Beginnings
CHAPTER 1
Chandler Bing walked into his apartment after a long, grueling day at work. He rolled his blue eyes when he saw his friend Monica Geller and his roommate Joey Tribbiani sitting across from each other at the counter, eating pizza and laughing.
"Hey, Chandler," Monica said.
"Hey," he returned half-heartedly, acknowledging both Joey and Monica with a brief nod.
"Have some pizza," Joey offered.
Chandler glanced at the unappetizing remains of what appeared to have been a sausage and mushroom pizza and shook his head.
"I'll pass, but thanks."
"Where are you going?" Monica asked, watching closely as Chandler walked away from them.
"My room. I'll probably catch up with you guys later."
He entered his bedroom and soundly closed the door.
"Is he all right?" Monica asked.
She'd noticed that he hardly hung out with them any more, and when he did show up at her apartment or at the coffeehouse, he was quiet and withdrawn. She missed her wisecracking, very humorous friend.
Joey shrugged.
"You know him better than I do. He's a nice guy but not easy to get to know."
"Chandler?"
Monica couldn't keep the surprise from her voice.
"Yeeah," Joey said, emphasizing the word to make his point. "I dunno. He sulks some times. I think he needs a woman, if you know what I mean."
Monica ignored his last remark and the raised eyebrow and focused instead on Chandler's perceived aloofness. With concern in her sapphire eyes, she looked past Joey towards the closed bedroom door and wondered what was going on with her friend.
*~*
After removing his suit jacket and tie, Chandler plopped down onto his mattress and tried to block out Monica's and Joey's voices.
Why was she always here?
Ever since Joey had moved in a couple of months ago, Monica had begun spending more and more time in their apartment rather than her own.
What was the big deal about his new roommate anyway?
He heard her melodious laugh and threw his pillow against the wall.
It wasn't fair. He worked hard to maintain his friendship with Monica. Joey couldn't just show up and receive immediate acceptance into her life. Where was their friendship leading? Monica and Joey were too comfortable with each other, and Chandler felt as though his importance in Monica's life was quickly and too easily slipping away.
The sharp knock on his door broke into his brooding thoughts.
"Yeah," he called out, still sitting on the bed.
"We're meeting Ross and Rachel at Central Perk," Joey said. "Wanna come?"
"Nah. Not tonight. I'm beat."
Joey lifted his shoulders in resignation towards Monica and then went into his room to get ready. Monica tentatively approached the closed door. She wanted to know why Chandler wouldn't spend time with them.
"Sure we can't talk you into coming with us?" she asked, trying to sound upbeat. "I think Phoebe's gonna sing. Are you sure you want to miss the opportunity to use your charming wit?"
Even though he was feeling low, Chandler grinned at the sound of Monica's cheerful voice and her well-intentioned invitation. She knew him so well.
"I'm okay," he said, rising from the bed and opening the door. "But Phoebe will have to perform without my added commentary tonight."
"Are you sure you're all right?" Monica asked.
Chandler's tired look wasn't lost on her.
"I don't have to go to Central Perk," she continued. "I can stay here. We can talk or play cards or foosball."
"No," Chandler said. "We are definitely not playing foosball."
Monica grinned knowingly and nodded.
"I'm fine," he said.
He leaned against the doorframe, realizing just how nice it was to have a few moments alone with his friend. "You go see the gang. Maybe I'll catch up with you later."
"Okay," she said, not wanting to push him.
In the silence that ensued, Chandler realized that Monica was trying to figure out what was wrong with him. Appreciating the concern he saw in her eyes, he took a step closer to her. About to reassure her he wasn't suicidal or dying, he stopped when Joey bounded back into the living room. The moment was gone. The energy, and Monica's attention, had shifted to his roommate.
"I'm ready," he announced cheerfully. "Let's go, baby!"
Monica gazed for one long moment at Chandler, who nodded that he was all right, and then she turned and smiled at Joey. He placed his hand on Monica's back and led her out of the apartment, leaving Chandler alone and suddenly inexplicably furious with his fun-loving roommate.
CHAPTER 1
Chandler Bing walked into his apartment after a long, grueling day at work. He rolled his blue eyes when he saw his friend Monica Geller and his roommate Joey Tribbiani sitting across from each other at the counter, eating pizza and laughing.
"Hey, Chandler," Monica said.
"Hey," he returned half-heartedly, acknowledging both Joey and Monica with a brief nod.
"Have some pizza," Joey offered.
Chandler glanced at the unappetizing remains of what appeared to have been a sausage and mushroom pizza and shook his head.
"I'll pass, but thanks."
"Where are you going?" Monica asked, watching closely as Chandler walked away from them.
"My room. I'll probably catch up with you guys later."
He entered his bedroom and soundly closed the door.
"Is he all right?" Monica asked.
She'd noticed that he hardly hung out with them any more, and when he did show up at her apartment or at the coffeehouse, he was quiet and withdrawn. She missed her wisecracking, very humorous friend.
Joey shrugged.
"You know him better than I do. He's a nice guy but not easy to get to know."
"Chandler?"
Monica couldn't keep the surprise from her voice.
"Yeeah," Joey said, emphasizing the word to make his point. "I dunno. He sulks some times. I think he needs a woman, if you know what I mean."
Monica ignored his last remark and the raised eyebrow and focused instead on Chandler's perceived aloofness. With concern in her sapphire eyes, she looked past Joey towards the closed bedroom door and wondered what was going on with her friend.
*~*
After removing his suit jacket and tie, Chandler plopped down onto his mattress and tried to block out Monica's and Joey's voices.
Why was she always here?
Ever since Joey had moved in a couple of months ago, Monica had begun spending more and more time in their apartment rather than her own.
What was the big deal about his new roommate anyway?
He heard her melodious laugh and threw his pillow against the wall.
It wasn't fair. He worked hard to maintain his friendship with Monica. Joey couldn't just show up and receive immediate acceptance into her life. Where was their friendship leading? Monica and Joey were too comfortable with each other, and Chandler felt as though his importance in Monica's life was quickly and too easily slipping away.
The sharp knock on his door broke into his brooding thoughts.
"Yeah," he called out, still sitting on the bed.
"We're meeting Ross and Rachel at Central Perk," Joey said. "Wanna come?"
"Nah. Not tonight. I'm beat."
Joey lifted his shoulders in resignation towards Monica and then went into his room to get ready. Monica tentatively approached the closed door. She wanted to know why Chandler wouldn't spend time with them.
"Sure we can't talk you into coming with us?" she asked, trying to sound upbeat. "I think Phoebe's gonna sing. Are you sure you want to miss the opportunity to use your charming wit?"
Even though he was feeling low, Chandler grinned at the sound of Monica's cheerful voice and her well-intentioned invitation. She knew him so well.
"I'm okay," he said, rising from the bed and opening the door. "But Phoebe will have to perform without my added commentary tonight."
"Are you sure you're all right?" Monica asked.
Chandler's tired look wasn't lost on her.
"I don't have to go to Central Perk," she continued. "I can stay here. We can talk or play cards or foosball."
"No," Chandler said. "We are definitely not playing foosball."
Monica grinned knowingly and nodded.
"I'm fine," he said.
He leaned against the doorframe, realizing just how nice it was to have a few moments alone with his friend. "You go see the gang. Maybe I'll catch up with you later."
"Okay," she said, not wanting to push him.
In the silence that ensued, Chandler realized that Monica was trying to figure out what was wrong with him. Appreciating the concern he saw in her eyes, he took a step closer to her. About to reassure her he wasn't suicidal or dying, he stopped when Joey bounded back into the living room. The moment was gone. The energy, and Monica's attention, had shifted to his roommate.
"I'm ready," he announced cheerfully. "Let's go, baby!"
Monica gazed for one long moment at Chandler, who nodded that he was all right, and then she turned and smiled at Joey. He placed his hand on Monica's back and led her out of the apartment, leaving Chandler alone and suddenly inexplicably furious with his fun-loving roommate.