AN/ This is a very quick oneshot I did for Valentine's. Reviews are always appreciated!
Everyone was sitting in the coffee like they usually were, talking about nothing in particular. Valentine's Day was tomorrow and Phoebe was talking about the date she had planned. It was with someone she had met on the subway, Monica wasn't sure how her friend always met guys so easily. Meanwhile, she hasn't seen anyone since she broke up with Richard. Granted, it was a long healing process for her, but she was over him now. She was ready to start dating again, but she wasn't like Phoebe or Joey. Even Chandler was being set up with someone for the night.
"So, what are you guys doing for Valentine's?" Phoebe sipped her tea, leaning back on the couch.
"Well, Rachel and I have dinner reservations at Osteria 57," Ross smiled, keeping his arms around his girlfriend. "It's a new French restaurant on 10th street."
Monica tuned out the rest of the conversation, trying to ignore the jealousy growing in her. Even her brother had a date on Valentine's when she was alone. She didn't want to make a big deal about this to the others. There was nothing they could do, it was just something she would have to accept. Monica noticed everyone was staring at her and her focus was pulled back to the conversation. "What?"
"Do you have any plans tomorrow?" Joey repeated his question.
"I actually have to work," she muttered.
"On Valentine's? Really? That sucks," Rachel pouted in pity.
"It won't be too bad. I can go on a date any day of the year." Monica shrugged casually, not wanting to say she wasn't even able to find a date. Being at work would keep her distracted from being alone on Valentine's while her friends were out.
She felt lucky that Ross continued to tell them about the plans he had with Rachel. Monica caught Chandler staring at her and she silently begged him not to tease her about her pathetic plans, but all he did was smile and continue to read his paper.
–
An hour into her shift, Monica started to regret her decision. On the most romantic day of the year, she was stuck in the least romantic place in the city. The diner was practically empty besides an older man sitting alone in his booth by the windows and a middle-aged woman working at her table with a cup of coffee. Even most of her co-workers were out having a romantic night while she was waiting for two tables by herself. Of course, this wasn't at all difficult, but it was hard to forget she was alone on Valentine's when no one was there.
Monica stayed behind the counter, watching the only two customers in case they needed anything from her. In her head, she was screaming at them to order something, but they weren't. The old man sipped at his coffee as his eyes were glued to the book he was reading. Her head started to tilt, trying to read the title when suddenly a man sat right in front of her view. Monica's eyes went into focus on the person sitting at the bar, "Chandler, what are you doing here?"
"Can't a friend visit another friend at work?" He asked, shrugging off his coat and placing it on the stool next to him. "It's really dead in here, is the food that bad?"
"Well, there are better places to be on Valentine's." Monica glanced at the bouquet of flowers he had set on the counter and took a deep breath as she grabbed a menu. "What happened to that girl you were going out with? Hailey?"
"Yeah, it just didn't work out," he shrugged. Chandler picked up the flowers and held them out for her as a trade for the menu. "You like lilies, right?"
Monica scoffed with a smile as she took them, assuming they were left over from his date. "Thanks. Did you tell Joey you bailed on the girl he set you up with?"
"Hey, I didn't bail. I was very respectful and told her I wasn't interested." His eyes scanned the menu trying to find something to eat if he was going to be sitting there.
"Was she pretty at least?" Monica asked, watching him scan the menu.
Chandler shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "Uh, yeah. She was kinda pretty. Just not really what I'm looking for."
When he decided, Monica took his order and gave it to the kitchen. She stood in front of him behind the counter and they talked about her horrible night so far. Since he was the only person who ordered food, it was ready fairly quickly. They ended up sharing the meal together, talking more about her night. Monica confessed that she took the shift to avoid facing the holiday alone to which Chandler just smiled at her. He told her as many stories as he could remember that made her laugh.
Eventually, the other two customers left and they were still there, talking over an empty plate. For hours, the diner saw a few more customers and she was pulled away to do her job, but she always came back to the familiar face. At midnight, when the diner had closed, they started to walk home together.
"So, that wasn't such a bad Valentine's night, was it?" Chandler asked, putting his coat around her shoulders.
She thanked him softly and chuckled, "Honestly, I forgot it was Valentine's Day…Thank you, Chandler."
"For what?" He tilted his head slightly.
Monica rolled her eyes with a smile, bumping into him gently. "For making tonight not miserable. I was prepared to have the worst night of my life and you completely saved it."
He shrugged casually, "Only because my date wasn't my type."
"Right. Either way, I appreciate you coming by and giving me these. I had a lot of fun," Monica held up the bouquet.
Together they walked up the stairs to the apartments and Chandler stopped in the hallway. "I had fun too. Maybe I should stop by your work more often."
"Yeah, maybe," she smiled. Monica looked down at the flowers as silence fell between them. For some reason, this felt like the end of a date. She quickly pushed that thought aside and moved to her door. "Goodnight Chandler."
"Night Mon," he muttered.
–
The following day, they were all sitting around her kitchen table except Chandler who had to go to work, and Joey who wasn't up yet. Monica had made everyone breakfast, listening to the retelling of their dates last night. She was glad that Phoebe's night had gone well, while Ross and Rachel ended up having an argument like usual.
"Has anyone seen Chandler?" Joey asked as he came through the door.
"He went to work," Phoebe replied, spreading butter on her toast.
Joey grumbled, joining them at the table. "Hailey called me and told me he totally blew her off. She was not happy."
"Wait, what do you mean?" Monica furrowed her eyebrows.
"She said he called her yesterday afternoon and canceled their date because he had other plans. When I told her he didn't, she got mad that he wouldn't even meet her." Joey grabbed a bagel off the plate in the center of the table. "He's making me look bad."
Monica looked at the flowers she had received last night, now in a vase on her kitchen counter. Perhaps she should have questioned why he had gotten a woman her favorite flower instead of the typical red roses. She didn't think twice when she saw the lilies were her favorite shade of purple until now. She realized that he had bought those flowers just for her, not Hailey.
She had thought Chandler went on his date and didn't like this woman, but now she's hearing he canceled all together. He had lied about seeing her. Monica remembered he was looking at her in the coffee house the day before. Chandler had canceled his date to spend his Valentine's with her instead. But why?