soulmates. ― chandler bing

― 28 | CAMERA, LIGHTS, ACTION

RACHEL STRETCHED HER ARMS, "It's nearly three, Evelyn. You and me both should be leaving soon." We decided to have a late brunch and watch a movie till we had to leave, since the weather was all cloudy and windy. I yawned, "The last few hours felt like days. I had already forgotten I would go to The Chew today." Rachel snorted. "Yeah, right. That was one of a lie." I blushed. "Maybe I just tried to surpress it from my brain. What if he thinks I am annoying? What if he regrets going there with me? Rachel, this was a bad idea. "She looked at me, dead in the eye. "He won't." She raised her eyebrows. I smiled. "Okay, he won't."

          I walked over to the wardrobe to get my jacket. For safety reasons I took the black one, since I was still wearing that bright yellow shirt. I also stole one of those baker boy hats, Monica loved so much. "Ready?", but as I said that, Rachel just closed the bathroom door behind her. "Make up, honey!" Is she being serious? I thought we would leave together. She is doing that on purpose. For sure. God, I hate that she wants me to be more confident. What kind of friend wants that?  I chuckled about my own thoughts.

          "Okay, I have to leave though. Have fun with Joey. It's your first date. Do all the things, I wouldn't–", I chuckled, opening the door not waiting for her answer. As I closed the door behind me, Chandler was already standing in front of me. "Hi!", he smiled brightly. He must have heard how I said goodbye to Rachel. A great start. "Hi–", I breathed. My eyes started scanning him. Is that– He did really. No. He cannot. I had just realized what he was wearing. "You didn't." He must have seen my eyes brighten up, because he started grinning even more. "I sure did."

          There he stood wearing a black shirt and sweatpants. Even Joey's disgusting red tie. "You are aware of the fact, that you will be on television?" His grin grew even bigger. "I'll just hide behind you if the camera points in my direction." I laughed a little, "Fine by me!" We kind of stared at each other for another few seconds, before Chandler cleared his throat and pointed at the stairs. "Ready to go?" I dropped my stare and nodded.

          We caught the subway and arrived a little bit early at the studio. Groups of people where already standing in front of a big closed door that said Audience Entrance. "I can't believe we are here", Chandler whispered. "It's surreal, right?" He nodded. "You know, I act–" Chandler got interrupted by a guy with a megaphone, coming through the door. "Welcome everyone. Please make sure you got your tickets and already open your bags for the security check. Follow me through the door. You'll get all the informations you need inside." Everyone started chattering excited and the volume level rose a lot. "You ready to go in?", I asked smiling.

❝I WAS BORN READY!❞

          And that is how we walked into a day full of surprises. Chandler and I followed the other people through the door to the security check. Everything worked out easily. "Evelyn, do you always get heart racing  when you are walking through a security check?", he asked me right when I joined him after a woman checked my bag. "Yeah! You too?" He smiled, "Every time!"

          The next room was the waiting room. "Hello everyone!" Chandler spinned around in the speed of light. "I know that voice–" I followed the sound of the voice, and there he stood. Clinton Kelly. "The show will start in 30 minutes. You will be brought to your seats in 20 minutes. You find a small buffet on your left. I'll see you in a bit." While I was watching Clinton Kelly leave, Chandler had already turned around to look for the buffet. "Come on, Eve. It's free food!", he grabbed my arm and pulled me after him. My heart stood still for that very second. I feel like, I don't even notice myself falling in love with him more and more. Eve, stop. Concentrate. Don't ruin this day. This is your day.

          The small buffet were a few bowls filled with chips and salted pretzel sticks. There were a few tables and seats, so we didn't have to stand all the time. Walking in we got a paper bracelet and a plastic cup, on which a woman wrote our names with a sharpie. "Now that seems high professional–", Chandler said after we we got ourselves some chips. "They really did not spare expanse or pain. Hey, I will fill up my cup with orange juice over there ..you want some?" I got up and held up my hand, so I could take his cup. "Yeah, sure, thanks!" As he handed me his cup, his hand obviously brushed mine. I still managed to get goose bumps all over.

          When I came back, he already watched me with a look on his face, like he couldn't wait to tell me something. And as I sat down, "You think, I will get thrown out, because of my outfit? the woman, who gave us these amazing cups already looked at me like I was wearing this pink rabbit costume." I handed him his cup, "Excuse you, what? How do I not know there is a pink rabbit costume?" His eyes fixed on me again, after drifting off to the orange juice. "I should have never said anything." I giggled. "But could we not change the topic. I look hideous. How could you let me leave the house like that?"

          "Oh come, first, I am not your girlfriend nor your mother. Who am I to judge your outfit choices. And second, it's not that bad. In the worst case, you will have to cover yourself with my jacket. We can only hope, no one that we know, ever watched this episode." Chandler cleared his throat after eating a handful of chips. "God, I am glad you are not my mother."