My Life Chapter 5: First Day, a friends fanfic

Summary: Chandler just started his senior year of high school when he gets some life-altering news. His mother forces him to face it as his dad turns his back on him. He pulls his life together and goes off on his own to prove that he can handle it on his own.

AN: So there's another chapter for you guys. Hope you liked how I introduced Carol. I know that technically her and Ross didn't get together until their second year in college, but this is my story and this how I want it be. I'll be introducing some more characters from the series in the next few chapters. Please R&R.

Disclaimer: I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

Chapter 5: First Day

Chandler turned over in bed as his alarm went off loudly. He covered his head with his pillow to get a little bit more sleep until he heard Sophie cry out. He climbed out of bed and slowly walked into her room and lifted her out of the crib. He changed her diaper and took her out and got her into the high chair at the table. He started a pot of coffee for himself as he made up a bowl of rice cereal for Sophie.

He sat in a chair in front of her as he slowly fed it to her. It seemed like he couldn't get each spoonful into his mouth fast enough because every time she swallowed, she would cry for more. She finished the cereal and Chandler made up a bottle for her and fed it to her. After he burped her, he got her settled into the swing as he started to get himself ready for his first day of college.

Chandler finished getting dressed and gathered all the books he would need for his classes that day. Because of Sophie, he was only taking three classes each semester. But he only had classes three days a week. On Mondays and Wednesdays, he has Introduction To Business, and College Algebra. And on Tuesdays, he had his Introduction To Data Processing class. This left him with the remaining four days to study, work, and spend time with Sophie.

Chandler drank his cup of coffee as he packed up the diaper bag for Sophie's stay at the daycare center. He put at least a dozen diapers in it as well as wipes. He also put extra outfits, jars of baby food, and a can of formula. Along with her blanket, a couple toys that she liked, and a few pacifiers.

"Ok, Sophie." He picked her up out of the swing and got her buckled into the carrier. "I think we're all ready to go."

Chandler lifted his back pack and Sophie's diaper bag and carried Sophie outside. He got her situated into the back seat and pulled away from his place. A few minutes later, Chandler pulled up to the day care center and got Sophie out and took her inside to get her checked in and took her to her room. He put her things in her assigned cubby and went back out to the car and parked closer to the college.

He walked into the front entrance of the college and went up to the second level to find his Introduction To Business class. He sat near the back of the room as a middle-aged man came in. He introduced himself as Mr. Hanson as he handed out the syllabus and schedule of assignments. After the class ended, Chandler walked to the student lounge area and got a can of pop and a cold cut sandwich.

Chandler sat down at a vacant table and started eating as he started reading a book he had brought with him.

"Hey." He heard behind him. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Not at all." He glanced at him. "It's Ross, right?"

"Yeah." He sat across from him. "So how are your classes so far?"

"I just had my business class. It was all right."

"Look, I don't have that many friends here yet. So do you want to hang out or something this weekend if you're free?"

"I don't have to work Saturday, but I was going to take my daughter to the zoo. She's never been to one before. And I don't want to call a baby-sitter for my only night off this week."

"Well, could I come with you? My little sister is supposed to come down this weekend anyway. My parents are driving her crazy."

"How old is your sister?"

"Senior in high school."

"Will she be ok being around a baby? Will you?"

"My sister loves kids. She'll be fine. I might be a little weird at first, but once I get used to your daughter, I'll be fine."

"Ok." He sighed as he glanced at his watch. "I have to get to my next class. But we can meet at Central Park on Saturday morning. Around ten."

"Ok." Ross watched him walk away.

Chandler walked out of his College Algebra class around two o'clock. He walked out of the school and went to pick Sophie up at the day care center. He took Sophie home and put her on the floor in the living area with some toys and he started to get ready for work.

Beth showed up fifteen minutes before his shift was supposed to start. He gave her some last minute instructions, then headed to the pizza place. He walked into the back to clock on as he saw many of the kids from the college. He spotted Ross sitting at a table with a couple girls as they talked quietly with books spread out before them. Ross caught his eye and waved to him.

"Who is that?" one of the girls asked Ross as they watched Chandler go behind the counter.

"His name is Chandler. I'm hanging out with him this weekend."

"He's the one you're going to the zoo with?" the other one asked.

"Why the zoo?"

"He was going anyway. Monica's spending the weekend anyway. He said we could come along."

"Do you think we could get an invite?"

"I'm not sure."

"Are you guys ready to order?" Chandler came up to their table.

"Yeah. A large double pepperoni pizza." Ross told him. "Chandler, this is Carol and her friend Tiffany."

"Nice to meet you." Chandler smiled at them. "I'll get your food out to you soon."

He walked back behind the counter to put in their order as Tiffany watched him.

"He is cute."

"I don't think he's looking for a relationship right now." Ross told her.

"Did he tell you that?"
"Not specifically."

"People often change their minds."

Chandler brought their food out to them and left the check face down on their table. He started to walk away as Tiffany started to talk to him.

"So Ross tells us that you guys are going to the zoo this weekend. Can we come?"

"If you want to. But I'm bringing someone along." Chandler told her.

"Oh. Girlfriend?"

"No. My daughter." He walked away from their table as soon as he saw her shocked look.

"He has a kid?" Carol looked at Ross. "Did you know?"

"Yeah. He does it all on his own."

"That's kind of commendable."

"I can't believe he has a kid." Tiffany mumbled. "What about the mother?"
"I don't know anything about her." Ross said. "Don't get any ideas. Like I said, I don't think he's looking to date anytime soon."

"We'll see." She got up and walked to the counter as Chandler walked out to take orders from the people that were at the counter. "Hello, again."

"Your order has a few more minutes yet."

"Great." She smiled. "So is it still ok if we come on Saturday?"

"Look," Chandler looked her in the eye. "I can't stop you from going to the zoo. It's a public place. But there is no way that you're getting anywhere near my daughter."

"Why?"

"I'm not going to let her be around anything negative. Or anything fake. As of right now, you're the fakest person I've ever met." He went to the back to put in the orders he had taken and took Ross' food to his table.

"Thanks." Ross told him as he set three plates down.

"No offense," Chandler looked at Carol. "I know she's your friend and everything. But tell her to back off. I don't have time for anything else but school, work, and my daughter right now. And she is not anyone that I would be interested in anyway."

"She's not really my friend." Carol told him. "Just my roommate. But I'll talk to her."

"Thank you." He walked away to talk to his boss as Tiffany came back to the table.

"He told us to tell you to back off." Carol told her. "I agree with him about this. He has too much on his plate to deal with a relationship right now."

"Whatever," Tiffany started to eat in silence.

Chandler arrived back home around eleven o'clock. Other than the incident with Tiffany, the rest of the night went by smoothly. He walked in to see Beth doing some of her school work as Sophie was in the swing. Her eyes were starting to close as she tried to fight sleep.

"I'm home." Chandler announced quietly. "How was she?"

"She was a little cranky. I think she might be starting to cut a tooth."

"Ok. I'll have to get some teething gel or something for her."

"Well, I'm going to go now." Beth packed up all her things and headed for the door. "You work tomorrow at five again, right?"

"Yeah. I'll see you then." He walked her out and locked it behind her.

Chandler went to change out of his work clothes and went to get Sophie. She started to fuss as he got her out of the swing so he put a pacifier in her mouth and she calmed down. He took her into her room and carefully lay her down in the crib and covered her with her blanket. She fell to sleep as soon as Chandler turned on the mobile. He turned on her night light and quietly closed the door behind him as he walked out of her room.

He cleaned up a little bit, then went into his room and got ready to go to bed.