Sick~Chapter
2-The Burn
Hey! Time for chapter 2. I
see that I've confused a few people, but that's okay. Things will be explained,
just stick with it. Well, most of u were right on the ball…yes, she's in a
mental institution. But ya know, that doesn't mean that she's completely lost
her marbles (not saying she did, not saying she didn't…lol). There are plenty
of other reasons people are put into mental asylums. Ok, hopefully, u'll
figure out the difference between what's "the present" and what's flashbacks.
(Underneath the line will be flashbacks, and then when they end, it'll go back
to present. I don't know what else to do.) Remember, if u've read any of my
other stories, you'll see that I never end anything on a sad note. Just bare
that in mind. Anyway, after this long intro, chapter 2:
Disclaimer: Don't own any of these characters except the girl
and the nurse/orderly/whatever she should be called. And I don't own any of the
lyrics to The burn, by Matchbox 20.
"How'd you…end up here?"
Monica shook her head
woefully. "It's a long, long story."
"I'm always willing to
listen."
"I dunno…"
"Please?"
"Well…" Monica began, while
thinking. "Okay, I'll tell you."
"Ok great! It's not like we
have anywhere more important to be."
Monica laughed. "Well, it
all started, I guess, when I was in my early 20's…"
"Wow! You were sick for that
long?"
"No! This leads up to it!"
"Oh…"
"Besides, I'm not that old."
Julia looked away
sheepishly.
"Don't interrupt me anymore."
"Ok, very sorry."
"Ok, anyway, as I was
saying, it all started when I was in my early 20's. I think I was 22 or 23, but
I'm not exactly sure anymore because I don't really focus on that part. All I
remember is, two guys were moving into the apartment across from mine…"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hey Monica!" my roommate, Phoebe, called from the living
room.
"Yeah?" I asked, coming out
of my room.
"New neighbors moving
across the hall…and they're guys!"
"Are they cute?"
"I don't know! You try
looking through a peephole and tell me how much you see!"
I groaned. Phoebe was
always doing things like that; things that made life just a little bit more
difficult for her. I guess she just liked it that way.
"Why don't you just open
the door and go out and greet them."
"Hmm…I never thought of
that."
She opened the door and we
both went out to look for the new neighbors. When I spotted one of them, he was
carrying boxes up the stairs.
"Hey, so you're just moving
in here?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I am." At that
point, he had reached the top of the stairs and was standing next to me. "I'm
Kip." He reached his hand out, and I shook it.
"Hi, I'm Monica."
"That's a very nice name."
I blushed. "Thanks." I knew
that was the oldest line in the book, but it was only recently that guys began
to hit on me, since, well, I used to be overweight. Plus, Kip was very cute.
"So, where do you live?" he
questioned, trying to make conversation.
"Actually, right across the
hall from you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Apartment #20."
"Wow, we're
neighbors…almost roommates!"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"So, speaking of roommates,
you have one?"
"Yeah, I don't know where
she went though. She was with me a minute ago." I looked over my shoulder, but
couldn't find her. "Oh well. You'll meet her eventually. You have a roommate?
Or was the other guy just helping you?"
"Nope, I have a roommate. I
definitely can't afford a place like this on my own!"
"Yeah, well…I'm subletting
it from my grandmother…and I shouldn't be, so please don't tell anyone! Wow, I
really shouldn't have said any…"
"Don't worry about it." He
smiled a reassuringly. "I won't tell a soul."
"Thanks."
"Well, I should get back to
unpacking, but would you like to meet me down at the bar, at say, 7?"
"Sure, but I should warn
you that my friends hang out there all the time, so we won't be alone."
"Okay, that's cool. Can I
bring by my roommate, too? I'm sure that he doesn't have anything to do."
"Sure."
"Thanks. See ya later."
"Yeah, bye."
That night, I went down to the bar at seven sharp. I had to be
right on time. See, I didn't want to be early, and look desperate. But I also
didn't want to be late and look like a slob. First, I noticed my brother, Ross,
his wife, Carol, and Phoebe playing pool. I knew they'd be there. I sat down on
a barstool, and waited. Kip arrived about a minute later, but when I turned
around to see him and his roommate, I gasped in surprise.
"Hey Monica!" his roommate
greeted.
"H…hey. What are you…you're
his…"
"Roommate, yes."
"Oh, wow, why didn't my
brother tell me this? Would've spared me from an awkward moment."
"He didn't know. We just
got this place like two days ago and I never got the chance to talk to Ross."
"Oh."
"Well," Kip interrupted
jealously, "Looks like you two know each other..."
"No!" we both answered.
"Not like that," I
clarified.
He chucked in relief. "Oh,
okay."
"I was roommates at NYU
with her brother."
"I see."
"Well, Ross and Carol are
right over there, if you want to say hello."
"Oh yeah, great!" Chandler
went over to the pool table, leaving Kip and me alone.
"Wow, it's a small city,
after all, huh?" he joked.
"Really, it is. You close
friends with Chandler?"
"Yeah. Well, we were
friends growin' up and all."
"Oh," I replied distantly.
"You don't sound like you
like him too much."
"No, no, I do."
Kip gave me an unconvinced
look. "Well, we had some conflicts before, but we're mature enough to put those
behind us."
"Okay, well, good. Because,
if you hang out with me, you're gonna see him sometimes. And I really hope you'll
hang out with me."
I smiled flirtatiously. "I
guess we'll see."
"Drinks," Kip said
suddenly, "I forgot to order drinks!"
"It's okay."
"All right, what would you
like?"
"Umm…a beer would be fine."
"Great. Same with me! Hey,
something we have in common."
I smiled at him. It was a
desperate attempt, but cute, nonetheless. At least he was trying.
Once Kip and Chandler went back to their apartment, Ross came
over to me. "Mon, can you believe Chandler lives right across the hall from
you?!"
"No."
Ross moaned. "Come on Mon,
why do you hate him so much?"
"I don't hate him."
"Right…"
"Ok, I do. So shoot me!"
"Come on, I don't get what
the big deal is! I mean it was you who chopped off his toe."
"Hey! That was by accident
and besides, he deserved it."
"Why? What did he do?"
"None of your business."
Ross rolled his eyes. "Jeez
Mon, stop acting like such a baby."
"I'm not acting like a
baby!"
"Come on, of course you
are! You're holding a grudge against someone, and won't even say why."
"It's my own business."
"Come on, Mon. He's my
friend and you're my sister. I just want you two to get along."
"Don't worry 'bout it so
much, Ross. I can be civil."
Ross laughed.
"What? I can."
"Right, that's why you cut
off his toe before."
"Shut up! You don't know
the whole story!"
"Right…"
"Urgh, Ross!" I yelled and
stormed away from him. Sometimes, Ross could be such a pain.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A nurse knocked on Monica's door, interrupting her story.
"Yes?" she called,
irritated, from inside.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Geller, but
it's time for everyone to get ready for bed."
"What do you think we are?"
Monica wondered angrily, "Three year olds?"
"Well…"
"And it's not Geller, it's
Bing."
"Right, I'm so sorry Mrs.
Bing."
Monica and Julia both
rolled their eyes.
"And Ms. Brown, it's time
for you to go to your room, too."
"All right," Julia
relented.
"It's Ms. Roberts," Monica
corrected, with a snug look on her face. She nudged Julia in the ribs, urging
her to continue.
"That's right!" Julia held
her head high in the air, "It's Roberts! Julia Roberts!"
"I'm sorry," the nurse
said, "But you really have to leave."
"Fine, but get it right
next time!"
Julia began to follow the
nurse out of Monica's room, but stopped, turned around, and mouthed "Thanks."
Monica smiled. She was glad
that she could help someone out, and it had felt good to tell her story to
someone. Especially since she knew that Julia wasn't psychoanalyzing her. It
was the first time that she had felt remotely comfortable in a long time.
After a few minutes, Monica laid down on her bed, and waited
for slumber to engulf her body. It was always like that for Monica. It took her
a long time to fall asleep. She always fought to keep the thoughts that crept
into her head from forming, in the darkness of night. There was something about
the nighttime that made Monica think more. However, once she was asleep, she
could not fight the thoughts and images that played in her head, making her
slumber light and unmerciful. In this dream, Monica was in a forest. It was
dark, damp, and cold, and Monica couldn't find her way out. She began to scream
for help. Someone to save her from the wretched misery placed upon her. Still,
no one came. Then she screamed, "Chandler!" and all the sudden, he appeared.
Her heart sped up. He was so life-like; Monica thought it was him.
"Chandler!" she cried as
she ran over to hug him. However, like in all of her dreams, he disappeared,
leaving her heartbroken. She fell on her knees and sobbed. He always
disappeared. Why did he always disappear?
I thought about
Leaving but I couldn't
even get outta bed
I'm hangin' cause I couldn't get a ride outta town
Now anyone who really wanted me to be down
Come 'round
Thought about
Singin' but I couldn't
remember all of the words
Breakin' but I couldn't get the pieces apart
Laughin' never knowing what the joke was about
Now I'm down
And I wonder how I never got the burn
And if I'm ever gonna learn
How lonely people make a life
One strain at a time
-except from the song The Burn, by
Matchbox 20
Ok, sorry that this chapter
doesn't really explain much, but that's the fun of this story! lol…Sorry if it
annoys people, but you've gotta be patient. I really hope the flashback didn't
confuse you…and I hope I didn't switch narration in the middle, since it's hard
to write in 2 narrations. And, sorry if u still don't understand this, but I
hope u can kinda just wait it out. But if u're really frustrated, ask me and
I'll answer if explaining w/e u don't understand won't give away the story.
Anyway, please read and review, thanks!:-)
