A Player's First Love (F.R.I.E.N.D.S/ Joey Tribbiani Fanfic)

Shopping

      So there we were, the 7 of us all sitting around a circle table at a fancy restaurant. Talking and laughing and just being ourselves. I had been careful to pay attention to Chelsea, I wanted to figure her out. I noticed she seemed more comfortable around us, especially the girls.
       She would laugh and nod or shake her head and sometimes add a quiet "Yeah" to our conversation, although she didn't add much input on her own. But at least she seemed more comfortable. She was sitting up straighter and making more eye contact. I couldn't help but smile with satisfaction knowing that she felt accepted.
          "So I told the guy, 'No! It is not logical to say that the T Rex could have had wings!'" Ross exclaimed and we all laughed.
      After the laughter had died down, I noticed that we had been here for almost 2 and a half hours. As if she had thought the same thing Rachel stood up and said, "Alright Guys, this has been fun but I think it's time to turn it." We all voiced our agreement.
       We made our way outside and took separate cabs, Ross and Pheobe took one, Rachel, Chandler, and Chelsea took one, and me and Monica took the last one.
        "It's so weird that Chandler has a twin!" Monica exclaimed in the cab, "And once she starts talking more, she's so much like him!"
      "You think so?" I questioned doubtfully. Monica's eyes were wide with excitement and interest, "Well yeah! How have you not noticed?"
      I rolled my eyes, "Well it's hard to notice when she doesn't even talk to me!" I complained. I know I was supposed to like Chandler's twin, he had asked me to give her a chance after all, but she had no personality.
     "You just have to force it out of her a little bit. Ask her opinion. Tell her stories. Just talk to her!" Monica encouraged me. I smiled half-heartedly, I just don't want to put a lot of effort into getting to know someone, who obviously doesn't want to be known.

      The Next Morning

        I woke up and rolled over to check my clock...9:30am. I sighed tiredly and I was about to roll over again to go back to sleep when I heard my stomach growl. "The boss speaks" I said to myself and I threw the covers off of me and walked towards my door.
        When I got in the living room I noticed no one was in there, I knew Chandler was at a work meeting this morning and would be back later, but where was Chelsea? Is she still asleep? Suddenly I heard a voice coming from our bathroom.
        I quietly walked closer to the bathroom door, and I heard humming and mumbling of a song through the door. Found Chelsea. Right as I was about to turn around to go to the kitchen, the bathroom door swung open and there she was looking back at me with wide eyes.
        "I...uh... I wasn't like....well ya know....I wasn't okay" I tried to explain. She was wearing denim overalls that were cut into shorts with a light blue top underneath and was still barefoot. Her hair was still wet and she was barefaced.
        I shook my head to push aside the awkward encounter and walked towards the kitchen. She followed behind me and sat on the bar stool surprising me.
       I thought about what Monica told me last night in the cab and decided to give it another go, "So you what are you doing up so early and getting ready for?" I asked gesturing to her outfit with my hands.
      "The girls wanted to take me shopping at Bloomingdales," she stated simply. "Oh" I replied nodding, "Chandler know?" I asked.
      "No," she began furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, "We kinda decided to go this morning. Why?" she asked. I had just finished preparing a wonderful bowl of Lucky Charms when she asked this and replied nonchalantly, "No reason. He just worries. You should have seen him when we left you with the girls yesterday to get ready." She smiled softly and I couldn't help but smile a little to myself.
         "Protective brother I guess," she said still smiling, "You're probably right I should leave a note." She looked around on the counter for some paper I assumed. I reached into one of the drawers and handed her a pad of paper and a pen.
       When I handed her the pen, her finger tips landed where mine were grasping the pen. As she pulled away holding the pen, she looked at me and blushed slightly, although she kept a calm exterior.
       I had to have imagined it, maybe she has naturally rosy cheeks, or or or....I don't know but there was definitely pink on her face after that. But she remained calmly seated on the bar stool as she began writing her note for Chandler.
        She was already acting more comfortable with me even before dinner yesterday, but still...she is too weird even for me.
        I turned to my bowl of cereal to take another bite when suddenly, "Last night was lots of fun wasn't it?" I heard her say slowly. I was kind of surprised that she has been the first to speak to me, I had expected another awkward and silent conversation. I slowly looked up from my cereal bowl at her still chewing.
        I swallowed and replied, "Yeah it was..." we talked for like 30 minutes after that. The conversation was slow and still had some quiet moments where neither of us could figure out the words to say, but regardless we talked.