Haha, wanna here something funny? I'm going to be learning to drive soon and I was ringing different companies... I found one online, that would be perfect for me and I called them. The next day, I had a voicemail on my phone and I answered it. It was only me on the phone! I'd actually left myself a message! Do you know how weird it is listening to yourself saying 'Hello, I'm calling regarding your driving lessons'? Ah, I'm such a pleb.
Enough rambling now...
I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story recently... and so many kind words too :')
You've made me a very happy girl indeed...
I feel like I haven't left a disclaimer in a while... so I'm sorry to any of you who thought that I owned friends, I hate to break it to you, but I don't own friends. If I did I would have been a talented kid to come up with the show at the grand age of 1!
Neee'way... chapter 11, picks up from where we left off.
Chandler watched as the cab drove off around the corner and felt his blood boil angrily. He couldn't believe his father. He was so rude, cruel and disrespectful to her, and probably ruined any chance of friendship with Monica.
Shivering from the cold, Chandler walked back into the county club where the party had resumed again and everyone had apparently forgotten what had just happened. Chandler sighed, he was sure that this wasn't what life was meant to be... surely someone would have comforted Monica, asked if she was okay or at least given her a sympathetic look, not the cold, disgusted glares.
"Chandler, there you are" Charles said when he saw his some approaching.
"Why did you do it dad?" Chandler asked quietly.
"Do what?" Charles asked, confused.
"Say those horrible things about Monica" Chandler pointed out "she's never going to speak to me again now"
"And that would be bad would it?" Charles asked.
"Yes" Chandler said angrily "Dad, Monica is a great woman and a lovely friend to me..."
"You'll find other, better friends" Charles said stiffly before turning back to the bar.
"Maybe I don't want to" Chandler argued before storming out of the room, into a quieter area of the large house.
His mother was sat in the corner, with a bottle of whisky in one hand and a half empty glass in the other.
"Mum, what're you doing?" Chandler asked "I thought you weren't drinking anymore?"
"I'm just stressed Chandler" Nora said quietly.
"Why?" Chandler asked.
"Because of your father, that's the first time anyone stood up to him in a long time. It makes me think; maybe I should have stood up to him before... I could have done anything I wanted too" Nora sighed.
"It's not too late now" Chandler told her quietly and sat in one of the large, over stuffed chairs, next to her.
"Chandler, honey, I'm not as young as I used to be" Nora said, smiling slightly.
"So?" Chandler said.
"I appreciate the thought, but it's not going to happen" Nora told her son "now what are you going to do about Monica?" she asked.
"What about her?" Chandler sighed.
"Well... you can't just leave it... I can tell you care about her and nothing will get fixed if you sit around here sulking" Nora said.
"I don't know what to say. Dad hurt her pretty bad" Chandler said sadly.
"But you didn't" Nora pointed out "now, call her before she thinks you don't care"
"Thanks mum" Chandler smiled and hugged his mother.
"It's ok honey" Nora smiled back at her son as he started to leave.
"Mum" Chandler said, she looked back up at him.
"I don't blame you... so you don't need to drink" Chandler told her before leaving out into the night.
Nora watched, her eyes glistening with tears. She looked at her whiskey for several seconds before putting it back onto the table and leaving it behind. Maybe Chandler was right after all?
~/~
Chandler had called, called and re-called Monica all through the night... but not once had Monica answered his call. At one point, he thought he had the wrong number. Eventually, at around 2am, Chandler drifted off to sleep until the late hours of Monday morning.
~/~
Rachel had arranged to look after Daniel until around 10.30 when Monica had planned to arrive home by, so you can imagine her shock when Monica turned up at her apartment little after 8.
"Monica, hi, what're you doing back already?" Rachel asked, shocked to see her friend already there. She looked closer at Monica; she looked sad, really sad.
"Oh Monica, what happened?" Rachel asked.
"I shouldn't have gone... it was a stupid mistake" Monica said sadly.
"What happened?" Rachel asked, concerned.
"It was a nightmare" Monica said quietly.
"Was it really that bad?" Rachel asked, Monica nodded.
"His dad called me a stupid little slut in the first half hour" Monica told her "then, I stormed out crying and people just tutted and looked down at me"
"Oh my god" Rachel whispered and bought her friend into a tight hug. Monica sniffled sadly and Rachel rubbed her back soothingly. This was the last thing that Monica needed. For years Rachel and Ross had been trying to get her to go out and then, when she did, some idiot insulted her.
"What did Chandler say?" Rachel asked her.
"I don't know" Monica cried "I left the room... but it's his dad. The man who's going to be the boss and no one stands up to him"
"Are you going to forgive him?" Rachel asked.
"Maybe" Monica said quietly "but not today, I need to think you know. He wasn't the one who insulted me but I don't know Rach... I don't fit in his world"
"It's okay" Rachel said comfortingly. Monica pulled out of their hug and dried her eyes; Rachel offered her a small smile.
"How's Danny been?" Monica asked.
"Brilliant, as usual" Rachel smiled at her; Monica returned the smile happily and moved into Rachel's living room and giggled softly at the sight.
Daniel had curled up on her couch, the cartoons were still playing as he slept peacefully.
"Now that is just adorable" Rachel smiled.
"Oh, I feel bad waking him" Monica said softly.
"Why don't you stay here?" Rachel suggested "he still has some overnight stuff here and you can borrow some of my clothes"
"Alright then" Monica nodded "thank you"
~/~
When Chandler woke up the following morning at 11, his head was aching from the restless sleep.
Chandler sat up in his bed, pushing the dark blue covers to the foot of his bed, he picked up phone from the side table, hoping to see a text or missed call from Monica. Hopefully, he flipped the phone open, his faced dropped. No new messages, no missed calls.
After calling her mobile twice and her home phone five times, he decided that he'd go around and see Monica. Tell her he's sorry face to face.
He rolled out of his bed and walked over to the large and badly organised wardrobe, pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans and a light grey shirt. He grabbed a milkshake from the mini-fridge that Chandler and Joey had bought in their freshmen year and drank whilst sat on the edge of his bed, looking around his dorm room.
It was rather large and cluttered with their junk... on the left there were two desks, Chandler's was overflowing with books, paper, pens and general litter, a desk light was balanced riskily on a pile of law books, Joey's was even worse, covered in paper, books, pictures, wrappers and junk of all sorts, his desk lamp was long gone. On the wall directly in front of them was Joey's bed, he'd declared it his from day one because it was closer to the window, his bed covers were dark green and messy, a large stuffed penguin named Hugsy was next on the pillow, on Joey's bedside table there was two bottles of half drunk cola and a box of condoms. Chandler's bed was on the right side of the room, covered in dark blue sheets, his desk was considerably tidier but would make someone the likes of Monica, shudder.
Thinking of Monica bought Chandler out of his trance; he threw his bottle into the bin and left to go to Monica's.
~/~
Have you ever noticed that when you're trying to get somewhere quickly, everything will try to slow you down? Well, for Chandler it was no different.
He bumped into no less the 3 lecturers wanting to know how he was and what his future plans were, had to stop for gas and ended up stuck behind some woman who didn't know how to use that machine, got stuck in traffic and took a short cut which ended up taking him across town because there was another accident and lots of diversions.
It was 2.30 when an irritated Chandler stomped up the stairs towards Monica's apartment; he shook his head and tried to clear his mind before knocking on her door and waiting. Waiting... and waiting
Chandler began to wonder whether Monica was alright, after all, he didn't know how she got home last night, or if she actually got home. Anything could have happened.
Chandler began to pace back and forth, he stopped thinking about getting Monica to forgive him and started preying she'd be okay... she was okay he told himself, she had to be.
Chandler heard the childish laughter of a young boy coming up the stairs and turned around to see Daniel running up towards him, laughing happily.
Chandler breathed a sigh of relief as he heard Monica's laugh behind him, she was okay!
"Chandler, what are you doing here?" Monica asked.
"I'm here to say sorry" Chandler said "I don't know what my dad was thinking being so horrible to you and I know that I'll never make it up to you because what he did was so cruel and I know it must have hurt you. But please know that what my dad said was completely wrong and it isn't anything like you at all, you're beautiful, smart and funny and if you let me, I'd like to be your friend" he took a deep breath and looked into Monica's eyes, they were filled with tears.
"Danny, can you go inside for a while, I need to talk to Chandler" Monica said quietly, Daniel looked from Monica to Chandler before nodding a leaving the two adults alone in the hallway, again.
"Monica" Chandler started to speak, but Monica held a hand to stop him talking.
"I'm sorry too" she said quietly.
"What for?" Chandler asked.
"Storming out yesterday... I must have embarrassed you and everyone" Monica said "and I'm sorry that I ignored your calls yesterday... it wasn't your fault"
"You have nothing to be sorry for" Chandler told her gently and walked towards her "I would have ignored me too. But I was really worried about you when you didn't answer either phone" he admitted.
Monica bit her lip again and walked towards Chandler "no one's ever said that before" she told him quietly.
"Said what?" Chandler asked, confused.
"That they were worried about me" Monica told him. Chandler sighed sadly, she'd never been missed before or had someone miss her... she was such a lovely girl, she didn't deserve this.
"So" Chandler said "am I forgiven?"
"There was nothing to forgive" Monica said and closed the gap between her; she smiled softly before turning to hug him around the waist. Chandler smiled and hugged her back, swaying side to side.
The door opened and Daniel peered around, smiling when he saw Monica hugging Chandler, he liked Chandler, he was nice to her... unlike so many other people had been.
"Come here Danny" Monica said and lifted her arm, Daniel ran and joined in the hug. Chandler met Monica's eyes and she nodded slightly, Chandler gently placed a hand on Daniel's back, bringing him into their hug.
Everything was good again
Or is it?
Hope you like the new chapter, next one isn't far of. Leave a little review and tell me what you think.
After I finish this, I'm planning a new Mondler series, which I hope you'll all read when I post it!