooked, he sang..." Monica starts listing.
"Oh you know, we want the interesting stuff!" Rachel exclaims. (She's got a dirty, dirty mind!)
Monica looks deep in thought. "He did a strip dance complete with scarves. And that's all I am saying."
Ah! That was a good night as well! Yeah, and everything else that we did that night will be strictly between me and Mon.
"Hey guys!" Joey enters Central Perk.
We all greet him with a chorus of "Hey!" and "Hi, Joey!"
"Have any of you seen Ross's girlfriend yet?" Rachel asks all of us.
"Nope, we were too interested in our own, can't say that I have." I reply.
"Well, I tried to get him to spill the other day – but you came in and started talking about your promotion, Rachel!" Phoebe exclaims.
"Oh, so that's why Ross looked so uncomfortable!" Rachel replies with a knowing smirk.
"But why would he look so uncomfortable?" Monica asks.
"Yeah, he switched the topic as soon as he could," Phoebe replies.
"I bet you twenty bucks that it's someone we know!" Joey exclaims.
"Oh no, we are not going down that road again, Tribbiani – I am already out fifty bucks!" Phoebe frowns at Joey.
"Didn't Ross say that he got drunk at a bar after his divorce and had a girlfriend the next day?" Rachel asks.
But before we could speculate any further, the door to Central Perk opens, and Ross comes in, holding hands with his girlfriend.
"Oh, my god!"