The One Where The Lines Get Kinda Blurry

The One With All The Lies

Despite the pact they had made, and broken, and re-made, and re-broken multiple times already, they ended up in David's bed the night after filming that coffee shop kiss. It had been too intense, too dramatic and too damn emotional to just walk away from each other after a day like that. And of course, as had happened previously, the one night turned into two, and before they knew it, it was late on Sunday evening and Jen hadn't been home for longer than 30 minutes to grab some fresh clothes.

"Look, I know this goes against everything we've said, but just so you know, I keep a bag of spare clothes and toiletries in the trunk of my car now...... you know, just in case I ever happen to 'need' to stay at your place. Maybe you should think about doing the same?" David had said as Jen was getting ready to leave. "Or maybe even just leave a few of your things here?"

Jen looked at him, a mixture of happiness and confusion in her eyes. "Do you think that's a good idea? I mean don't get me wrong, I would absolutely love to, but what happens when you have the guys over and they find a G String in your bathroom?"

"Well one, why would you leave your G String in my bathroom and not my bedroom? And two, I could just say I hooked up with some girl, I don't need to say who."

Jen suddenly looked a little crestfallen, "I don't want to think of you hooking up with some girl, made up or not. And I don't want to be someone you dismiss as just a casual hook-up either......... although......" The look on her face changed from one of sadness to one of someone who had just had an idea. "Unless.......... unless you tell them, you have met someone and then I can leave stuff here and it wouldn't matter at all."

"Well, yeah, I guess I could do that. I mean, I hate lying so in a way it would mean I could talk about you without them knowing it's you. Casually I mean, I wouldn't want to create some big web of lies as that would be a slippery slope, but just if anyone asked, I could say I had met someone and it was early days but she was pretty special...."

David had been forced to use the lie a few weeks later as Jen had once again ended up spending most of her weekend at his place following the filming of "The One Where Ross & Rachel..... You Know" because, well, you know........ He'd had the two Matts over during the following week to read lines and play some poker and had been questioned pretty quickly about the girly cosmetics that had appeared in his bathroom.

"Errrrm dude, something you're not telling us?" Matty had asked after paying a visit to the toilet, and spotting a small collection of cosmetics and makeup on the shelf, "either you have yourself a secret girlfriend, or else you're turning into Chandler's dad!"

"It's not a secret, it's just not a big deal yet. Yes, I am seeing someone but it's early days so........"

"Sooooooooo...... what's her name?" Matt had asked.

"Her name is ...... Lola."

"And where did you meet, what's she like? Details dude, details!"

"Honestly, it's too soon for all that. But she's funny, smart, beautiful and I hope it could be something pretty special. And no, I am not ready to introduce her to you and no, I am definitely not going to give you any intimate details!"

"Awwwwww look at you blushing" Matty had teased, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder, before adding "honestly, I'm happy for you, I hope it works out."

It was Thursday lunchtime and the six friends were in the canteen eating together, chatting about everything and nothing as usual.

"So, how's it going with Lola?" Matty said to David.

"Lola? Who's Lola?" Court chipped in.

"Uhhhhmmm she's a girl I am sort of seeing" David replied cautiously, catching Jen staring at him with intent.

"Oooooh tell us more!" Lisa exclaimed, "What's she like?"

"Well, errrrm she's funny, smart, kind, has the most wonderful smile and beautiful eyes, and her heart is just so open and warm and............ and I think she is incredibly special."

"When do we get to meet her?" Courteney asked excitedly, "she sounds wonderful!"

"She is, but not yet, although I am hopeful that I can walk in here with her proudly on my arm one day and introduce her as my girlfriend."

Jen was in her dressing room, trying to memorise the last-minute changes to this weeks' script as David poked his head around the door. "You got a minute?" he said, not waiting for her to answer before he slipped in through the door, closing it behind him. "I'm sorry about that..... it was a little awkward."

"I never thought I'd be jealous of a made-up girlfriend and yet here I am, jealous as hell."

"You do realise that every bit of what I said out there was about you don't you? Well apart from her name of course."

"I know that" she said with a blush, "and I'm very flattered you described me that way. Where did Lola come from by the way, why that name?"

"It's just a name I liked. I thought maybe one day I might have a daughter called Lola."

"It's a beautiful name. I'd happily have that for my daughter too...." she smiled warmly as her eyes across the room into his, both of them pondering a future where that may be a possibility.

David went over and stood behind the chair where Jen was sat, his hands massaging her shoulders, before leaning down to place a kiss on her neck and saying softly "and I meant what I said about hoping to walk through the door with you on my arm and announcing to everyone, this is the girl I love more and more with every beat of my heart."

It was early Friday evening and preparations for the live show were well underway, the six Friends sat in hair and make-up together as usual, the banter and chat flowing, and the air filled with nervous excitement.

"Hey Jen, forgive me, this may sound a little out there, but are you seeing anyone?" Terri their make-up artist asked casually as she was applying the finishing touches to Rachel's look.

Jen squirmed in her seat, feeling uncertain how best to answer to bring the least number of questions in return, "Errrm no, I'm not really dating anyone right now, why?" she said with a stutter.

"Well, and again this may sound a bit crazy, but I was working on another job this week and one of the guys, an actor, asked me if I knew you and said would I give you his number so you could maybe give him a call and he could possibly take you out sometime? He is such a great guy! I've known him for a while and he's genuine, he's not creepy or anything like that. So anyway, here's his number. He's called Tate and like I said, he is a really nice guy, and he's pretty cute too. I think you should call him; I think you two would get on really well."

"Wow, errrrm I'm not sure what to say, but thanks, I'll think about it" Jen said, taking the piece of paper with the phone number on and pushing it into her pocket, acutely aware of David staring hard at her across the room. She finally made eye contact with him, giving a little shrug as if to say, what was I supposed to do.

"Call him!" Court grinned at her friend, "It's about time you started going out on dates instead of holing up at home nearly every weekend learning lines. Call him now."

"No, I'm not going to call him now, we're getting ready to do the show."

"Call him now or I will call him for you! Come on, live on the edge a little!" Courteney grabbed the piece of paper from Jen's pocket and tried to pass it to her along with her purse which contained her cell phone.

"I am not calling him now!" Jen said again, firmly this time, but Courteney did not sense the tone and dug Jen's phone from her bag and proceeded to dial the number on the handwritten note. She handed Jen the cell who went to press cut as the call connected.

"Hello, Tate speaking" said a man's voice on the other end of the line.

"Uhhhhmmm Hi....... this is Jen...... Jen Aniston....."