More than Just Friends

Chapter Eight

Ross stood outside the familiar apartment building, walking back and forth as he waited for the guys to arrive. He impatiently glanced at his watch and tapped his foot on the ground, slowly becoming more irritated by the minute. A slight early spring breeze blew in the air and he zipped up his jacket to keep warm.

"Where are they?" he asked no one in particular, glancing at his watch again.

Suddenly he heard a familiar pair of voices and spun around to see Joey and Chandler slowly making their way towards him. For a second he wondered why they had come from the streets rather than the building but when he saw the large sandwich Joey was eating, he put two and two together.

"Where have you guys been? The game's going to start in less than an hour!" he said, confronting them when they walked over.

"That's exactly what I said but someone wanted to grab a sandwich first," Chandler responded, pointing at Joey accusingly as he took a bite of the greasy mess.

"Ifh youh hah a bihe of thich, youh woudn'ch be talckhinch."

"Joey, do you realise how busy I've been over the past week? I had to cancel a board meeting just so I could clear up my evening for this!"

Joey held up a finger, quickly swallowed his food before talking. "Relax Ross, we'll make it. There's no way we're missing a Rangers-Devils rivalry game at home! Stanley cup champions vs. the home town Rangers! It doesn't get better than that!"

Ross sighed and shared a look with Chandler. "Alright, well then let's go."

"Yeah, Joey you got the tickets?" Chandler asked.

"Of course I have the tickets! They're right here..." He patted the right pocket of his jacket, only to find it empty. "Um... hehe, no they're right here!" He patted his left pocket and found that it was empty as well. Slowly he looked up to meet the angry eyes of Ross and Chandler staring at him. "Uh, yeah... I don't have them..."

"Joey!" they yelled in unison.

"Ok, ok, I forget them but I know exactly where they are. I'll just go up and grab them real quick..." Joey reached for a pocket on his jacket but struggled to open it as his hands were covered in grease.

"How about I go get them," Ross objected, reaching into Joey's pocket and taking the keys. "Ok so where exactly are they?"

"Um... they're in that thing that holds that other thing that I use."

Ross and Chandler stared at him with blank looks. "How about you try again but this time use actual words," Chandler quipped.

"Ok, um..." Joey looked at the ground as he tried to think. "Uh, I don't know. Try looking on all the tables and stuff, and if it's not there look in the drawers."

Ross rubbed his temple. "I thought you knew exactly where they are."

"I do! They're in the apartment!"

Ross and Chandler groaned. "Forget it, I'll just find them myself," Ross said, shaking his head as he walked into the building.

A moment later he reached apartment 19 and unlocked the door, stepping inside. He immediately began pulling open drawers, finding random things from blobs of gum to pairs of Joey's underwear, but no hockey tickets. He was so focused on finding the tickets that he didn't even notice Rachel walk out of her room, combing her hair.

"Oh hey!" she exclaimed cheerfully, surprised to see him in the apartment.

At the sound of her voice Ross' head shot up, also not expecting to see anyone else but smiled when he saw her. "Oh, hi. Sorry, I didn't see you there."