Hi everyone!

I struggled so much to write this chapter so I'm sorry for the delay. It will be better from now on.

Thank you so much for the reviews! And to my best friend (sort of my Rachel to my Monica) for letting me copy and paste into our daily conversations for her thoughts.

The one with the Prom video

Everyone but Monica had a job so when Chandler had offered to be her reference, in the interview she was really excited about, she was relieved. There were no red flags in the beginning of the interview, he showed her around the restaurant and everything felt great. Until she left the restaurant feeling disgusted and drained from energy, the past months without a job had made her miserable and stressed. Every ounce of herself was put into every interview and every sent resume. She had cleaned every surface in both apartments, twice. She spent hours categorizing her coffee mugs and then put numbers on them so she would always know which one is missing.

After today she was exhausted, drained and almost numb to rejection. She just mumbled it went horribly when she answered Chandler who stood between apartment 19 and 20.

"Hey, hey… what happened?" Chandler ran after her into apartment 20. She explained everything from the beginning and her voice became more and more dejected.

"I think I will be living in the shower for the next hour…. or days" Monica muttered as she ran her hand through her short strands of hair.

"Hooo ho. Living in the shower, huh?" Chandler chuckled as Monica gave him an adamant glance.

"Do you get to see me shower?"

"No….. " Chandler walked out sheepishly.

Monica knows she had to face her mother after days of saying no to her visiting. She knows her mother suspects something is going on and she knows she's postponing the inevitable: Judy will find out she doesn't have a job. Monica knows she's not strong to face the conversation that will occur. So she said yes to her mother visiting today after the interview for the job she was so hopeful for.

Money has been a problem since she lost her job, and even though she haven't asked her friends to help her out she is happy that Chandler comes along to get groceries and pay for it with the reason "Joey eats more than half of that so it's a two person job to….. carry all of this". She noticed her bills have been taken out of her post more recently and last week she found one of them in apartment 19. Monica knows her parents would help her out if she asked, but her new life is in the city. She has built a life around her job, apartment and friends. Their tight group of friends means everything to her, they are like her second family.

Rachel, who is in her room folding her laundry, calls Monica to her room. Monica was pleased with the distraction as Judy picked up someone in the corner of her eye and brushed off non-existent dust.

"What does she mean: ever since Hawaii? What happened in Hawaii?" Rachel paced and her half updo started to get more undone as she furiously kept walking back and forth. Monica has no idea what to tell her best friend and Rachel's frustration starts to grow and she suddenly exclaimed "I will go down to Central Perk….. and I will talk to the next guy I see…." She stopped and straightened out her t-shirt and added "not Gunther". Monica nodded as Rachel added "Sorry Monica, not your brother either".

Rachel and Ross finally made up. Joey and Chandler are as close as ever, even to the point of acting childish the last few days. Judy called with good news:

"Monica, darling, do you remember Dr Burke? He got divorced and he needs last minute help for his party next Saturday. I told him I would ask you and a friend to help him out catering".

Monica felt relieved, she had something to plan for again. Her mother thought of her, thought she could handle a big party for a family friend. She hasn't seen Dr Burke for years, but she is looking forward to having adult conversations in an adult setting.