Roxie Bing | she's the one

(1.19) The One Where The Monkey Gets Away

"Hey," I threw my jacket onto a chair next to the counter at Central Perk as I greeted Rachel, but she was preoccupied staring at a newsletter with a disgruntled expression on her face. "What's up with you?"
She rolled her eyes before answering. "It's the Country Club Newsletter. My mother sends me the engagement notices for inspiration."
"Wow. Uplifting." I remarked.

And then her face changed. "Oh my God!"
"What?"
"Barry and Mindy." She managed.
"Barry who you almost -"
"Barry who I almost." She confirmed.
"And Mindy your Maid of -"
"And Mindy my Maid of." She confirmed as well.
"As if. Let me see that." I snatched the newsletter from her hands and looked at the picture. "That's Mindy? Wow, she's pretty!" I couldn't help but point out. Once I'd saw Rachel's face, I attempted to backtrack, "lucky! Pretty lucky, to have had a friend like you."
Rachel was not convinced.

***

It was later in the evening and the majority of our gang was hanging out in Monica's apartment.

"Hey, where's Ross?" Joey asked.
"He said he had something to pick up and then he'd be over." Monica told him.

"Pass me the cheese puffs, Joey." I instructed, leaning over to him to receive them.
Joey passed them, and we held eye contact as long as we could before he gave me a subtle wink.

Five minutes passed, and Ross came bursting through the door, with a monkey on his shoulder, causing everyone to startle.

"Is that what you had to pick up?" Monica demanded, seemingly unhappy at the sight of this animal in her apartment.
"Yeah." Ross beamed.
"Mid-life crisis?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I'm twenty-eight." He retorted.
"Third-of-life crisis?" I continued, but was silenced with a look from Ross.

"Get that out of here!" Monica may as well have shrieked.
"What's your problem?" Ross demanded.
"It's... it's dirty! And gross!"
"Come on, Mon. It's cute!" I smiled, pacing towards Ross and tickling the monkey on his shoulder with my index finger.
"Thanks, Roxie." Ross was appreciative of someone backing him up.

"If he gets anything ruined, then -" Monica started.
"Then we're out," Ross finished, "and that's fine."

He looked over behind the huddle that we'd formed in front of him and the monkey at the one person who hadn't joined; Rachel.

"Hey, what's wrong with her?" Ross asked me as everyone began to disperse.
"Uh, Barry's getting married to her maid of honour," I filled him in.
"What? Really? That's - that's not great," he struggled with his words, unsure of what to say.
"Take the opportunity to comfort her, show her your monkey," I winked at him, before nudging over.

I walked over to the kitchen counter where Joey was stood, eating forkfuls of a lasagna that Monica had placed on the oven to cool down.
"Hey," I smirked at him.
"Hey," he smirked back, eyeing me up and down.

"Okay, why are you two looking at each other like that?" My brother's voice came from behind us and we both turned to face him.

"W - what?" I stumbled on my words. Joey and I hadn't even considered telling everyone yet, especially not Chandler. We hadn't talked about it at all, and it was an unspoken agreement that it'd be easier for our 'no strings attached agreement' if no one knew to have an opinion.
"What are you talking about?" Joey answered with a tone to be suspicious about. He was a terrible liar.

My brother gasped and clasped his hand over his mouth. "Are you two -"
"Two what?" Phoebe walked over, dropping some crisps in her mouth.
"You two -" Chandler was struggling to finish his sentences.
"What's going on?" Monica chimed in.

I sighed. "Okay, fine. Me and Joey, we might be... sleeping together."
There was a chorus of gasps and exciting jumps (from Phoebe).
"That's great!" Phoebe yelled. "You two are so cute together."
"Yeah, we're happy for you," Monica added. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"This is why," I pointed at them. "Don't be happy for us. There's nothing to be happy for. We're having sex, and that's it."
"But you two like each other, right?" Phoebe was confused.
"Yeah, we do -" Joey started but I nudged him.
"It's not like that," I corrected him directly, and he looked hurt. "This is just what works for us."

"Seems weird," Phoebe shrugged, before walking off to the fridge.
"Yeah. I mean, why don't you two just... date?" Monica questioned.
"Because it probably won't work," I shrugged, "and because this does work. We're having fun, and it doesn't have to affect our friendship or roommates situation."
Monica looked unconvinced. "Whatever you say," she walked off as well.

"I can't believe you're sleeping with my sister," Chandler shook his head before looking at me, "and you're sleeping with my best friend!"
"Sorry," Joey and I chorused like kids in trouble.
"I swear, if I find you doing anything in my apartment -"
"Then you can hit me," Joey offered and I laughed.

"Speaking of, stay out of the apartment for twenty minutes?" I smirked.
Chandler look distressed before rapidly walking off, leaving me and Joey giggling.

Before we left Monica's to head back to ours, Ross quickly approached us looking weirdly excited.
"She's looking after my monkey tomorrow!" He beamed.
Joey and I exchanged an amused expression and then both nodded.
"Good step," I commented, while Joey gave Ross an enthused thumbs up.

Ross jogged off to get his monkey back from Rachel who was distractedly bonding with it on the sofa, and Joey and I quickly rushed out into our apartment, giggling together.

***

It was the evening of the following day, and Joey and I were lay in his bed together, unclothed and twiddling affectionately with each other's thumbs.

"We haven't moved all day," I giggled.
"I know. It's nice," he pulled the duvet up further.
"We better get up," I nudged him. I tried to get out of the bed, but Joey grabbed my arm, pulling me back into a hug.
"No..." He whined, and we both laughed.
"Come on. Let's go see everyone," I dragged him out of bed.

***

Joey eventually got dressed and we traipsed over to Monica's apartment.
But we didn't find the entire gang there; we found Ross and Rachel, in a seemingly romantic setting.
They sat beside each other on the couch, both holding glasses of wine under the dim light, deep in conversation.

Joey and I shot each other a look as if to say 'do we leave?', but Rachel quickly spoke.
"Hey, guys!" She encouragingly greeted. "Where've you two been hiding all day?"

"Bed," Joey shrugged.
"Well, you've missed an eventful day," she informed us.
"What's been going on?" I asked.
"Well, I was looking after Ross' monkey, and I lost him," she explained.
Ross quickly jumped in, "but then you found him! You did amazing in getting him back. I can't thank you enough."

The pair stared into each other's eyes in a way that made Joey and I exchange that look again, this time knowing that it was our cue to get out of their hair.

"We'll leave you guys to your -"
"Celebrating," I finished Joey's sentence.
"Okay," Rachel smiled.
Ross shot us a look that said 'thank you', and it was clear that he was loving this time alone with the girl that he was so into.

Joey and I turned to the door, but both startled as it burst open.

"Rachel!" The man that I recognised from the engagement listings in the newspaper yesterday morning burst towards her.
"Barry!" She immediately stood up, confused and shocked to see the man that she'd left at the alter.

"I can't. I can't do it. I can't marry Mindy. I think I'm still in love with you."
Rachel gasped, as did Ross, Joey and I.
And then there was a silence, with no one knowing quite what to say.
Joey and I didn't know if it was acceptable to continue on our path of leaving, and Ross looked absolutely bewildered.

The silence was broke when Ross yelled, "we have got to start locking that door!" and Joey and I nodded in agreement, while Rachel continued to look completely frozen with shock.

A/N: I am so sorry for not updating any time recently. I am definitely still wanting to do this book so I WILL be updating. I just keep getting mind blocks with it!! Expect another update soon and thank you to anyone still reading!