End of an era
"When were you going to tell me that you're going out with Chip Matthews?", Rachel asked Monica, putting down her pen.
"Now?", Monica tried, "Can I go out with him?"
"No. I can't believe you'd want to after what he did to me", Rachel stood up from the couch.
"That thing at the prom?", Monica asked.
"I couldn't find him for hours! He was having sex with Amy Welsh!", Rachel exclaimed, standing in front of Monica now.
"That was in high school. How can it still bother you?"
"Oh, yeah, you're right, Moni-cow", Rachel knew where to hit.
"Okay, I hear you", loud and clear she thought.
"Why do you have to go out with Chip?", Rachel couldn't wrap her brain around this.
"Look, we went to different schools", Monica tried to explain.
Okay, that doesn't help me. We went to the same school", Rachel wasn't following.
"You went to one where you were popular. You rode on Chip's motorcycle and wore his letterman jacket. I went to one where I wore a band uniform that was specially made", Monica sounded defeated recalling this period in her life.
"They had that specially made?", Rachel asked.
"It was a Home Ec project."
"Oh, my God! They said it was for the mascot", Rachel remembered.
"Back then I thought that I'd never get to go out with a Chip Matthews", Monica tried to ignore the last comment of Rachel, "Now he's called me up and asked me out. The fat girl inside me really wants to go. I owe her this. I never let her eat", Monica sounded so honest and looked so vulnerable that Rachel couldn't stay mad about this anymore.
"You go out with him", she said.
"Really?", Monica said relieved.
"If it's possible, could you leave him and have sex with another guy?", Rachel asked, still wanting to take revenge for what he did to her all those years ago.
"I'll try", Monica smiled at her.
"So how was your date?", Rachel asked when Monica was back. They were standing in the freshly robbed apartment of the guys.
"Well, you know how I always said I wanted to go out with Chip in high school?", Monica started, "Tonight, I actually went out with Chip in high school", she still couldn't believe how bad the date had gone.
"Honey, I'm sorry", Rachel felt bad for her, but she couldn't say that she was surprised.
No, it's okay", Monica smiled, "Not only did I get to go out with Chip Matthews, I got to dump Chip Matthews", her smile was big now, proud of having been able to dump a guy who had been unattainable in her high school years.
"That's so great!", Rachel was smiling back at her and threw her arms open for a hug.
"I know", Monica said and fell into the hug.
"Alright, I'm going to the bathroom, honey", Rachel said, sliding down from her high chair at the bar. She was having a coffee with Monica.
Monica was quietly sipping from her cup of coffee. She looked around in the coffee house. Every now and then, she enjoyed watching people. To watch their interactions with each other. To watch how a group of four older women were telling each other animatedly stories. To watch how a newborn was lying on the chest of the mother, sleeping soundly. The door opened and the sound pulled her eyes away from the little family. Entering, was Chip. She couldn't believe it. She hadn't seen him in years and now she couldn't seem to get rid of him. Granted, she hadn't seen him since their date, which was about two months ago, but still.
His eyes, searching for a place, found hers and he smiled. Immediately, he came in a straight line towards her. "Hey! How are you?", he asked, pulling out the chair next to her and sitting down.
"I'm good, thanks. How are you?", Monica asked. Her body was tensing up. She didn't know why, because she had been on a date with him before and she was perfectly fine there. Maybe it had to do with him not asking if it was okay to accompany her. Or that he was sitting really close to her, because of the chairs at the bar. Or because he had shoulder-bumped her while asking how she was. She couldn't really pinpoint it, but she didn't feel comfortable. That was for sure.
"Good, good. Hey, there is a new movie out. It's supposed to be really dope", Monica cringed at his choice of words, "I know you didn't want to continue dating, but if you want to go someday with me, you know, as friends, let me know", he smiled at her with his teeth bare.
"I'll keep it in mind", Monica said, a stiff smile on her lips. She was determined to make this conversation as short as possible.
"Hey, waiter", he called Gunther, "Could I have an espresso? And for the lady?", he asked and hethrew his arm around Monica's shoulders. Her body immediately made itself smaller. As if protecting her from his embrace. "I'm good", she said to Gunther.
"That will be three sixty, please", Gunther said to Chip. Only now, he retracted his arm to be able to search his wallet and take out the money.
Rachel couldn't believe her eyes. She had just come out of the bathroom and she was met with Chip throwing his arm around Monica. This was already strange, but what upset her even more, was the way Monica's shoulders came up to her ears. She saw how Monica's fingers were playing with the little skins around her nails. Something she often did when she was nervous or uncomfortable. When his arm went back, she saw a sigh passing through Monica's entire body. She couldn't let Monica endure this anymore. She walked up to them and her instinct took over.
"Hi, sweetie", she said to Monica and kissed her full on the lips. Monica was a bit surprised at first, but decided to just go with it. She hadn't realized how much she had missed these lips until this very moment. When Rachel pulled back, it felt way too early.
"Oh, Chip, I hadn't seen you there", Rachel said, pretending to look surprised at his presence.
His eyes couldn't be wider. "Wha- Uh- Mm- I-", he couldn't get out of his words, "Huh?", he finally said.
"What?", Rachel asked, looking as innocent as she could.
"Are you, like, gay or something?", he asked, his voice pure of shock.
"Yeah, we are a couple", Rachel laid her arm around Monica's shoulders and pulled her close to her. Monica let her head rest against Rachel's chest.
"Oh", he seemed to have lost his words.
"Come on, honey, we've got a lot of things to do. Let's go", she helped Monica off the chair and they both hurried outside, murmuring a goodbye to Chip.
"Sorry, I didn't think, I just had to act fast and I did what first came to my mind", Rachel apologized once they were in the safety of their apartment.
"No, Rach, thank you. God, I can't imagine how this would have ended if you hadn't been there", Monica shuddered.
"I just, I got so mad when I saw how uncomfortable he was making you", Rachel was getting worked up again.
Monica didn't want to think about it anymore. She just wrapped herself in Rachel's arms. Rachel, feeling her best friend needed the hug, wrapped her arms tightly around her. She felt Monica beginning to shake and realized that she was crying. Figuring that it was probably from the situation that she was just in, Rachel kissed the top of her head and pressed her even closer.
Little did Rachel know that it wasn't because of the situation with Chip that Monica was crying. Sure, it had to do with it, but the biggest reason was the kiss. Monica had tried so hard to push everything that were more than friendship feelings out, but when Rachel kissed her, it was like a train of emotions and memories and feelings hitting her. Making her doubt every choice she had made since that night when Rachel and she had first talked about liking girls.
"Sweetie, I need to talk to you", Ellie came into Central Perk. Rachel was sitting alone on the orange couch reading some of the newest magazines. Supposedly as research for work, but also just because it was one of her favourite activities.
"Hey", she greeted her girlfriend with a kiss, "What do we need to talk about?"
"Okay, I've been thinking about this for a while now and, since we've been together for a little over a year now, I wanted to ask you something", Ellie began. Rachel looked at her expectantly. "What do you say if we move in together?", Ellie had the biggest smile on her face.
"Oh my god", Rachel said, beginning to get excited as well, "Yes, of course, the three of us would have so much fun! I mean, we'll have to make a plan or something for the mornings, because we all have to use the bathroom, but it will be so great. I'm sure Monica would be totally happy with you living with us too", Rachel's voice was excited, but her smile dropped slightly at the expression on Ellie's face, "What is it?", she asked.
"Even though that would be great too, I was more thinking about the lines of you living with me. That my apartment becomes ours."
"Oh", Rachel hadn't thought of this, "So I wouldn't be roommates anymore with Monica then?", she asked.
"Well, no, honey. But you can still visit her super often? And we can have our own space. Just the two of us", Ellie looked at her with so much hope.
"Waw, uhm, is it okay if I think about this for a bit? I mean, it's really big, you know? Like, it's a big decision", Rachel demonstrated with her hands just how big it was.
"Yeah, I totally understand. Just tell me one thing", Ellie took Rachel's hands in her own, "Where are we going? Because I love you and I want to live together and I see us getting old together and everything, but if you don't see all of that, then I would rather know now, because I don't like wasting my time", Ellie said in a soft voice, scared of the answer.
"I love you too, you have to know that. And I see a future with us together. I just don't want to make a decision this big in a couple of minutes", Rachel squeezed Ellie's hands.
"Okay, let me know when you make a decision. I have to go to work", Ellie got up and said goodbye with a kiss.
Rachel actually really wanted to take the next step in their relationship. And living together seemed like a logical next one. So why did she hesitate? Besides, it would probably be good for her and Monica to live apart. Like this, it will be easier to stay just friends. Nothing more.
By the end of the day, she had made her decision. She would move in with Ellie. Even though her gut wasn't convinced yet, it was the right choice. She had called with Ellie and she had practically gotten deaf from the excited scream from Ellie on the other side of the line.
Now, though, she had to prepare herself for the most difficult part. Telling Monica. She had gotten home earlier and she had been sitting around on the couch trying to distract herself with television. When she heard the key turning in the lock, she practically jumped out of the couch.
"Hi!", she said to Monica.
"Hey", Monica put her bag on the counter and went to sit down next to Rachel on the couch.
"Honey", Rachel turned to Monica, "I need to tell you something", Rachel said.
"Okay, shoot", Monica said.
"Ellie and I are going to live together", Rachel ripped off the band-aid.
"Oh my god. That's so great! Oh, I'm so happy for you guys!", Monica gave Rachel a hug.
"Really?", Rachel asked pulling back from the hug. Quite surprised at Monica's not-at-all-sad reaction.
"Yeah, oh, the three of us are going to have such a good time living together", Monica smiled.
"Mon? I think you misunderstood", Rachel carefully broke her bubble, "When I said that Ellie and I are going to live together, I meant we're going to live together at her place. With just the two of us", Rachel braced herself for the inevitable tears.
"Oh", Monica began to laugh at her own assumption, "That's so funny. I can't believe I did that", she put her hand in front of her eyes.
"Oh, no, sweetie. You know what, this is my fault, I wasn't clear. I'm really sorry", Rachel rubbed Monica's leg.
"That's okay. What were you watching? Work was tough today. I need something funny to watch", Monica picked the remote up and started going through the tv channels. Seemingly unaffected by what Rachel had just told her. I'm happy that she isn't having a mental breakdown or something, but doesn't deserve me moving out at least one tear?
"We should start to divide our stuff", Rachel said to Monica the next day, "No point in dragging it out. Dragging out the long process of me moving out and us not living together anymore", Rachel tried once more to get at least a little reaction out of Monica.
"Okay", Monica got up from the couch.
"Okay", Rachel walked around the couch and picked up a bizarre thing that was standing on the little table next to the couch, "What about this? Who gets this? See, I don't know if I want it, because it might be too many memories", she wasn't giving up.
"What the hell is this?", Monica inspected it.
"I don't know", Rachel relented, "But you can keep it. Something to remember me by", she tried again.
"Okay, Rach, what's going on? You're not dying, you're just moving out", Monica started to get freaked out by Rachel's behaviour, "You know, we're going to see each other all the time."
"Still, it's a big change. The end of an era, you might say", Rachel looked with big eyes at Monica.
"Are you okay? You're not blinking", Monica asked.
"Fine", Rachel threw her hands up in frustration, "It's just, it's the end of an era."
"Oh, alright. Although, I don't think four years and a half count as an era", Monica said.
"An era is defined as a significant period of time. It was significant for me, but maybe it wasn't significant for you", Rachel was starting to get worked up. She couldn't seem to get through to Monica.
"What is the matter with you?"
"What is the matter with you? Why aren't you more upset? Aren't you a little sad that we aren't going to live together anymore? Aren't you gonna miss me at all?", Rachel's voice was rising.
"Rachel, alright, but don't get mad at me", she pointed an accusing finger at Rachel, "It's just a little hard to believe that you are actually going to move out. I mean, I guess, in my head, I kinda assume that you are just going to continue to live here", Monica shrugged.
"Monica. It's going to happen", Rachel sat down in front of her best friend, "I'm going to move out and live together with Ellie. It's something we both really want. And it's going to happen", she saw Monica's eyes change. She was finally getting through to her.
"It is? Really", Monica tried to keep the tears in.
"Yeah, sweetie."
"We're not going to live together anymore?"
"No", Rachel shook her head.
"What? I'm going to miss you so much", the tears were falling now.
"I'm going to miss you too", Rachel said, struggling to keep the tears at bay too. They reached out to hug, but Monica pulled back: "I mean, it's the end of an era", Monica exclaimed.
"I know!", Rachel said, continuing the hug.
The next days were all a blur. They had some minor fights to divide their stuff and they concluded that almost everything was, in fact, Monica's. When the guys carried out the last little table of Rachel, Rachel followed, but got turned around by Monica who had caught her arm.
"Call me when you get there", she said shyly, "I'm really going to miss you."
Rachel just nodded, not trusting her voice right now and just reached out for yet another hug. They both closed their eyes, savouring this last hug before Rachel officially moved out. Rachel tried to push down the creeping feeling in her gut that she was making a mistake. This was the only right choice.
"Oh, I have your key", Rachel said, before she forgot.
"Thanks", Monica looked up at an equally emotional Rachel. They just stared at each other.
"Oh, god this is silly", Rachel pulled her in for another hug. She couldn't keep looking at Monica's emotional face, "I'm going to see you in a couple of hours. Bye house", she said, looking a last time around before pulling back from the hug.
"Bye, babe", Rachel whispered, turning around to leave, but was pulled back by Monica and was met by Monica's lips pressing against her own. It was a short, friendly kiss, but it shook Rachel to her very core. "Bye", Monica whispered back.
Rachel smiled a smile, sad smile and left for the stairs. Monica closed the door and let herself fall against it, sighing deeply.
S4E2 tow the cat
S6E2 tow Ross hugs Rachel
S6E6 to on the last night