So Many Memories – Chapter Seven
Disclaimer: Think they might show up somewhere on the black market? I know, I know, it's illegal, but I'm getting desperate! Anyways, I still don't own them. Only in my wildest dreams.
A/N: I haven't had much time to write this so I figured I'd better get moving so it wasn't as long since the last chapter was up. There's gonna be mixed feelings and wild emotions, some good and some, well, not so good.
As the teens with raging hormones began taking to the dance floor, Ross stood in the back, trying to maintain his stance of invisibility. Chandler had ditched him, saying he didn't want his night ruined. He didn't know what had happened in the parking lot earlier. Ross never said a word. To anyone.
Chandler stood near the refreshments, trying to get a glimpse of Monica as she wandered throughout the gym. He couldn't believe he was stupid enough to get caught. But as dumb as he felt about that, he couldn't help but notice he was feeling something else for Monica.
Monica walked the length of the gym, trying to spot a single guy who might consider dancing with her. Her date had stood her up, and she wasn't giving up without a fight. She was tired of being the fat girl everyone pushed around. She was standing her ground and didn't plan on backing down for anyone.
All the time she felt a prickle on the back of her neck, sensing that someone might be watching her. She halted next to a group of girls chattering loudly about who they planned on going home with. One of them mentioned the name Chandler Bing.
Monica almost had a ping of jealousy at the girl for saying she wanted Chandler. But why? The Chandler she knew was a lying rotten weasel, in her opinion. Maybe there was a side of him he always kept hidden. Maybe if she got to know him he would open up to her, let her get to know the sweet sensitive side of him.
She got that feeling again. There was definitely someone watching her. She scanned the crowd once again, trying to identify whoever it was that kept spying on her.
At the opposite side of the floor, he was standing there. When they were about to make eye contact, he looked away, trying to look preoccupied with a couple dancing next to him. Thoughts began turning over in her mind. Was he looking at her? Did he like what he saw? Or was he just keeping an eye on me to make sure I didn't rat him out?
Joey and Rachel met up with Joey's band mates, Joel and Aaron. Compared to their usual décor, they had cleaned up pretty well. Their hair was a different story though.
Joel's, as always, had a touch of a neon color in it, this time he chose red. Neither of them looked like they owned a brush or a comb. They didn't care though. They weren't shy about showing off their personalities.
Like Monica, they were single, horny, and ready for some action. Aaron waved at a girl he recognized and ran off after her. Joel turned to Joey, pulling him aside to whisper some words of advice.
"Dude, what are you waiting for?" Joel's voice had more than a little excitement in it.
"What do you mean?" Joey had a quizzical look on his face as he probed for further details.
"You and Rachel. Together. The music. The dancing. Any of this sending some signals to that head of yours?" He reached up and went to slap Joey across the head.
Joey grabbed his hand before it could make contact with him. "Yeah, I get your point. But I don't want to ruin this by going too fast or anything. She's been my best friend for years now, I don't want to lose that over some stupid dance."
Joel gave him a look saying, "you're nuts!" all over his face. "Whatever, man. Don't come to me when you blow it."
Joey grinned. "Oh don't worry. I won't have to."
A girl came up and took Joel by the hand, leading him onto the dance floor as "The Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats began to play. Joey extended his hand to Rachel, who accepted his offer.
After the song was through, people were exiting the floor for refreshments or a chat with friends. Monica continued to watch as students chugged the punch like there was no tomorrow. Her eyes were averted when Chandler took a seat next to her.
"What do you want?" She spoke with a bitterness in her voice, ice in her eyes.
"What, can't I come over and have a little talk with you?" She rolled her eyes at him before he cut to the chase.
"Listen, I know I was a bit harsh earlier, but-" She scoffed at the fact he considered it only being "a bit" harsh to try and threaten her, "I noticed how you were sitting over here, all alone. And I just thought… Maybe…-"
"Chandler Muriel Bing, are you asking me for a dance?" She looked shocked. She never would have thought, especially after the event that took place earlier, that he would consider dancing with "Ross's fat sister".
"Well, yeah, I guess I am." He had never been more nervous in his entire life. He was sure he would be shot down, and had prepared for it before he approached her.
"And I guess… I accept."
He looked up from the ground at the grin that had spread across her face. He had always been the typical male. Always out for the most beautiful girl he could find. But this was different. He had said things in the past he wished he could take back, and he prayed to God himself that Monica didn't know about it. He didn't care at this moment. A slow song was up next, and he just hoped he wouldn't make a fool out himself like he was prone to do in the past. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass his new attraction.
Ross went outside for a breather. He was still pretty shaken up from the run in with his mugger. What were the odds he would find the same person again? And tonight, of all nights!
He paced along the edge of the sidewalk outside the school, telling himself he was going to be fine. A hand touched him on the shoulder. He jumped and squealed in terror, turning to see an unwelcome familiar face standing behind him.
"All right, th-that's it! I want to know who you are and why you're following me!" His face was showing signs of redness, as he was on his way to going full blown Red Ross.
"Who wants to know?" She kept her cool, annoying Ross even farther than he was before.
"I'm Ross. Now may I ask, who the hell are you?" He was getting more and more frustrated by the second. It wasn't bad enough she threatened him only a half hour before, now she was standing here trying to act civilized towards him.
"Phoebe."
"Thank you! Now I'd like to know why you're following me. What, didn't you get the satisfaction of knowing you almost made a college stud pee his pants?" He almost felt embarrassed for letting that slip, but for some reason she had this hold on him.
She giggled as she answered, "You almost peed your pants!"
He looked at her with a little more than fire burning in his eyes and a beat red face. "Maybe… Maybe I just said that to make you think I'm a different kind of person. Yeah, I'm more of the type to take up fists."
"Really? Because those girlish screams sure said otherwise." She was beaming at the pride of knowing she was winning their argument.
"I hope you know, I do karate!" He was running out of defenses.
"All right then, let me see some moves, stud." She raised her fists, ready to block anything he could throw. Living on the streets really did toughen a girl up, and it worked to her advantage.
Ross kicked the air, yelling as he did so. He raised his hands in the same style as Phoebe, then got a running start towards her.
He tried to throw a punch at her stomach, but she grabbed his arm, flipping him on his back. He hadn't noticed before because of his hot head and flaring attitude, but she was wearing a dress. It wasn't of high quality, red and worn at the hem, but it was a lovely dress in his eyes none the less.
"Uh oh, is the egotistical college stud having a hard time pinning a mere girl to the ground? Come on, you have to give it more than this!" She blew him a kiss, tempting him to give it his all this time.
"I was just warming up there. Prepare to be very, very hurt!" His voice almost quavered now that he knew what she could do.
"Just bring it."
Ross climbed back up to his feet, backing a few feet away from her, just in case. He was a little more nervous now than he was at first. She advanced on him, tripping his feet right out from under him and straddling him to the ground.
"Still warming up, huh?" She had sarcasm oozing from the depths of every word.
Ross tried to push her off himself, struggling to free his wrists from her hands. It was useless, as he soon learned. She was far too strong for him to overpower.
"Hey, come on, let me up! My tux is going to get filthy." He pleaded with all his might, and all he got was a sly smirk from Phoebe.
"I'll let you up, if…" If he wanted out of her grip so bad, he was going to have to bargain.
"If what? I'll do anything!" His voice was hurried, desperate.
"You'll do anything? Meaning whatever I ask of you, you'll comply?" She made it clear she had done this before.
"Yes! Anything, just let me up!" He tugged at his wrists one last time but her grip never subsided.
"Okay… Okay, if you're so desperate to get up… Take me inside."
"Inside? You want to go to the dance?" He watched as she simply shook her head yes.
"I never went to high school, and I've always wondered what it would be like to go to one. I've never even danced with a real guy before!" She had a certain brightness to her face, praying he would agree to take her in, and maybe do more than she asked.
"Well, Nobody else seemed eager to go on the dance floor with me-"
She cut in hurriedly, "Well why not! Do you need me to kick their asses? 'Cause I'll do it!"
"No, no! I could possibly be in enough trouble as it is if anyone finds out what my friend did. The last thing I need is you going around knocking all the women in there flat on their faces." He almost chuckled at the thought of Phoebe running around the gymnasium like a wild woman.
"All right, all right, I'll keep it on the down low. I promise I won't cause you any more trouble tonight."
"Okay, so we have a deal then. Now can I get up?"
"Oh right!" She crawled from atop him, and he got to his feet again. She dusted off the back of his coat and when she reached the front, she paused with her hands next to his next.
He stood there awkwardly before clearing his throat and leading her indoors.
Rachel leans her head on Joey's masculine shoulder as they sway to the music of Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse Of The Heart." She can smell his cologne, splashed on in just the right amount.
As they danced, her arms around his neck, he took in the sweet scent of her shampoo. It sent his senses wild with lust. He knew tonight would be a challenge, but he would use every means of self control possible to keep his emotions from taking the helm.
Not now though. He didn't want this moment to end. It was better than all his dreams and fantasies combined in one. If he had his way, this song would play for all of eternity; they would never have to stop.
Even as happy as she felt, there was still the fact that she was hiding something from him, quite possibly the love of her life. Her soul mate. A single tear was shed, rolling down her silky skin onto the fabric of his coat.
The time came they had been dreading. The song ended, replaced with another fast paced dance song. She dared not look in his eyes for fear of letting the now plentiful stream of tears be seen by his loving eyes. If he saw, he would ask her why she was crying, and she knew she could never tell him.
Despite her efforts to hide it, he saw. He touched her arm lovingly, and asked, "Rach, what's wrong?"
"It's… It's nothing, really." She sobbed, and he knew she wasn't telling the whole truth.
"Come one, Rachel, you know you can tell me anything. I'll do whatever I can to help if you just tell me what has you all upset." He looked deep, deep, and deeper into her welled up eyes.
She ran outside. It was pouring down rain, but she never noticed. He followed her, not wanting her to be alone in a time of need.
He hugged her, and she fell into his embrace. "Just tell me. I promise it won't go farther than these drenched, empty sidewalks."
She was crying uncontrollably into his chest. She felt safe in his arms. No one could harm her here. She decided to let him in on the secret she had been hiding for so long now.
"It's my mom… She's not coming home." Her voice was muffled through the rain and his enveloping grasp, but he heard every word of it.
"Do you know why? I always thought she was a wonderful woman. Not too bad looking, either." He tried to lighten the mood, but to no avail. She looked at him with scorn at the mention of her mother in a complimenting way.
"It turns out she isn't the person we all thought she was. She's a lying bitch. She abandoned her own children, Joey! What does that say about her?" She pulled from his grip, shouting the words through the rain that refused to let up, only pound harder and faster to the ground.
"I'm so, so sorry Rach. This must be killing you." He gave her another one of his looks, this time saying he felt awful about what happened and wanted to know how he could help.
"And it's worse. My dad… He started drinking after she left. Amy, Jill and I all thought he just felt lonesome since she left, but he knew the truth all along. He told us she was coming back. He lied right to our faces."
She took a seat on the edge of the sidewalk before she continued. "Then he told me… He told me it was our fault she left. That she didn't love us anymore, couldn't bare to look at us because she hated what she saw."
Joey sat down next to her. She scooted closer, trying to get some body heat to keep from freezing in the downpour. The feel of him next to her calmed her. He was her lullaby that quieted her screams before bed.
She didn't tell him about her father's violent behavior. She was worried he would do something rash like break in her front door and assault her father. The last thing she wanted was Joey behind bars.
They sat there in the rain, holding each other in their arms. Neither of them cared about the damage this was sure to cause their formal wears. They didn't care about the party going on inside without them. All they cared was that they were together.
The song ended and Monica and Chandler took their places along the side as more people began filling the voids where couples had danced earlier.
"Well, well, well. You didn't screw up once!" Monica showed false signs of amazement.
"Yeah, I know. I even surprised myself." He laughed, finally getting used to her company.
She was beginning to warm up to him as well. All thoughts about him that she previously had were in the back of her mind. She was finally seeing the side of him her big brother had known since the beginning.
"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" She had mixed emotions in her voice, making him unsure what to say next.
"It's like buying a bag of mixed nuts. You have a slight idea what you're in for, but there's always more of one type that masks the rest from your view."
"Wow, you know how to use similes. So there isn't just a big empty space in there!" She reaches knocks on his head.
He grabs her hand away, fixing his hair she clunked out of place. "Ouch, hey quit it! You better hope there's still something up there after that!"
She sees Ross running up to them, a tall, blonde girl in a red dress at his side.
"Hey! I found myself a date!" Ross panted from running the full length of the dance floor.
"Hi, my name's Phoebe." She took out her hand, which Chandler shook. She was a lot stronger he had expected, causing him to pull his hand back before she crunched it in two.
"Pleasure." He checked his hand before introducing himself as well. "I'm Chandler."
"And I'm Monica." She shook Phoebe's hand also, only she didn't pull away like Chandler.
"Monica is my little sister." Ross finally caught his breath.
"Oh how cool! I've always wondered if Ross had any brothers or sisters." She was almost jumping with all her excitement.
"But, you've only known me for maybe fifteen minutes." Ross asked, a quizzical expression on his face.
"Yeah, fifteen minutes tonight, but I technically met you years ago!"
"Wait a minute, you knew Ross years ago?" Now Monica was confused.
"Yeah. You mean he never told you?" Phoebe was sure he would have mentioned her somewhere along the line.
"Well, um, do you remember that time I was, uh… mugged?" It was an unsettling topic for Ross to discuss.
"Oh my God! It was her?" Monica was taken aback, while Chandler stood there watching it all unfold.
"That's it." Ross had a slight quaver in his voice.
Joey and Rachel came back inside, drenched from head to toe. He wrapped his arm around her, making a beeline for the punch stand.