"Hey, have you seen Ross and Rachel lately?" Monica asked. She was standing in a small circle with Chandler and Joey, taking sips from her beer and trying not to look too disgusted. She's never really cared for the stuff that much. On the occasions that she did drink, she preferred wine. Joey cocked his head to the side, gesturing over to the lake that was now completely obscured by the blackness of the night.
"He followed her down there like an hour ago. I wonder what they could be doing," he submitted, lifting a sarcastic eyebrow and sharing a secret chuckle with Chandler. Monica was not amused.
"No, I don't think so."
"You're telling me they haven't yet?" Chandler asked, looking genuinely surprised. Monica's face showed equal disbelief.
"You and Ross don't talk about that kind of stuff?" she asked.
"Well, yeah, and he always tells me that they haven't, but I kind of figured that was just his way of protecting her or something. So they REALLY haven't?"
"Nope," Monica confirmed, shaking her head. "She says she's not ready, and I say good for her."
"Heh?" Chandler asked, his face gleaming with the classic deer-in-headlights look. "You're, uh, you're saying that you don't think they should have sex? Even after 6 months?"
"EVEN after 6 months?" Monica asked, looking slightly appalled. "You think 6 months is a lot to have not had sex? They're not grown, you know. They ARE still just in high school." Monica crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly getting very defensive.
"Woah, calm down. I know that, it's just that...well...Ross IS going to college next year. I know he loves her and everything, but I just think that a relationship as serious as theirs would be hard to...sustain in a situation like that if there weren't some sort of...incentive there..." he trailed off on the end, realizing that no matter what he said, he was going to come off sounding like a jackass. From the look Monica was giving him, she obvious agreed. All the while, Joey was keeping quiet, content to listen to these two almost-strangers fight like an old married couple.
"You don't even know what you're talking about. I've never seen anyone our age love someone else the way they love each other. I know my brother, and he'd never expect ANYTHING from her that she wasn't ready for. You know, just because you're too immature to understand that a relationship doesn't always have to be..."
"Woah, Monica, calm down! Look, that's not what I meant. Forget I said it, okay? I know that Ross cares about her. He may be your brother, but he's me best friend. I know how much he loves her. I don't want you to think that's the way my mind works. It's not." Chandler's hands were out in front of him as a defense mechanism. Monica nodded, uncrossing her arms and lessening the rigid stance that she was in a bit.
"Yeah, okay. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusion. That's not how...I mean, I don't think..." She was becoming increasingly aware of the fact that it was Chandler she was talking to. For a moment, she couldn't believe that she had actually yelled at him. He felt slightly embarrassed until he reached out and touched her arm, smiling lightly.
"I know it's not. You're just very protective of your best friend. It's okay, I understand." The situation turned on a dime from being very tense and unyielding to being quite the opposite. Joey was becoming a little uncomfortable.
"Hey, so, uh, anyone want another beer? I'm going to go get one." They both shook their heads, still not taking their eyes away from the other's gaze.
"Hey, you wouldn't want to...I mean, you don't want to go on a walk or something, do you?" Chandler asked. Monica immediately noticed how shy and hesitant the question had come out, and it made her smile. She was glad to see that she was making him just as nervous as he was making her. She nodded and reached for his hand, taking it in hers.
