:It is a nightmare trying to get your friends to meet up at the same place at the same time without someone being busy! I've been really trying to organise a day, month and time when we can see Matthew Perry in London. Is it easy? NO!
I know exactly where I'm going with this story now and have already nearly finished the next chapter after this one. lol…here is Chapter 4 of Rivals At First Sight. Enjoy and please review!:
Rivals At First SightChapter Four – A Surprising Offer.
One month later…Chandler looked through his newspaper absentmindedly, not paying too much attention to the articles. His mind was on other things. One being that his restaurant, Something For Everyone, was already becoming a huge success just one month after opening day. The business was so demanding that he was forced into becoming an extra maitre d' to help the host that he had already hired. He enjoyed the work, but it was tiring trying to run his other business on Long Island and do the new job too. He was sometimes working up to 14 hours a day.
Chandler's second worry was the constant attention from the media about his rivalry with Monica. It was slowly becoming a tradition for the gossip columnists to write something new about their fights. The 'opening day clash' just made the attention all the more worst and Chandler was becoming sick of it. The media's obsession with the pair got to the point where they brought in a psychologist, Rick Morrison, to study the behaviour of the rivals and write a column explaining his findings. The results were, to Chandler's friends, hilarious.
There is an attraction between these two individuals. All we need now is something to 'snap'. It's going to take an event to ease the rivalry and make these two fiery characters see each other in a different light. Both have stubbornness, and a neuroticism that can bounce off each other in an argument but can also attract each other like oil to a flame… passion, a flame that is slowly burning….
"What is he? A poet or a psychologist?" Chandler had scoffed at the time, "An event to ease the rivalry? Passion? 'A slowly burning flame?' Can someone please explain what the hell he's talking about?"
"If you really can't see it then there's no point in explaining," Phoebe had replied, "The two of you will work it out for yourselves in time."
Now, as Chandler looked through his newspaper, he still didn't see it. It was driving him nuts that the media would just not let it go. He flipped through the pages, shaking his head. He stopped and widened his eyes at the article he saw at the bottom of the page. "Now this is interesting," he murmured, reading.
****
"A competition?" Monica asked Rachel in confusion, "What sort of competition?"
"Read this." Rachel instructed, handing Monica a newspaper.
" 'America's finest chefs will be competing in a month's time to win a prize of $40,000, an increase of $10,000 on last years prize, by cooking a variety of dishes in front of a panel of food critics. The contestants do not usually like to win for the money, but for the publicity it will bring to their talents.'" Monica looked up at Rachel and smiled slowly. "Are you saying I should enter this competition? She asked.
"Of course!" Rachel exclaimed, "It's still not too late to enter. You could totally win this!"
"But…but it's only in a month!" Monica exclaimed.
"Mon, you're an amazing chef. Most of these contestants will be amateurs…you'll walk away with the money no questions asked! Think what great publicity it will bring to 'Geller's Cuisine'."
"I don't know," Monica said doubtfully.
"Well you know what Chandler will be feeling if you won," Rachel murmured innocently.
"He'd be feeling sick!" Monica realised, grinning, "I'd be stealing his thunder! Rach, I'm going to enter this straight away. I just need to get a application form." She walked out of the apartment in excitement.
"I knew that would get her going." Rachel told herself smiling. She turned to Ross, who was looking at her with disapproval. "What?"
"You're just encouraging this silly, childish rivalry!" Ross retorted, "The tabloids will never leave Monica alone now!"
"Ross, honey, Monica needs this to get publicity for her business," Rachel explained, "Give the girl a break."
"Ok, fine." Ross snapped, shaking his head in despair, "So she enters…but I can see all this blowing up in her face. What if…oh I don't know…let's say what if this Chandler guy enters the competition too?" he frowned worriedly.
"Then we have a interesting battle to watch, don't we?" Rachel replied, smiling, "Besides, I doubt he will enter anyway. He doesn't know how to cook!"
"But what if he does enter? What then?" Ross demanded.
"Well that psychologist did say an event might get those two to stop fighting…" Rachel smiled suggestively.
"Over my dead body," Ross said darkly, scowling.
*****
"So how does this competition work?" Joey asked Chandler a few days later.
"Ok, here's how it works," Chandler explained, "The cooking areas for each contestant will just be a small stove on a table, and the appropriate equipment needed. These will be placed in a large room in front of a panel of judges who will be watching to make sure nobody is breaking the rules."
"Breaking the rules?" Phoebe asked in confusion, "What rules?"
"They will be looking out for deliberate sabotage that some contestants might do to one another. You know…adding 'ingredients' to make the food less eatable. You'll be surprised how far someone can go to make sure they win."
"Wow…so what happens next?" Joey asked.
"This competition will have two rounds. The first round is more of an elimination process than anything. This year in the first round you're expected to make a cheesecake. You cook it and then the judges go to each table, eat it and comment on it and then award points out of 10. If you are given points lower than 5, you don't make it to the next round. The contestants with over 5 points go on to the next round. This time, there will be an audience watching along with the judges. You're expected to cook a meatball soup. As before, the judges award points out of 10. The contestant with the most points added together from both rounds wins the prize. You go up on stage in front of the audience and the photographers from all the national newspapers to collect your prize."
"This sounds really good but Chandler there's one little problem…you can't cook." Phoebe pointed out.
"I want to prove myself in front of these critics from the papers that I deserve the success I have with my restaurants," Chandler said quietly, "Also, with a bit of luck, I can cook a meatball soup thanks to Joey and his weakness for Italian food." He smiled.
"You do make a great soup," Joey agreed, "But is it up to the standard that the judges will be expecting?"
"I'll keep practicing," Chandler said, determined.
"Ok, so you can make a soup," Phoebe admitted, "But what about the cheesecake? You've never made one. How are you going to get through the first round?"
"Yes, that is something I've got to work on." Chandler admitted, starting to look worried. "Can either of you help me with that?"
"Sorry Chandler, but I don't have any idea how to make a cheesecake," Joey said, shaking his head, "Do you Pheebs?"
"No," Phoebe murmured, "But I know somebody who does." She turned to Chandler. "I've just had a idea, listen to this…"
****
"The cheesecake is no problem at all, I'm well known for making the most delicious cake." Monica told Rachel and Ross excitedly, "It's just the soup I'm worried about…it's that skill I need the most otherwise I won't win."
"Yes, you're not exactly good at that side of catering." Rachel agreed cautiously, "no offence, but I've had better soups."
"Thanks Rach," Monica said sarcastically, "That helps me a lot."
There was a knock on the door and Ross went to answer it. He was surprised by who was standing outside. "Mon…you have a visitor." Ross said, opening the door wider so that Monica could see. It was Chandler.
"Oh," Monica said in surprise. She frowned. "What are you doing here?"
"Nice welcome that is," Chandler muttered, walking in and shutting the door. "I've bothered about ten other Geller's until I found the right apartment. That is about as frustrating as it can get… not counting when you're surfing through 100 different TV channels to find a decent show to watch and you suddenly realise you're no better off than when you had non-cable and just a few channels." He rolled his eyes in mock despair, getting a knowing chuckle from Ross.
"I'm in no mood for 'the chandler show' right now," Monica snapped, rolling her eyes. "I'm busy. What is it you want?"
"I'm here because I have a feeling you're entering a certain competition." Chandler explained.
"So?"
"So I'm here to make you a offer you can't refuse!" Chandler continued enthusiastically.
"What kind of offer?" Monica asked suspiciously.
"Yeah," Ross agreed, frowning.
"Ok, here's the thing. I'm offering a kind of deal which if you accept, you'll have a much better chance of winning the competition…as I will too."
"I highly doubt that." Monica commented, wrinkling her nose.
"Look, listen to me a second," Chandler said, sighing, "We both know that I'm not a very good chef…however, I can cook the best meatball soup that I can guarantee you would love."
"Really?" Monica asked sceptically.
"Yes…and you make the best cheesecakes in the world!" Chandler added.
"Where exactly is all this leading?" Monica said with impatience in her voice.
"I think I see where all this is leading," Rachel interrupted, smiling.
"Monica, you need help making a soup good enough for the second round and I'm the guy to help you do that!" Chandler continued.
"Why would you want to help me?" Monica asked in surprise.
"Well there is one condition of course…"
"What?" Monica asked cautiously.
"If I help you practice making a meatball soup, you can help me make a cheesecake to get through to the second round."
"Interesting but what exactly do we get out of this?" Monica demanded.
"Monica, you're one of the best chef's in New York!" Chandler exclaimed, "I have the best meatball soup in New York! If we can help each other with our talents, it would mean that one of us would win the competition! We'd blow away the opposition no questions asked whatsoever."
Monica folded her arms, walking closer to Chandler. "What if I don't want your help?" she asked bluntly.
"Then you can just turn up at the competition with the worst meatball soup in America," Chandler replied, shrugging, "Meanwhile, I won't even make it to the second round and we both miss out."
"So, you're saying if we help each other, one of us could win this thing?" Monica asked slowly. Chandler nodded. She frowned up at him. "What if I win and you don't? What happens then?"
"Then you've won." Chandler stated simply, "A win-lose situation."
"What?" Monica gasped, "You don't want half the prize money? Are you serious?"
"Yes," Chandler replied seriously, "If I lose, I've still shown those judges that I can make a damn good cheesecake! And if I win, you don't get half either but at least you can show your critics that you can make a soup." He held out his hand. "Do you accept my offer?" he asked, looking at her hopefully.
Monica hesitated. She could see her brother standing behind Chandler shaking his head and mouthing 'you can't trust him'. She looked away from Ross and gave Chandler a stiff smile. She shook his hand and nodded. "If I lose, I still keep my pride. If I win, I get the money. The same goes for you. Ok, I agree."
Chandler nodded and gave her a small smile. "We should start helping each other as soon as possible. Maybe tomorrow morning at 8am? It's Sunday, both our businesses are closed so…"
"Yes," Monica agreed.
Chandler opened the door, "Good to do business with you." he said formally.
"It still doesn't mean I like you." Monica said shortly, "This is just business."
"Just business." Chandler agreed. He walked out of the apartment and shut the door.
"What the hell are you doing?" Ross yelled at Monica, "Have you gone nuts?!"
"No Ross, I haven't gone nuts." Monica replied.
"Look Mon, I think you're still going to win this because of your experience. What if Chandler goes back on his word and wants half of your money?" Ross pointed out, scowling.
"He won't do that," Monica insisted, "Unless he doesn't want to walk again!"
"Monica's right," Rachel told Ross, "I don't think he'll want to mess Monica around." She smiled.
"God, I'm going to dread these next few weeks," Ross groaned. He sat down and buried his head into his hands.
Monica didn't say anything to that. She secretly thought that working with Chandler in the kitchens was going to be a nightmare. The pair could hardly say two words to each other without a fight flaring up. However, if there was a chance to win $40,000, she was willing to take that risk.
END OF CHAPTER FOUR