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

the one where the monkey gets away

third person pov

gianna held the letters in her hands tightly, pulling her coat closer as she approached central perk. pushing the door open, she spies rachel across the coffee house, making mindless conversation with a customer. 

"mail call, rachel green, bunk seven." gianna calls teasingly, waving the letters in the air as she secures her coat onto the coat rack. 

"thank you!" rachel smiles, taking the letters from the blonde, eyes scanning the envelopes as gianna settles into the stool at the counter. "oh, cool! free sample of coffee!" 

"oh good! cause where else would we get any?" her response was sarcastic, rachel too focused on sorting through the letters to take much notice. 

"oh. right." she continues filing, gianna fiddling with the napkin in front of her. "...oh great." 

"what is it?" 

"country club newsletter. my mother sends me the engagement notices for 'inspiration'." rachel explains, rolling her eyes at gianna before glancing back down. "oh my god! oh my god, it's barry and mindy!" gianna's eyes widen, fingers reaching for the newsletter. 

"barry who you almost-?"

"barry who i almost!" 

"and mindy, your maid of-?"

"mindy, my maid of. oh!" rachel scoffs in disbelief, letting gianna steal the newsletter away. 

"that's mindy? wow, she is pretty!" gianna glances up to see rachel's disgruntled expression. "lucky! to have a friend like you." she continues, smiling sheepishly at her friend. 

*

later, rachel and ross are sharing chinese food in the girls apartment. ross is trying to instruct marcel, whilst rachel laments on the events in the coffee house prior. 

gianna was across the hall, sorting through joey's washing as she waited for the phone to ring. her job hunt had seemed to be impossible, no place looking for a new employee. however, by chance, gianna's old school friend had moved to the city and sent an application form for the university of new york who were in search of an animal biology professor. 

while gianna answered the phone, rachel and ross' conversation spiralled into rachel's wishes for the perfect boyfriend. 

"well, i mean, do you think you can ever have both? y'know? someone who's like, who's like your best friend, but then also can make your toes curl?" rachel stammers, twirling the noodles around her chopstick as ross straightens up in his chair. 

"yes. yes. yes! yes, i really do! in fact, it's funny, very often, someone who you wouldn't think could-could curl your toes, might just be the one who..." the front door opens, inviting the indistinct chatter from their other friends. 

"hi." 

"...gets interrupted. hi!" ross quips, turning his focus from rachel to his sister. 

"hi, how was the movie?" 

"wonderful!" 

"so good!" monica and phoebe answer. 

"suck-fest." 

"toootal chick-flick." the boys replies, shaking their heads with disapproval. 

"I'm sorry it wasn't one of those movies with, like, y'know, guns and bombs and, like, buses going really fast..." phoebe stammers, throwing her hands up slightly. 

"hey, I don't need violence to enjoy a movie. just as long as there's a little nudity." joey responds, offering the suggestion. 

"there was nudity!"