Chapter 11:

I'm in a New York state of mind

One week later, I was in a hospital once again…. But don't worry… this time it was a kind of happier occasion. I was in the "New York Memorial hospital", visiting Rachel because her face had just been fix…. A plastic surgeon fixed her scar and gave her a whole new nose.

Phoebe and I were in her private hospital room, listening to Rachel talking excitedly about her new nose (that for the moment was covered with a bandage), when we noticed a huge bunch of lilies in a flower vase that was in the bedroom's night table.

Monica- those flowers are beautiful, Rachel! Who sent you those?

Rachel- Joey did…

Phoebe- really?

Monica- isn't he on L.A.?

Rachel- yes… but he asked one of his sisters to bring me those… and he also sent me a letter…

Monica- a letter? How sweet!

Phoebe- and what does it says?

Rachel- it says that he miss me…. And he is looking forward to me moving to UCLA so we can go out some day… and that he sent me lilies because he remembered that I said those are my favorite flowers…

Monica- that's amazing! How could he remember it?

Rachel- I don't know… I only mentioned it once…

Phoebe- do you think you are going to date once you are living in Los Angeles?

Rachel- (nodding) I think so….

Monica- you should…. Joey is really cute…

Phoebe- oh my God! If you two start fighting over him I am going to kick your asses…

Monica- relax Phoebe… I'm not interest in Joey… you know that I'm in love whit somebody else….

Rachel- oh… so… are things going well with Chandler?

Suddenly I started to cry…

Monica- not really…. I can't see him because I'm grounded… my parents wont let me leave the house… they only let me visited you because of your surgery…

Rachel- I'm sorry honey… but you are not going to be grounded for ever…

Monica- wait… there is more…. I'm moving to England tomorrow…

Phoebe- what? but you love each other?

Rachel- can't you stay? And maybe go to NYU instead of Oxford?

Monica- I wish I could…. But I already made a commitment… I agreed to go to Oxford before Chandler and I got together… I can't take my word back now…

Phoebe- so… you are really moving to England… are you kidding me?

Monica- I wish I was…. I want to stay in New York so bad…

Rachel- well… you are in New York now…

Monica- so?

Rachel- you can go to NYU to visit Chandler, you can stay with him until tomorrow… you can spend your last moments in America with him…

Monica- (getting exited) I guess I can… I can tell my parents that I'm staying in the hospital… keeping you companied..

Rachel- just do it!…. Don't think it twice…

I really wanted to see Chandler, so I went quickly to call him and to tell him that I was in New York. There was a silence on the phone after I gave him the news… and, whit his voice showing no emotion, he just said… "Came here as soon as possible"…

I entered in NYU and looked for him… he was waiting for me…. Very exited we melted in a passionate kiss….

For our last day together, Chandler planned the perfect New York day…. We went for a picnic in the Central Park… we went to the "World Trade Center", and we had coffee in a beautiful Coffee House called "Central Perk" that Chandler had recently discovered. We went to see the statue of Liberty and a lot of other tourist places…

Manhattan has like… 4.000.000 people on it…. But during that day… Chandler and I where like the only people in the island….

At night, Chandler took me for dinner at one of the best restaurants…

I was enjoying my dinner and looking at Chandler amazed by the beauty of his blue eyes…. I realized that I really loved him… how could I possible leave?…

Monica- tank you Chandler… tank you for today….

Chandler- you are totally welcome… I didn't want you to leave before seen all this… I wanted us to have an appropriate goodbye…

Monica- Chandler, please don't say that….

Chandler- what?

Monica- don't say this is our goodbye…. Calling this day "our goodbye" just ruins it…

Chandler- you are right… sorry… Lest just call it: the day I showed you Manhattan…

Monica- yes… and I'm loving it… I love New York, Chandler.

What I really wanted to say, is "I love you"… but those words didn't came out of my mouth… because I didn't want to make the situation even harder….

After dinner was over, Chandler and I started walking to the university…

Monica- Are you sure I can spend the night in your room? I mean, my brother is your roommate

Chandler- but he is with your parents… didn't you know?….

Monica- (smiling) right!

On our way to NYU, we saw a band playing on the street for money… a guy was singing with a beautiful voice, a girl was playing the guitar, and another guy was playing the keyboard. Chandler walked towards them; he gave them some money, and asked them to play one song that described the moment perfectly…

Then he came to me… and said:

Chandler- would you care to dance?

I nodded… and we started dancing in the middle of the street… the music started playing and the guy started singing…

Some folks like to get away, take a holiday from the neighborhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach or Hollywood.
I'm taking a greyhound on the Hudson River line-
I'm in a New York state of mind.
I seen all the movie stars in their fancy cars and their limousines,
Been high in the rockies under the evergreens,
But I know what I'm needing and I don't want to waste more time-
I'm in a New York state of mind.
It was so easy living day by day
Out of touch with the rhythm and the blues,
But now I need a little give and take,
The New York times, the daily news...
It comes down to reality-and it's fine with me 'cause I've let it slide,
Don't care if it's Chinatown or riverside,
I don't have any reasons, I've left them all behind-
I'm in a New York state of mind.
It was so easy living day by day
Out of touch with the rhythm and the blues,

But now I need a little give and take,

The New York Times, the daily news...
I'm just taking a greyhound on the Hudson River line-
'cause I'm in a New York state of mind.

After dancing that song… we went to NYU, and in Chandler's bedroom we made love very passionately… after that he hold me in his arm and he say the words I was too afraid to say my self…

Chandler- I love you…

Monica- I love you too Chandler…

In that moment, I realized that I didn't matter how we called this day: it was the day Chandler and I said goodbye…. And I realized something else…. I didn't want to leave…. My head was telling me that had to go to Oxford because I made a commitment and because I would be silly to give up everything for a guy…. But my heart…. My heart was telling something really different….

Monica- I don't want to go to Oxford…

Chandler gently pulled me away and looked at me as if I was crazy…

Chandler- What are you talking about? Going there was your childhood dream…

Monica- no, it is not… and I have a box that proves so….

He looked at me confused, but it didn't matter, I knew what I was talking about: when Phoebe, Rachel and I buried our wishes for the future I wasn't thinking about Oxford … I was thinking about my soul mate…. I wanted to be with Chandler since forever….

Chandler- well… maybe is not your "childhood dream" but you want to be there…

Monica- no… I want to be with you…

Chandler- yes, now! But what will happen in five years… or what will happen ten years from now? You will look back and regret that you didn't went to Oxford…

Monica- no I won't…

Chandler- I'm sorry… I want so much that you stay…. But I can't take the responsibility… is too much… I can't do that

Monica- what do you mean?

Chandler- if you stay… I will always be the reason you didn't went to Oxford… deep down you will resent me for that… and I will hate my self for that…

Monica- so…. what do we do?

Chandler- we just…. Try to fall sleep

We kissed and later I fall sleep in his arms.

That was the last night I've ever spent in the New York University.

The next day, I moved to England.

To be continued….

So…. what do you think? Do you hate me now? Please…. Send me some reviews… I really love them…

The next chapter will be the last