– MONICA’S APARTMENT – MORNING
INT. MONICA’S KITCHEN – EARLY MORNING
Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe are blowing up balloons. Rachel’s taping streamers. Joey’s eating frosting. Ronnie has no idea they’re planning a party.
"Okay! Everyone knows the plan — Ronnie thinks we’re going to dinner. We come back for “cake,” and BAM — surprise party!" She said to everyone
"Or as I like to call it: Operation “Don’t Cry, Ronnie." Her brother said
Phoebe
"🎶 Happy trauma birthday to you… 🎶"
---
– RACHEL’S APARTMENT – AFTERNOON
INT. RACHEL’S ROOM – GETTING READY
Ronnie stands in front of a mirror in a soft vintage dress. Jake sits behind her, watching her tie her necklace.
"You look… different." He said as he looked at her
Ronnie (smirking)
"Like a girl who’s trying to survive her own birthday?" She told him
"Like a girl who’s healing. And also maybe gonna break hearts at 17" he said to her
She walks over and wraps her arms around him from behind. It’s soft, quiet, real.
"Thanks for being the one thing that doesn’t make me panic." She told him
---
– MONICA’S APARTMENT – EVENING
INT. MONICA’S LIVING ROOM – “SURPRISE!”
Ronnie walks in. Everyone jumps up. Confetti, streamers. She jumps slightly, then smiles — shy and touched. Joey hugs her too hard. Phoebe gives her a sketchbook. Rachel hands her glittery lip gloss.
Ronnie (blinking back tears)
"I… I didn’t think anyone remembered."she said
Monica (pulling her in)
"We never forget you, kid." She reminded her
Jake gives her a tiny box — inside is a charm bracelet, handmade with little things that represent her: a pen, a star, a tiny car, a lion.
Ronnie (whispers)
"This is… everything." She told him
Jake (soft)
"Just like you." He said to her
---
– PARTY IN FULL SWING
INT. MONICA’S APARTMENT – LATER
Guests from school begin to arrive. Laughter. Pizza. Music. Then, someone new walks in — a woman in her 20s. Tall. Friendly. Familiar to Jake.
Woman
"Jake?"
Jake (turning)
"Claire?" He said
Claire
"Oh my god! I was dropping my niece off and saw your name on the invite list. You still living in Brooklyn?"
Jake (nervous)
"Uh—yeah. Kinda."
Claire (to Ronnie)
"Hi, you must be Ronnie. I used to live next door to Jake’s dad. Wild guy."
(Ronnie freezes. Looks at Jake. Slowly.)
Ronnie
"Your… dad?"
Jake
"Ronnie—"
Ronnie
"I thought he lived in Boston. You always said… he wasn’t around."
Claire (awkwardly)
"Oh. I didn’t mean to—"
Jake (firm)
"It’s fine."
---
– BEDROOM – MOMENTS LATER
INT. MONICA’S SPARE ROOM – NIGHT
Ronnie sits on the edge of the bed, facing away from the door. Jake enters, quietly. He closes it behind him.
"I didn’t lie to hurt you." He told her
(still quiet)
"You didn’t think I could handle the truth?" She asked him
"No. I didn’t think I could" he told her.
He kneels in front of her.
"He lives in Queens. Ten minutes from here. But I haven’t seen him in a year.
He calls sometimes, but he never shows. I just… I couldn’t say it out loud without feeling like trash." He said
(teary)
"You’re not trash." She told him
"But I thought if you knew, you’d see me different. Like I’m this broken mess who got left behind."he told her
(shaky)
"You are a mess. So am I. But we don’t lie to each other. Not us." She said
"You’re right. I was scared of being honest… but I’m more scared of losing you." He said
He holds out his hand. She stares at it for a moment. Then takes it.
---
✏️ RONNIE’S JOURNAL ENTRY – NIGHT
> “He lied. Not to protect me. To protect his wounds.”
“And for a minute, I felt like I didn’t know him.”
“But then he sat with me. Said the hard thing. Didn’t run.”
“That’s how you rebuild after a crack. Not perfectly. But intentionally.”
YOU ARE READING
After The Silence
Fanfiction(season 1-10) --- Ronnie Bing was never supposed to be noticed. But after a breakdown, an overdose, and a silent goodbye, she's learning what it means to stay alive. This is her story - the quiet kind of survival. Mature contact s6-7-8-9-10
