Between Us~Chapter 2~ This Lonely Life
Oh no! I just finished my thing of pez! I have to refill it. It's Garfield! Hehe. Anyways, thanks for the great reviews and I'm gonna respond to some reviews cuz I always forget, but this time, I'm not gonna! First off, Steph, I did say tulip 10 times fast, but u know that already. 2nd, I knew that someone would tell me that 39/40 isn't old, but I didn't expect it so soon. I mean did I ever say that they were old? I said they were older, not old. Geeze, my parents are older than that and I know better than to call someone who's 40 old. Hehe doesn't go over so well. Now, just a warning, the characters might say that they're old, but I mean I know that people complain all the time about being 40. Come on, look at tow the all turn 30…and that's "10 years" before! Ok, CNZ (hehe that's ur nickname cuz I said so), I have had All the Things She Said stuck in my head all week and the one day it's not in my head, u swoop along and remind me of it!!:o Hehe thanks a lot! And last, but certainly not least, Yen—Boris says hi back and that she loooves you. Then she told me something about u two planning on murdering me and a guinea pig…what's that about? And everyone else, thanks for reviewing! *hugs reviewers* *pats readers that don't review on their heads* review and u get a hug! Anyways, here's chapter 2! (finally)
Disclaimer: I don't own them. But, I own…an empty pez dispenser…perhaps I could barter? Well, I bet I could get Ross for the pez dispenser, but I'd rather have the dispenser.;)
Chandler sat at his office desk, while playing space invaders on his computer. He had just bought a CD-ROM full of 80's arcade games and had spent half his day in work playing them. He did a good job of hiding the time that he spent slacking in the office. Well, either that, or nobody cared that he most of his time playing games or downloading porn. It had been that way for as long as he had worked there. Although he hated his job, it was a plus that he didn't need to work too hard. Still, he got the work done. Therefore, he couldn't feel too guilty for getting paid a hefty sum of money and having a high position in his job. Suddenly, there was a knock on his office door. Chandler quickly minimized his game and then maximized his office work, right before his door was opened.
"Bing," a large gray-haired man demanded, "I need those numbers on my office at 3 PM sharp, ya hear me?"
"Yes, sir. Right away, sir."
"Good." The man then left Chandler's office, even more quickly than he had arrived.
"Damn rod up his ass," Chandler mumbled as he exited his game and went began to do his work.
*~*~*~*
Chandler entered his apartment and looked around. He saw Joey's packed boxes and sighed. He wished that Joey wasn't moving out. It was going to be so boring and lonely in his apartment, alone. He couldn't even remember the last time he had lived without Joey snoring loudly in the next room.
"Hey man!" Joey greeted happily as he exited from his bedroom.
"Hey," Chandler replied in a less than excited manner.
"I'll be like five minutes away."
"I know."
"You knew we weren't gonna to live together forever."
Chandler shrugged and looked at the floor.
"Why don't you just ask Jill to move in with you?"
Chandler chuckled. "I don't think so."
"Fine, fine. But remember, you don't have to be alone."
"If I'm with Jill, it's almost as if I'm alone," Chandler admitted bitterly.
"Chandler, you should just end it with her then."
"Ehhh."
Joey shook his head. "Then don't complain to me."
"Hey, you brought it up!"
Joey patted Chandler on the back. "I'm gonna miss this."
"Me too."
Joey and Chandler shared a hug. Then, Joey grabbed a box and headed towards the door.
"Dude, you just gonna stand there, or help me?"
Chandler put a hand on his back. "I dunno…I mean my back…"
Joey laughed. "Old man."
"Oh, I know!" Chandler joked as he lifted a box and exaggerated a painful expression on his face. "I think I'm going to die."
Joey laughed again and headed outside, while Chandler followed close behind him.
*~*~*~*
That night, Chandler tapped his foot on the floor of the fancy Italian restaurant, as he studied anything, except the face of the woman across from him.
"Chandler," she demanded crossly, "Will you please stop tapping your foot?!"
"Sorry."
Their salads arrived and they both sighed gratefully at the welcomed intrusion. They kept their eyes on their salads as they slowly picked at them with their forks.
"So Jill," Chandler began, trying to break the tense silence, "How was your day."
"Fine."
"Thanks for the attempt at keeping a conversation."
She rolled her eyes and sighed. "You and your jokes."
"Who said I was joking?"
"Will you just…be quiet?"
"Funny...I was just going to ask you the same th--."
Chandler was cut off by the loud shriek of her cell phone.
Jill glared at him, took out her cell phone from her purse, and began talking. Chandler began to tap his foot once again, until Jill kicked him under the table.
"Oww, damnit!" he cursed as her sharp heal went into his shin. He threw an angry glance at Jill, who smiled complacently.
"This is going to be a long meal," he whispered to himself
He then turned his attention to the kitchen door, watching the waiters walk though it as it swung open and closed. Anything was better than having to look at his bitter girlfriend.
After dinner, Chandler and Jill shared a taxi back to their apartments. They sat in a tense silence, yet again. It seemed that was the only thing that they shared anymore.
"You coming to my apartment tonight?" Chandler asked.
"You wish."
"We never sleep together anymore."
"It's not really all that much of a loss for me, considering it's…well…you…"
Chandler was taken aback by her insult. Although they bickered constantly, she had never thrown such a horrible taunt at him before. He quickly recoiled, feeling his self-esteem drop lower and lower by the second. Instead, he looked out the window, watching as the colorful city lights passed before his eyes. He then glanced at Jill through the corner of his eye, who was casually flirting with the cab driver, and sighed. He knew that he should just break up with her, yet he held onto the hope that things would improve between them. Besides, he was already 40 years old. He had to take what he could get on the dating scene, or he was sure that he would end up alone and even more miserable than he was already. The cab arrived at her apartment, and she gave Chandler a quick peck on the cheek, and then left the car. Chandler watched as she sashayed up to her apartment, and then entered the building, leaving him alone once again.
*~*~*~*
When Chandler arrived at his apartment, he scanned the interior and felt a lump in his throat. Now, it was completely empty. Joey had finished moving his boxes out while Chandler was on his date. He sat down on his barkalounger, the brown leather weathered by age and stained by beer and chocolate. He found the remote and turned on the television. The news blared through his apartment and Chandler tried to concentrate, but had too much trouble doing so. Finally, frustrated with his vain attempts, he turned off the television, and leaned back in his chair.
He began drifting, when a call interrupted his light slumber. Groggily, he stumbled over to the phone that was resting on the counter, and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Chandler? Were you asleep?"
Chandler rubbed his eyes. "Mmhmm."
"Man, you gotta get out more."
"Shut up, Ross."
"I mean it's one thing for me, since I have a wife and kids, but you…"
"Rub it in, please."
"Come on, I'm just joking."
"Ya."
"You'll get that stuff sooner or later."
Chandler mumbled in response.
"Come on, you're Chandler. You don't want that stuff anyway."
"Yeah," Chandler agreed absently.
"Anyway, man, are you okay? I mean since Jo--"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"You sure? You know there's always a place for you here. Emma and Jon love having their Uncle Chandler around."
"Thanks, but I'm good."
"All right."
Chandler then heard a woman's voice in the background and Ross began to talk to her.
Ross turned his attention back to Chandler. "Hey man, I gotta go. Rach has dinner ready."
"Wow, you guys eat late."
"Well, Rachel doesn't get home 'till six and—"
"Since when does Rachel cook?"
"Yeah, she doesn't." he chuckled. "She just heated up a frozen dinner."
"Now that sounds more like Rachel."
"Yeah, well she never had to cook. I mean she lived with Monica for all those years."
Chandler in took a sharp breath at the mention of Monica's name.
"Ya know, she was invited to the wedding."
"Really?" Chandler walked around the room curiously, "Is she gonna come?"
"I have no idea."
"I miss her," Chandler stated softly.
"We all do."
"We should have been more supportive."
Ross sighed. "Yeah, I know. I mean she's my sister."
"Well, if she comes to the wedding, then we're not letting her leave on bad terms again, deal?"
"Deal."
Chandler heard Rachel yelling in the background and Ross trying to calm her.
"She really wants me to get to dinner. I'll talk to you later, man."
"Yeah, talk to you later. Say hi to Rach and the kids for me."
"You got it. Bye!"
"Bye," Chandler said sadly as he hung up.
He looked around his empty apartment again and sighed. It was eerie to know that he and Joey would never be roommates again.
"Unless of course, they get divorced," Chandler said aloud, "But of course, if Ross can make a marriage work…"
He began chuckling at his joke, but then sobered. "I'm talking to myself here! Damnit, I'm still doing." He hit his forehead with his hand, "Damnit!"
He took one last look at the living room, noticing all that was missing from it, and groaned. Slowly, he headed for his bedroom and shut the door. Still, the door couldn't keep out the many memories that flooded his mind.
*hugs Matty* Haha Yen, u got Matthew Smith, the copy guy!! *mumbles* stupid idiot. I've got Matty all to myself…muhahahaha-ha! Okeey, anyways anyshmays, to clarify, no that is not Jill from tow the blackout, nor is it Jill, as in Rach's sis. It is the Jill of the dark forest of my imagination. (ha, my imagination's more like an empty plain). There, Julie—better? Ok, don't expect me to usually update so soon, but I felt bad that chappie 1 was so short. Actually, I'm gonna be away next week (oh yeah, guess who has a life for once!!) so I have no idea when I'll update again. I mean w/ all the hw I'm gonna have to make up and…ahhh! Guess I'll see how much I have to do and if a lot of people review (hint, hint), and I'll consider updating before I leave. Ok, please leave me a review, thanks!