Finally Found - Chapter 2: If You're Not the One.
Authors Note: Aaaw, thanks for the reviews everybody! *grins* I wasn't sure if I'd write anymore unless people liked it, and people do so yay! Keep posting 'em though, as I always like to know what you think :) I've been battling back and forth over what I actually want to happen in this story and I think I'm fairly positive over where it's going now ;) So here we are, Chapter 2...
Disclaimer: Yeah, what I said in the last chapter :p
"So... Joey tells me you're an accountant", the blonde woman's high-pitched, whiny voice cut cleanly through his thought process and he snapped his head up to look at her. "That must be really... interesting." She giggled and wrapped a strand of hair around her finger, obviously trying to flirt with him.
"What? No... um, I'm actually *not* an accountant", Chandler shifted in his seat uncomfortably and glanced across at Joey resentfully. He was sat with his arm draped around the red-haired woman's shoulders, whispering things in her ear that were making her blush and grin from ear to ear. "I work for a company that does statistical data factoring for other companies...", Chandler saw the blank look on her face and sighed internally, "yeah, I guess it's kinda like an accountant.", he muttered half-heartedly.
"Okay!", she grinned that inane grin again and Chandler tried to pull away as he felt her hand rest on his thigh, rubbing seductively. Chandler knew he was being cruel and nothing was this poor womans fault, but at that moment, he hated her. He wanted to be as far away from this restaurant with these smiling, happy people, as he could. Away from the woman... who's name he couldn't even remember and was obviously trying her hardest to get him into bed. Away from Joey, who seemed completely oblivious to Chandler's unhappiness and was now too busy sticking his tongue down red-haired woman's ear to notice. Away from *all* of this... He knew where he wanted to be... sitting with Monica in her living room, watching a movie and snuggling together, fighting playfully over the last bits of popcorn.
As he contined to build up a full mental image in his head, he noticed that blonde woman was still talking to him, her face moving animatedly and her hand still working on his thigh. He looked at her. There was nothing there to remind him of Monica at all, not even a trace. Her eyes were round and a murky green color unlike Monica's that were almond-shaped and a sparkling, azure blue. Her hair was thick, wavy and blonde... Monica's was straight, dark and so soft... like black velvet, Chandler thought... and she didn't even smell like Monica, this woman was wearing something strong and pungent, Monica always smelled like a kind of mixture of vanilla and fruit... like peaches.
"Dude!", Joey softly nudged him in the shoulder and Chandler realised he was standing above him, an amused expression on his face.
"What? Are we leaving?", he tried not to sound too hopeful.
"No man, I'm going to the bar and you're gonna have to come with me, I can't handle all the drinks myself you know", Joey shook his head and took off, heading for the other side of the restaurant. Chandler nodded politely at the two women and followed after him silently, both not talking until they reached the bar.
"Wow, you must really like Amy huh?", Joey grinned widely and nodded to the barman, indicating that he wanted to be served. "I thought you would... smoking body!"
"Wh... where did you get that I like her?", Chandler eyed up the alcohol before him appreciatively. Getting drunk sounded really good right now.
"Chandler, you were staring her like she was sitting there naked or something", he grinned again, "although I bet that's exactly the kind of thing you were thinking about, huh? I'm telling you man, she likes you, you're way in there!"
Chandler sighed and muttered his thanks to the barman who slipped him a glass of scotch like he'd requested. Preparing himself, he lifted the tumbler and downed it all in one go, the liquid burning a path down his throat and making his eyes water slightly. He shook his head in order to try and clear it and let his hands find the bar-stool, sliding his body down onto it.
"Woah, scotch? That's kinda heavy to be drinking this early man, we've got the whole night ahead of us!", Chandler desperately wanted to block him out and be left on his own. "And why are you sitting down? Chandler, we have to go back to the girls now..."
"Joey!"
Joey looked taken aback by his sudden outburst, and Chandler immediately felt guilty. "Look, I'm really sorry man... I'm just not feeling too well, I think I should go home. Can you tell... Amy... can you tell her that I'm sorry?" He went to make his way towards the door but felt Joey grab his wrist.
"Chandler!... Please man, will you tell me what this is about?", turning he saw that Joey looked almost hurt, his face pressed into an expression of geniune confusion. "You've been so depressed lately... I thought I was your best friend, why won't you tell me?"
Chandler all of a sudden felt like he could burst into tears right there in the middle of the restaurant. He felt like a little kid again, lost and confused and... scared, so scared. At that moment he wanted to tell Joey, he didn't want him to think that all this was his fault, or that it had anything to do with him. And his feelings for Monica were so huge, so all-consuming that they threatened to drown him, completely take him over. He had to get this off his chest. Turning back to him, he smiled faintly and patted Joey on the shoulder. "This is not a conversation that I wanted to be having in the middle of a crowded restaurant Joe..."
"What conversation? Chandler, what are you talking about?"
Chandler took a deep breath and leaned back against the bar, needing it's support. "It's Monica."
"What about Monica? Is she sick? Dude, is that why you're so upset?... Why didn't she tell *me*?"
"Joey, please!... She's not sick, just please let me say this, okay?"
Joey nodded silently, the confused expression never leaving his face.
"Lately, I've been feeling... stuff... for her, for Monica", he took a deep breath and internally shook himself, here it was... "Joey, I think I'm in love with her."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Monica shivered and pulled her long, fleecy coat even tighter around her slight body, it was cold out today. She wouldn't have even ventured out to the bank if she hadn't have needed to. But cheques had to be cashed, and being the self-sufficient lady she was, there was no way that she'd let it wait. She waited patiently until the crossing sign said 'walk', and made her way across the road, the bank finally in sight. As soon as she was inside, she felt the warmth of the heaters thawing her and joined the end of the shortest line, rooting around in her bag to retrieve the cheque.
"I don't belive it!", she heard a loud masculine voice to the side of her and she jumped slightly, turning her head to see a handsome and vaguely familiar face smiling down at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you... You're Monica Geller, aren't you?"
"Ummm, yeah I am.", she answered, and she felt a blush creep across her cheeks, this guy was cute, seriously cute and still so familiar...
"I'm Chip Matthews... from Lincoln High? I took your best friend Rachel to the Prom?"
"Chip Matthews! I don't believe it either!", she laughed softly and it all fell into place. She remembered him. The guy she'd dreamed about dating in High School, The most popular guy in the entire place. The guy that she, a little nerdy fat kid had never had a chance with, but best friend and Prom Queen Rachel had dated for many months.
"Wow... you look, I mean... *wow*", he laughed and let his eyes travel over the length of her now svelte body, giving her pleasurable chills. "I almost didn't get that it was you, I mean I was checking you out and then I recongnised your face... Looking good, Monica Geller... better than good, you look amazing!"
"Thankyou", she giggled softly and instantly felt like a giddy teenager. She knew what was probably going to happen. Chip Matthews was going to ask her out...
"Listen, I gotta run, I'm sorry... but would you like to go out to dinner sometime?"
"Umm, yeah... sure!", Monica cleared her throat and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear, an impulse on such occasions.
"Great! Well okay, here's my number...", he reached into his pocket and pulled out a card that had his name and number printed across the front and handed it to her. "Give me a ring okay?"
"Of course!... thankyou!", she beamed.
"Bye Monica Geller", he winked at her suggestively, "See you soon."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chandler sat in his barca lounger, the events of his and Joey's conversation echoing through his head. Joey'd been shocked at first, saying that he'd had no idea. Chandler had been thankful when he'd suggested telling the girls that Chandler had been sick and he was going to help him home. Back in the apartment, he'd told Joey everything, starting from that day on the beach. He told him how at first he'd been terrified of the feelings, tried to push them away and get on with things. He told him how now, he couldn't even bare being around Monica, how it would cause this horrible aching feeling inside him. And he'd told him how he was sure it was love, and not just a crush, an infatuation like he'd first thought. And Joey had listened silently to every word, nodding every so often and taking a swig of his bottle of beer.
"Dude, you gotta tell her..."
That was what he'd told him. That, simply and that alone. Chandler knew that he was right. He almost felt like he was betraying her by not telling her... he told Monica everything. And it was going to be scary and it was going to be as hard as anything he'd ever done, but he had to do it. There was nothing else he *could* do.
Almost as if on que, the door opened and she came walking through, looking happier than she had in months, her face pulled into a bright, infectious smile. He noticed the way she was dressed, tight black pants and a low cut red top, her hair perfectly in place. She looked amazing... but he couldn't let that affect him, he had to do this and he had to do it now.
"Hey you, got any milk?", she grinned at him and rested her hands on the breakfast bar.
"In the fridge", he smiled back and launched himself out of the chair, making his way towards her. There it was - that Monica scent that you couldn't get anywhere else. He wished he could bottle it and take it everywhere. "Y...you look nice today"
"Yay, do you like it?", she reached into the fridge until she found what she wanted and closed it again, giving a little twirl. "Well, it better look good, I have a date with... Chip Matthews tonight... the guy that took Rachel to the Prom, can you believe that?!"
Chandler was aware that she was still talking but everything became slightly out of focus. He couldn't hear her properly, it was like she was talking to him under layers of water, her voice muffled and distorted as he felt his heart sink painfully to the bottom of his stomach and his world crash in all around him.
"I don't wanna run away,
But I can't take it,
I don't understand,
If I'm not made for you,
Then why does my heart tell me that I am?"
"If You're Not the One" by Daniel Bedingfield. Lyrics by Daniel Bedingfield #2002
Authors Note: Aaaw, thanks for the reviews everybody! *grins* I wasn't sure if I'd write anymore unless people liked it, and people do so yay! Keep posting 'em though, as I always like to know what you think :) I've been battling back and forth over what I actually want to happen in this story and I think I'm fairly positive over where it's going now ;) So here we are, Chapter 2...
Disclaimer: Yeah, what I said in the last chapter :p
"So... Joey tells me you're an accountant", the blonde woman's high-pitched, whiny voice cut cleanly through his thought process and he snapped his head up to look at her. "That must be really... interesting." She giggled and wrapped a strand of hair around her finger, obviously trying to flirt with him.
"What? No... um, I'm actually *not* an accountant", Chandler shifted in his seat uncomfortably and glanced across at Joey resentfully. He was sat with his arm draped around the red-haired woman's shoulders, whispering things in her ear that were making her blush and grin from ear to ear. "I work for a company that does statistical data factoring for other companies...", Chandler saw the blank look on her face and sighed internally, "yeah, I guess it's kinda like an accountant.", he muttered half-heartedly.
"Okay!", she grinned that inane grin again and Chandler tried to pull away as he felt her hand rest on his thigh, rubbing seductively. Chandler knew he was being cruel and nothing was this poor womans fault, but at that moment, he hated her. He wanted to be as far away from this restaurant with these smiling, happy people, as he could. Away from the woman... who's name he couldn't even remember and was obviously trying her hardest to get him into bed. Away from Joey, who seemed completely oblivious to Chandler's unhappiness and was now too busy sticking his tongue down red-haired woman's ear to notice. Away from *all* of this... He knew where he wanted to be... sitting with Monica in her living room, watching a movie and snuggling together, fighting playfully over the last bits of popcorn.
As he contined to build up a full mental image in his head, he noticed that blonde woman was still talking to him, her face moving animatedly and her hand still working on his thigh. He looked at her. There was nothing there to remind him of Monica at all, not even a trace. Her eyes were round and a murky green color unlike Monica's that were almond-shaped and a sparkling, azure blue. Her hair was thick, wavy and blonde... Monica's was straight, dark and so soft... like black velvet, Chandler thought... and she didn't even smell like Monica, this woman was wearing something strong and pungent, Monica always smelled like a kind of mixture of vanilla and fruit... like peaches.
"Dude!", Joey softly nudged him in the shoulder and Chandler realised he was standing above him, an amused expression on his face.
"What? Are we leaving?", he tried not to sound too hopeful.
"No man, I'm going to the bar and you're gonna have to come with me, I can't handle all the drinks myself you know", Joey shook his head and took off, heading for the other side of the restaurant. Chandler nodded politely at the two women and followed after him silently, both not talking until they reached the bar.
"Wow, you must really like Amy huh?", Joey grinned widely and nodded to the barman, indicating that he wanted to be served. "I thought you would... smoking body!"
"Wh... where did you get that I like her?", Chandler eyed up the alcohol before him appreciatively. Getting drunk sounded really good right now.
"Chandler, you were staring her like she was sitting there naked or something", he grinned again, "although I bet that's exactly the kind of thing you were thinking about, huh? I'm telling you man, she likes you, you're way in there!"
Chandler sighed and muttered his thanks to the barman who slipped him a glass of scotch like he'd requested. Preparing himself, he lifted the tumbler and downed it all in one go, the liquid burning a path down his throat and making his eyes water slightly. He shook his head in order to try and clear it and let his hands find the bar-stool, sliding his body down onto it.
"Woah, scotch? That's kinda heavy to be drinking this early man, we've got the whole night ahead of us!", Chandler desperately wanted to block him out and be left on his own. "And why are you sitting down? Chandler, we have to go back to the girls now..."
"Joey!"
Joey looked taken aback by his sudden outburst, and Chandler immediately felt guilty. "Look, I'm really sorry man... I'm just not feeling too well, I think I should go home. Can you tell... Amy... can you tell her that I'm sorry?" He went to make his way towards the door but felt Joey grab his wrist.
"Chandler!... Please man, will you tell me what this is about?", turning he saw that Joey looked almost hurt, his face pressed into an expression of geniune confusion. "You've been so depressed lately... I thought I was your best friend, why won't you tell me?"
Chandler all of a sudden felt like he could burst into tears right there in the middle of the restaurant. He felt like a little kid again, lost and confused and... scared, so scared. At that moment he wanted to tell Joey, he didn't want him to think that all this was his fault, or that it had anything to do with him. And his feelings for Monica were so huge, so all-consuming that they threatened to drown him, completely take him over. He had to get this off his chest. Turning back to him, he smiled faintly and patted Joey on the shoulder. "This is not a conversation that I wanted to be having in the middle of a crowded restaurant Joe..."
"What conversation? Chandler, what are you talking about?"
Chandler took a deep breath and leaned back against the bar, needing it's support. "It's Monica."
"What about Monica? Is she sick? Dude, is that why you're so upset?... Why didn't she tell *me*?"
"Joey, please!... She's not sick, just please let me say this, okay?"
Joey nodded silently, the confused expression never leaving his face.
"Lately, I've been feeling... stuff... for her, for Monica", he took a deep breath and internally shook himself, here it was... "Joey, I think I'm in love with her."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Monica shivered and pulled her long, fleecy coat even tighter around her slight body, it was cold out today. She wouldn't have even ventured out to the bank if she hadn't have needed to. But cheques had to be cashed, and being the self-sufficient lady she was, there was no way that she'd let it wait. She waited patiently until the crossing sign said 'walk', and made her way across the road, the bank finally in sight. As soon as she was inside, she felt the warmth of the heaters thawing her and joined the end of the shortest line, rooting around in her bag to retrieve the cheque.
"I don't belive it!", she heard a loud masculine voice to the side of her and she jumped slightly, turning her head to see a handsome and vaguely familiar face smiling down at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you... You're Monica Geller, aren't you?"
"Ummm, yeah I am.", she answered, and she felt a blush creep across her cheeks, this guy was cute, seriously cute and still so familiar...
"I'm Chip Matthews... from Lincoln High? I took your best friend Rachel to the Prom?"
"Chip Matthews! I don't believe it either!", she laughed softly and it all fell into place. She remembered him. The guy she'd dreamed about dating in High School, The most popular guy in the entire place. The guy that she, a little nerdy fat kid had never had a chance with, but best friend and Prom Queen Rachel had dated for many months.
"Wow... you look, I mean... *wow*", he laughed and let his eyes travel over the length of her now svelte body, giving her pleasurable chills. "I almost didn't get that it was you, I mean I was checking you out and then I recongnised your face... Looking good, Monica Geller... better than good, you look amazing!"
"Thankyou", she giggled softly and instantly felt like a giddy teenager. She knew what was probably going to happen. Chip Matthews was going to ask her out...
"Listen, I gotta run, I'm sorry... but would you like to go out to dinner sometime?"
"Umm, yeah... sure!", Monica cleared her throat and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear, an impulse on such occasions.
"Great! Well okay, here's my number...", he reached into his pocket and pulled out a card that had his name and number printed across the front and handed it to her. "Give me a ring okay?"
"Of course!... thankyou!", she beamed.
"Bye Monica Geller", he winked at her suggestively, "See you soon."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chandler sat in his barca lounger, the events of his and Joey's conversation echoing through his head. Joey'd been shocked at first, saying that he'd had no idea. Chandler had been thankful when he'd suggested telling the girls that Chandler had been sick and he was going to help him home. Back in the apartment, he'd told Joey everything, starting from that day on the beach. He told him how at first he'd been terrified of the feelings, tried to push them away and get on with things. He told him how now, he couldn't even bare being around Monica, how it would cause this horrible aching feeling inside him. And he'd told him how he was sure it was love, and not just a crush, an infatuation like he'd first thought. And Joey had listened silently to every word, nodding every so often and taking a swig of his bottle of beer.
"Dude, you gotta tell her..."
That was what he'd told him. That, simply and that alone. Chandler knew that he was right. He almost felt like he was betraying her by not telling her... he told Monica everything. And it was going to be scary and it was going to be as hard as anything he'd ever done, but he had to do it. There was nothing else he *could* do.
Almost as if on que, the door opened and she came walking through, looking happier than she had in months, her face pulled into a bright, infectious smile. He noticed the way she was dressed, tight black pants and a low cut red top, her hair perfectly in place. She looked amazing... but he couldn't let that affect him, he had to do this and he had to do it now.
"Hey you, got any milk?", she grinned at him and rested her hands on the breakfast bar.
"In the fridge", he smiled back and launched himself out of the chair, making his way towards her. There it was - that Monica scent that you couldn't get anywhere else. He wished he could bottle it and take it everywhere. "Y...you look nice today"
"Yay, do you like it?", she reached into the fridge until she found what she wanted and closed it again, giving a little twirl. "Well, it better look good, I have a date with... Chip Matthews tonight... the guy that took Rachel to the Prom, can you believe that?!"
Chandler was aware that she was still talking but everything became slightly out of focus. He couldn't hear her properly, it was like she was talking to him under layers of water, her voice muffled and distorted as he felt his heart sink painfully to the bottom of his stomach and his world crash in all around him.
"I don't wanna run away,
But I can't take it,
I don't understand,
If I'm not made for you,
Then why does my heart tell me that I am?"
"If You're Not the One" by Daniel Bedingfield. Lyrics by Daniel Bedingfield #2002