i'll be there - chandler bing (on hold)

the one where monica gets two new roommates

third person pov

"hi. is joey here? i'm his sister."

*

it wasn't like gianna to not know what to do. her whole life she always seemed to know what to do - even when she was just beginning to walk, she knew not to eat pizza with a fork. perhaps it came from her italian background. 

to see a 24 year old girl running through the crowded streets of new york wasn't unusual, in fact it was practically normal. but in this circumstance, it seemed odd to every person gianna passed that a girl her age was running through new york. you see, gianna had been to college, she'd lived on her own, she had a job, she had an amazing boyfriend - until this evening. 

gianna wasn't totally inexperienced with independency. her degree in zoological sciences and animal behaviours led her across the globe, in fact she'd almost visited every continent. and although gianna was incredibly happy, there was a part of her that seemed missing, incomplete almost. 

this small part of gianna's life would lead up to this very moment - gianna racing through the streets of new york. that morning, gianna had been out collecting some groceries, a simple task that would only take a maximum of 30 minutes. to her amazement, her boyfriend of almost 2 years had thought that would be enough time to sneak someone over. another woman. gianna's best friend. in a flurry of minutes, gianna had packed a bag and left. tears fell from her face as she took the next train to new york - she knew she would be okay there. 

and so that is how gianna had ended up racing through the lanes of new york. panic had set in once she arrived at the station. before she knew it, a couple of hours had passed and she was exhausted. instead of continuing to beat the night, gianna voted for finding a hotel room and continuing her search in the morning. 

*

it wasn't long after sunrise that gianna was already on the street. looking slightly more refreshed compared to last night, gianna entered a quaint coffee shop - central perk. the mismatched furniture and cozy atmosphere calmed gianna as she approached the counter. 

"hi." the man at the counter looked up from his note pad and smiled. 

"can i get you a coffee?" he asks politely and gianna shakes her head. 

"actually, i was hoping to ask you something." she inhaled deeply. "this may be a long shot but do you happen to know a joey tribianni?" the man almost rolled his eyes. 

"don't tell me your another woman he's slept with?" a laugh falls from gianna's lips. 

"no, oh god no. i'm his sister and i really need to find him. if you could tell me where he is that would be great." gianna smiles weakly, her heart pounding. 

"upstairs, apartment 19." the man replies and gianna nods her head in excitement. 

"oh thank you!" as gianna turns to leave the man speaks up again. 

"you may want to knock across the hall. apartment 20. they'll probably be there." he points with his pencil and gianna nods. 

"thank you..."

"gunther." he smiles. 

"well gunther, thank you. i'm gianna by the way." and with that she was gone, out the door before gunther could even reply. two steps at a time, gianna leaped towards apartment 20. the final step approached and gianna immediately felt her heart begin to race. with sweaty hands she walks past a tall, attractive man. "wait, excuse me sir." the man turns around. 

"please call me paul." he smiles. "what can i help you with..."

"gianna." she replies, her fingers twisting in knots. "is apartment 20 here?" paul smiles and nods.