Chandler's POV:
About a half an hour later Frankie and I came up from the basement to head to my house.
"Hey boys, Frankie you can see the sun?" Joan teased making me laugh a little. "I'll see it as we cross the street to Chandler's house." He said. "Add in a jog maybe." I teased as we were about to leave.
"Chandler," Jasmine said. "Yeah?" I turned to her immediately. God she was so beautiful.
"Zack's coming here for dinner tomorrow... did you want to join us?" she asked in a pleading tone. I didn't even know what to say. I wanted to go to support her but I didn't want to put myself through that and through the awkwardness. "Uh... yeah... sure." I nodded like it was no big deal. I spoke with out even thinking and I regretted it. But it's not like I would have said no. "Yay I'll see you then."
"Yeah see ya." I said as Frankie and walked out.
"Well at least you'll have me there." Frankie said reading my thoughts. "Yeah but it's gonna be awkward as hell."
"That's why i'm glad you're coming but honestly man you don't have to go it's just dinner."
"Yeah, with her new boyfriend. You're right I could have just lied and said that I wouldn't be able to make it but that looks weird and suspicious. Plus I'm a really bad liar. I'll go for her."
"Honestly one day man she's gonna want you."
"That'll be the day." I laughed a little. "No really. One day it'll hit her. She'll realize that the one for her has been right under her nose. One day she'll see you as more than a friend."
I didn't agree with Frankie but I did think about it for a moment. I fantasized about it all the time.
"you really think so?" I said hopefully but also in a bit of a monotone. "I don't see why it wouldn't happen." He said. "But wouldn't that ruin our friendship?"
"well, not all boys and girls are meant to be just friends forever. I think you two are one of those who are meant to be more than friends. She just doesn't see it yet."
What Frankie said made me think back to about two years ago when everyone thought that Jasmine and I were together. Some people still thought that.
The next evening I went over to their place for the dinner. I threw my jean jacket over my black shirt and headed over. Frankie let me in and Jasmine and Joan were already outside in the back yard patio.
"Oh, Chandler you look lovely." Joan said even though I was just wearing a normal outfit. "Thank you so do you." I said kindly.
"Thank you Chandler." Jasmine said walking over and hugging me. For a moment I was confused why she was thanking me then I got it. "Thanks for having me." I said as her cotton candy smell went up nose.
She let go of me when Zack rang the door bell. She left immediately to get it. A shitty feeling came across me. I looked at Frankie and he patted me on the shoulder as we both sat down next to each other. Joan went to the door to meet him. We heard their foot steps coming toward the back yard from inside the house and I was so tempted to crawl under the table or get away from this.
"Nice to see you again." He said going to shake Frankie's hand. I put out my hand expecting Zack to shake mine but instead he ignored me and I awkwardly sat there like an idiot with my hand out and I pretended to stretch it out. Frankie noticed.
What a jack ass he was.
We started eating already and I didn't really say much. Joan and obviously Jasmine talked to him the most. Frankie asked him alot of questions which made Jasmine give him a few glares for him to shut up.
"So who was your last girlfriend?"
"Frankie!" Jasmine said getting irritated by him.
"Oh Frankie let's not be rude please." Joan said giving him a dirty look. I almost giggled but I stopped myself so no one would notice. "I'm not being rude it's just an honest question." He defended with a bit of a laugh. "No worries it's cool." Zack said with a shrug.
Really, it's cool? No one says that.
"She was some one I worked with, our age, very nice but we only lasted a few weeks."
Frankie nodded as if he was interested but he really wasn't.
"But I'm much happier with you." He said grabbing Jasmine's hand. It was taking it all in me not to punch him. Joan smiled and began cleaning up the table. I sat there with jealousy seeing Jasmine give affection back to him. "Please let me do it Joan." I said standing up suddenly catching everyone's attention. "Oh, well thank you Chandler you're so sweet."
"I'll help you out there." Zack said standing up after me.
This guy was full of shit trying to make himself look good. He probably wouldn't have offered to help if I didn't. I grabbed as much as I could and brought them to the kitchen right away. I could hear Zack come in after me, closing the sliding door behind him.
"So, you're pretty familiar with this house hold I see." He said.
What the fuck did that mean?
"Yup." I said popping the p as I was about to walk back outside to get the rest of the dishes. He was about to say something us else but Jasmine and Joan came in with more plates.
It was about 9:00 when Zack finally decided to leave after three hours.
"thank you Ms..."
"Costello," Joan finished his statement. "and you're welcome this was very nice."
He and Jasmine kissed and I quietly sighed to myself with my arms crossed.
I left about ten minutes after he did and when I walked out he was still in the drive way leaning against his car texting. I stopped caught off guard and gave him a weird look when I walked by. Just as I was near the end of the drive way. He spoke.
"You have a nice time?"
I stopped and turned around slowly.
"Yeah...you?" I said bringing my eye brows together in a why are you talking to me type tone. I wasn't trying to be rude I seriously found him weird and didn't know why he was trying to talk to me.
"Yeah there was just one thing I didn't enjoy." he said putting his phone in his pocket.
I continued looking at him with with my eyebrows inward.
"what?"
"You." He said with an asshole look on his face. "I'm sorry, what?" I said confused but slightly irritated. "You heard me. I get that your Jasmine's best friend..." he said stepping towards me with his hands in his pockets. "But that doesn't mean you can be around her whenever the fuck you want, or get protective over her. She's with me now so your friend ship is going to be a little different now." He said.
What the fuck was this guy saying and who does he think he is?!
"What the hell?" I said calmly but slightly irritated. "I know you don't like me and that's okay because I don't like you either. But you're going to stay out of our way."
"What the hell are you saying, is that a threat?" I said not believing this guy. "It might have to be."
"You're an ass wait ti'll Jasmine hears this." I said about to march in the house and tell her that her new boy friend is secretly an asshole. "You don't wanna do that pal." He said aggressively stopping me by shoving me back by my shoulder. I was so close to punching him but I didn't want to do that here or now. "She won't believe you about anything because you have no proof of what happenend. If you say anything bad about me she'll just be upset with you and you'll look like an ass."
"Really I will?" I challenged.
"Yeah you'll look bad saying something about this after a nice dinner, she'll be upset with you, and they won't believe you cause you have no proof of this. So it's a loose loose for you. So as long as you keep your mouth shut about this then we'll have no trouble."
Shit he was right. There's no way to tell her with out being any of those things. But I could tell Frankie.
"We already have trouble and it's you!" I was really pissed now.
"Yeah so if you don't want anymore, shut the fuck up." He grabbed the collar of my jean jacket. I wanted to fight him but I didn't have the balls and he could make something up about me. Or could he?
I grabbed his wrists shoving him away from me in anger. I thought he'd come at me again but instead he got in his car and pulled out of the drive way.
"If you say shit about me they won't believe you either!" I shouted.
"We'll see about that." He said before driving away.