♡

THE ONE WHERE ZARA'S ONE OF THE GUYS.
EPISODE FOURTEEN.

♡

"Lobsters fall in love and mate for life."

Zara's eyebrows furrowed as she closed her bedroom door, spotting Phoebe, Ross, and Chandler in the living room. "Uh, what have I just walked in on?"

"You don't want to know," Ross told her.

"You should know!" Phoebe insisted as Zara walked towards the kitchen, opening the refrigerator for a drink. "You can actually see old lobster couples walking around their tank, you know, holding claws, like..."

Then, with her pinky fingers locking, Phoebe showed them what she meant. How they got to this point of the conversation, Zara was not sure, but she was curious to know why.

"Hey, you feeling better?" Chandler asked Monica as she walked out of the bathroom in her dressing gown and her hair wrapped up in a towel.

"Yeah, I think that fifth shower actually got the interview off me," Monica reassured them.

Chandler perched on the edge of the sofa with Phoebe and Ross moving closer to talk to Monica.

"So, do you have any other possibilities?" Phoebe questioned.

"Yeah, well, there is the possibility that I won't make rent," Monica said.

"If you want, I can lend you money," Ross offered.

"No, no, no," Monica told him. "'Cause if I couldn't pay you back right away, I'd feel guilty and tense every time I saw you."

"Oh, okay," said Ross. "Why not borrow it from mom and dad? You feel guilty and tense around them already. You might as well make some money off of them."

"You know, the man's got a point," Chandler added.

But Zara's eyes were on the golden band dangling from Chandler's wrist that fell to the floor. The heaviness of it caused the bracelet to land with a thud.

"What was that?" Zara questioned.

"Nothing," Chandler answered quickly.

"What is that sparkly thing?" Phoebe asked.

Ross was quick to pick it up with Zara moving closer, wanting to see for herself.

"That thing?" Chandler struggled to talk, pulling at his shirt. "That's a, uh... Yeah, it's... it's a little flashy."

"No, no, no, no," Ross said. "It's not flash, not for a goodfella."

Ross handed the bracelet back to Chandler, who didn't look happy about taking it back.

"Man, that is sharp," Monica continued the teasing. "That must have cost you quite a few doubloons."

"Oh, honey," Zara teased, unable to hide her matching grin. "You really have gone downhill without me."

Chandler frowned at Zara.

♡

It was late that night when Zara returned home, holding a few bags of shopping as well as her laptop bag. There was a smile on her face as she spotted that everyone but Rachel was home.

Monica noticed Zara first. "Hey, Zar. Good day?"

"Really good, thanks," Zara replied.

"What are you smiling about?" Phoebe questioned.

"Who'd you see?" Monica added, sensing something.

"No one," Zara told them, consciously aware of Chandler becoming curious about the conversation. "I just went into the centre to do some shopping and then I hid away in a different coffee house to write."

"Did you finish?" Ross asked.

"Not yet," Zara answered. "But I'm close."

There was a chorus of excitement from the friends — including Chandler, though Zara was too scared to see if the pride and pure joy for her writing had been broken like everything else. In her mind, she'd rather cling to the memories of him reading over her shoulder or even staying up later, willingly going through chapter drafts.

Zara disappeared to her bedroom quickly to drop off her stuff as she returned to find that everyone had started going through Monica's old things from when her parents had visited. Looking at the boxes, Zara wondered if there was anything from their college years.

Phoebe held up an old bathing suit.

"Hey, Mon, what is this?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, um, that was my bathing suit from high school," Monica explained. "I was a little bigger then."

"Oh, I thought that's what they used to cover Connecticut when it rains," Chandler joked.

"Hey, Monica, what's on this videotape?" Joey questioned, holding up a tape.

Zara gasped. "That's not our video, is it?"

"Uh, y-your video?" Chandler stuttered out.

"As in a sex tape," Joey whispered the word, barely able to say it with his excitement.

Zara laughed at them both.

"No, it's not," Monica told them. "I don't know what it is. Let's put it in."

Rachel came home with Ross at the counter, where the two locked eyes. While the two greeted each other, Monica had put on the tape with her parents appearing on screen.

"I see Rachel's coming up the path," said Judy. "Oh, doesn't she look pretty? Jack, can you get this?"

On the screen, the front door opened as Rachel appeared. There was a bright smile on her face — along with a very different nose — but her hair was curled at the ends, wearing a blue dress that came off the shoulders.

"Oh my god," said Rachel, horrified.

"What is with your nose?" Joey questioned, leaning forward.

"They had to reduce it because of my deviated septum," Rachel explained.

"Okay, I was wrong," said Chandler. "That's what they used to cover Connecticut."

"You know what this is?" Monica turned to Rachel, excited. "This is us getting ready for the prom."

"Oh," Rachel realised, hurrying over to sit with Monica.

"You know what, we don't have to watch this," Ross told them.

"Yeah, we do," everyone decided. "It'll be fun. Come on."

"Did you get a shot of Monica?" Phoebe questioned.

"Where's Monica?" Judy's voice appeared on the screen again.

"Over here, dad!"

The camera turned as it fell on Monica's body, zooming in too far on her red dress. Jack struggled to figure out how to zoom out before he worked it out, where Monica appeared on screen properly. The black of her hair was fanned out and the red dress had a little puff to her shoulders.

"Some girl ate Monica," Joey cried out.

"Shut up," said Monica. "The camera adds ten rounds."

"So, how many cameras are actually on you?" Chandler questioned.

Zara rolled her eyes at them, but her eyes were back on the screen, finding the interaction between teenage Rachel and Monica adorable. Even when Monica ended up spilling mayonnaise down Rachel, the two were sweet together.

"Everybody smile," Jack told them.

"Oh, dad," Monica complained, embarrassed like Rachel was. "Turn it off."

"It is off," Jack said.

"Dad, it is not. What's with the red light?"

"That's the off light. Right, Ross?"

The camera panned to the right to reveal a teenage Ross. Seeing him, Zara couldn't quite hide her laughter, but she wasn't the only one.

"Looking good, Mr Kotter," said Joey.

"You look really pretty tonight," Ross told Rachel.

"Oh, thanks," said Rachel. "So, what are you going to do this summer?"

"Well, you know, I'm going to hang out, work on my music."

"How did that work out for you, Ross?" Zara questioned, having never heard of him talk about his music before.

"I was young and experimenting," Ross decided.

"Is my hook undone?" Rachel asked, fussing with her dress. "These things keep falling down. I can't keep them up."

Zara's fingers touched her mouth to stop herself from laughing again. Ross gave his dad an awkward look while Jack lingered, watching as his son struggled to help. But, before he could get anywhere, Rachel had squealed, becoming distracted by their dates.

The screen cut to Ross on the stairs with a keyboard as he worked on his music. Zara had seen more talent in her Kindergarten classroom, but she wasn't going to tease Ross too much — already the younger teenage version was going through heartbreak.

"Oh my God," said Rachel. "There's Roy Gublick."

On the screen, a teenage boy was pinning a corsage to Monica's dress.

"You know, Roy saw Star Wars 317 times," Monica told them. "His name was in the paper."

Zara turned her head, exchanging a look with Chandler before the two realised, quickly diverting their eyes from each other.

"Where's Chip?" Rachel questioned on screen. "Why isn't he here yet?"

"He'll be here, okay," Roy told them, but it didn't sound reassuring. "Take a chill pill."

"Roy's a charmer," Zara commented.

Then, as Roy left, Monica turned to whisper something to Rachel.

"I just told Rachel that Roy touched my boob."

Zara smiled at that, knowing how massive that moment was as a teenager.

However, on the screen, not everything was going well. Rachel was upset as Chip didn't turn up, leaving Rachel with no date to prom. As Roy stormed off in anger because if Rachel wasn't going, then Monica wasn't going to go.

Judy was talking to Ross.

"I have a wonderful idea," Judy told Ross. "You should take Rachel to the prom."

Ross scoffed at that. "Doubtful."

"Jack, give me that. Talk to your son."

The camera was handed over with Jack appeared, where he crouched down before Ross.

"Your mother's right," Jack insisted. "Take her. You could wear my tux."

"She won't want to go with me," Ross said.

"Of course, she would. You're a college man."

"I don't know."

"Come on. Don't you want to find out?"

Judy turned the camera so that they could see what Ross was looking at. Of course, it was Rachel, who was crying about being stood up.

"I can't believe I don't get to go to my own prom. This is so harsh."

Again, the camera returned to Ross.

"Okay," Ross decided. "Hold my board."

"Attaboy."

Then, Ross was hurrying up the stairs, ready to become Rachel's knight in shining armour.

"Okay, you guys," said Ross now. "I think we've seen enough."

"No, no, no, no!" They all cried out.

"Fine," Ross told them, walking away. "I'm not going to watch, all right."

"Let's go," Jack said on screen again, capturing Zara's attention.

Zara smiled at the sight of Ross all done up in his dad's tux. 

"Are you handsome," Judt told her son.

"Let's show them."

"Just a sec, dad," then Ross turned briefly away from them as if to talk to himself. "Just be cool."

As Ross headed down the stairs, he paused to pick up flowers from a vase.

"Okay, dad."

"Rachel, ready or not, here comes your knight in shining... oh, no."

But there was a chorus of farewells as Monica and Rachel were rushing out of the house with their dates. Even Rachel now had a massive grin on her face with her hand finding Chip's.

And as the camera turned, Ross was watching, still holding onto the flowers.

"Oh, dear," said Judy. "Jack, how do I turn this damn thing off?"

There was a frantic end with the two parents quick to turn the camera off. However, the last they saw was Ross' devastation with his heart breaking.

"I can't believe you did that," Monica said.

Everyone turned to look at Ross, who was by the door, having likely been debating about fleeing. There was silence with everyone in shock.

"Yeah, well..."

Rachel stood as she walked over to him, completely overwhelmed by the realisation. Not saying anything, Rachel cupped Ross' cheeks as the two kissed. Zara smiled in joy as the two hugged, finally giving in to each other.

"See?" Phoebe said. "He's her lobster."

Zara turned with the intention to look at Phoebe, but she stole a glance at Chandler, hoping that it was hidden — Chandler, though, was already looking at her.

There was an achy feeling that was still just as painful as the day Zara had called it quits. Moving on didn't seem a possability, but Zara forced herself to look away, unable to let herself give in again.

♡

EPISODE FIFTEEN.

♡

Zara was at Chandler and Joey's, checking out their new TV and reclining chairs. Honestly, she was a little jealous, knowing that they couldn't have anything like this in their apartment.

"I can't believe two cows made the ultimate sacrifice so you guys could watch TV with your feet up," said Phoebe.

"They were chair-shaped cows," Chandler told her, never taking his eyes from the screen. "They never would have survived in the wild."

Phoebe grabbed Chandler's head in response.

"That screen is amazing," Ross decided, watching it close up. "Dick van Dyke is practically life-size."

Joking around, they all jumped back as Rose Marie came on screen.

"Rose Marie really belongs on a smaller screen, doesn't she?" Monica questioned.

"Hey, guys," Rachel came into the apartment to greet them.

There was a smile on her face as she greeted Ross with Zara looking away from the two, hating the pang of jealousy she felt. However, because they were blocking the screen, Chandler and Joey shooed them away.

Rachel and Ross spoke while the others continued to watch the screen. Then, it was Monica who stood up once Ross left, questioning Rachel about what was happening tonight. Wanting to get involved, Zara followed Rachel towards the kitchen since the guys had complained again.

"It's our first official date," Rachel confessed. "Our first date."

"Hello?" Monica questioned.

"Hi," Rachel replied.

"Tonight you're supposed to waitress for me," Monica reminded her as Rachel remembered, pulling a face as she groaned. "My catering thing? Any of those words trigger anything for you?"

"Oh God, oh god, Monica," said Rachel, putting her head in her hands. "I forgot. This is our first date."

"Yes, but my mom got me this job," Monica said.

"Zara!" Rachel realised. "You were a waitress once!"

"Yeah, but I was hoping to finish my book tonight..."

"You can do that tomorrow," Rachel said.

"I have a date," Zara told them quietly.

"With who?" All three questioned, loudly.

Zara sighed, knowing it wasn't something she couldn't keep secret from her ex-boyfriend. It wasn't like Zara even cared, she just found it harder to force herself to go on dates when Chandler was sulking or acting jealous.

"Just some guy," Zara answered. "But if you can't get anyone, Mon, then—"

"I can be a waitress!" Phoebe decided. "I can be a waitress!"

"Thank you, thank you," Rachel kept repeating, hands cupping Phoebe's head affectionately.

"Really, Pheebs?" Monica questioned. "Because you'd have to be an actual waitress. This can't be like your 'I can be a bear cub' thing."

"I can be a waitress," Phoebe reassured. "Okay, watch this." Then, as she stood up, her voice took on an accent, slipping into the role of a waitress. "Give me two number ones, 86 the bacon. One Adam and Eve on a raft and wreck 'em."

But, to finish, Phoebe had started to sing la-la repeatedly.

"There's your waitress," Zara told Monica.

That night, Zara was relieved to have some peace and quiet while she worked on wrapping up her first novel. The end still hadn't settled for Zara, but she was thrilled to be so close.

However, she didn't expect the buzzer to go. Leaving her bedroom, Zara answered the phone to find a delivery service on the other side, and she let him up. Opening the front door, Zara frowned as she was handed pizza boxes for the guys next door.

"Unbelievable," Zara muttered.

As she entered the guys apartment, she found the two still in their chairs, where she knew they hadn't moved since getting them.

"Is that the pizza?" Joey questioned, not looking away from the screen.

"You know, I could have gone out," Zara told the two.

"You said you were finishing your book," Joey said.

"Doesn't mean I'm available to cater for you both," Zara snapped. "And, you know what? You're lucky I even came over. I could have just enjoyed this all to myself."

"I ordered you a pizza," Chandler confessed.

"Oh," Zara replied. "Which one?"

"Your favourite," said Chandler.

Zara stared down at the boxes, feeling a little speechless.

"Can we have the pizzas now?" Joey asked.

"Fine," Zara decided. "But I want a go on the chair."

"No," they both instantly answered.

"Whoever lets me, gets first dibs on my first draft," Zara offered, putting the food on the kitchen counter.

Chandler was quick to stand from his chair, almost forgetting that it was reclined as he stumbled. Zara was a little smug as she smirked at him, knowing that he would be quick to offer it up — and Zara didn't even need to do much.

"Chandler!" Joey protested. "How could you!"

"It's...Zara," Chandler replied.

Zara smugness continued as she sunk down on the leather seat with her legs stretched out. On the large TV, the basketball game was playing, but Zara's head turned to see Joey scowling at her as if she had ruined their guy time.

"Aw, come on, Joey," Zara teased him, leaning over to ruffle his hair as he continued to frown. "You love me crashing guys' night."

"You can't stay," Chandler told her.

Zara froze at that, facing him. "Why not? It's Baywatch night. The timer is gonna go off any minute."

"But I want my chair back," Chandler protested.

"You can have your chair back," Zara reassured him, hoping that there wasn't any other reason to why she couldn't stay. Since the split, the three had stopped hanging out together like this — Zara missed it. "If you guys don't want me to stay, I'll go."

"'Course we do," Joey told her. "You're one of the guys, Zara. Just don't expect me to give up my chair for you. Chandler's let me down, but he's a lost cause."

"I'm not a lost cause," Chandler defended himself, sounding whiny.

"Do you want me to stay?" Zara asked him.

"You know I always want you to stay," Chandler told her, voice softening.

But Zara couldn't stay in the way he wanted her to.

In the end, Zara stayed to eat her pizza with them, but she was forced to return to the uncomfortable sette with Chandler back in his chair.

And, when Baywatch came on, Zara found that maybe they could return to the three being friends like this again.

♡

"Look at you," Zara grinned when she saw Monica.

Like Zara, Monica had a date now too tonight. Wearing a black dress, she had a happy smile on her face, excited for the night.

"I know," said Monica. "But, Zar, your date is not going to survive with you looking like that."

Zara had worn a silky maroon dress with her black leather jacket and had even splashed in some heeled boots. Maybe she was trying, but she wasn't sure who for yet.

"How are you feeling about it?" Monica asked.

"I don't know," said Zara, sitting down at the kitchen table. "I just know he's gonna end up being awful, but I'm still forcing myself to go. I think I've fallen back into the trap of dating narcissists again."

They were her usual type (look at Derek), but Zara had thought she was over that toxic phase of her life. But, everyone she dated, seemed to be too obsessed with themselves to even truly see Zara. All they saw was just someone beautiful and apparently delicately sweet simply because she was writing a kids book, which was not the case.

"Maybe because you choose them," Monica hinted, knowing what Zara's dating history was like, and how the last few dates had been too similar with her past. "You had one guy who wasn't."

Zara's lips tugged downwards as she looked down at her hands, spotting the mood ring that was still on her finger. The present was so cheap — so different from the jewlled necklaces and bracelets Derek had once brought her — but it had such a deeper meaning. When Zara had spoken to Chandler, he had always listened, and had seen her.

Monica sat down opposite Zara, resting her hand over Zara's. "Honey, are you sure you want to let Chandler go?"

"I don't know what I want," said Zara, finding the words quiet. "But, at least with these random dates, I know how they end."

No uncertainty. No heartbreak. No fear.

The buzzer went then with the sound echoing, alerting the two that food had been ordered again. Monica sighed as she stood up to answer it.

Together, the two headed into the guys apartment with the delivery, where they found everyone there, including Rachel and Ross, who were ready for their date.

"Stop sending food to our apartment," Monica told the two culprits.

The two were grinning with excitement as Monica handed the box of food to Chandler for them both to enjoy.

"Why are you all dressed up?" Ross questioned his sister.

"You're not the only one who has a big date tonight," Phoebe said with a grin.

"What?" Ross replied. "You have a date? Who with?"

"No one," Monica answered.

"Come on, what's his name?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, tell me," Ross insisted.

"All right," Monica decided. "But I'm very excited about this, okay? So you got to promise you won't get all big-brotherly and judgemental."

"Look, I promise," said Ross. "What?"

"It's Richard Burke," Monica told him.

"Who's Richard Burke?" Ross questioned before he remembered. "Doc...? Dr Burke? You have a date with Dr Burke? Why? Why? Why... should that bother me? I-I love that man. He's like a...a brother to dad."

"Well, for your information, he happens to be one of the brightest, most sophisticated, sexiest man I've ever been with," Monica confessed.

"Dr Burke is sexy?" Ross questioned.

"Oh God," said Rachel and Phoebe. "Absolutely."

"I wish he was my date tonight," Zara admitted.

Saved by the beeper, Ross became distracted with work as Monica took that chance to step away from her brother as she joined the three at the kitchen counter.

"You know, Dr Burke kissed me once," Rachel told them.

"When?" Monica questioned.

"When I was seven," explained Rachel. "I crashed my bike right in front of his house and to stop me from crying, he kissed me," then she pointed at her nose. "Right here."

"Oh, you are so lucky," Phoebe said.

"I know."

"Truly," Zara said, but sarcastically.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," said Ross while on the phone. "Australopitecus isn't supposed to be in that display. No. No. No. No. Homo habilis was erect. Australopitecus was never fully erect."

"Well, maybe he was nervous," Chandler said while eating his Chinese.

♡

Zara's date was abysmal — to the point that she had to excuse herself to the toilet to leave.

The man himself had been a walking dream: attractive with a devilish grin (the perfect face that promised just sex), but he was simply boring. Zara had fought the urge to not yawn as he spoke, where all her date could talk about was his collection of cars.

There was no motivation for Zara to make it through the night — she truly couldn't force it, no matter how hot her date was.

And Zara realised she was comparing her date to Chandler too.

So, now, Zara was heading back home alone, knowing she would likely end up in the pit of her own misery tonight. It was even worse when tonight was supposed to be a joyous night — one that should be spent with Zara out celebrating.

See, Zara had finished the first draft of her book, but she hadn't told anyone yet. Maybe once the book was printed, then Zara would feel finished, but right now, it just felt like she had completed another chapter.

Outside Chandler's apartment, Zara had lingered, fighting the urge to knock. It was late, but she could hear the low buzz of the TV, knowing the two were still up and watching.

Letting out a sigh, Zara knocked on the door.

After a moment, the door opened to Chandler, who looked confused.

"Zara," said Chandler, surprised. "Hey, you okay?"

Zara felt her tongue become thick, preventing her from speaking.

"Did your date not go well?" Chandler asked, filling the silence.

"It was really good," Zara lied.

Chandler pressed his lips together.

"Then why are you back early?" Joey shouted to her, not looking away from the screen. "Alone too."

"Thanks, Joey," Zara mumbled before she dared herself to look at Chandler again, hating (and loving) that he was still looking at her. "I was wondering if I could borrow your printer?"

"At this time of night?" Chandler questioned.

"I finished my book," Zara confessed.

"You finished?" Chandler repeated.

Zara nodded her head, realising now why she didn't feel the joy of the moment. Now, standing here, Zara realised she wanted Chandler to be the first to know — the one who had been there every step of the way, not doubting for a second that Zara couldn't do it. His confidence and encouragement in her had sparked them, but also her motivation, and now here they were, separated, but Zara was finished.

And maybe Chandler wasn't thinking straight either. Caught up in the moment, Chandler was grinning with a smile so wide, shouting about how Zara was finished as his arms wrapped around her. Hearing that Joey was cheering too, standing from his chair to celebrate.

The apartment door opened behind them, revealing Monica in her dressing gown. "What's all the shouting about?"

"Zara, tell Monica!" Joey encouraged. "Tell Monica!"

"I finished my book," Zara announced.

"And you didn't tell me?" Monica realised before she was wrapping her arms around Zara too. "Oh my God, this is amazing!"

"Joey, get the printer! Get the printer!" Chandler shouted.

Zara laughed. "You guys don't have to print it with me."

"No, we want to," Monica confessed. "I'll get Richard—"

"So, he stayed, huh?" Zara grinned.

Monica was smiling in her bliss. "Uh, yeah..."

"Go back to him then," Zara told her friend. "Seriously, Mon. It's gonna take hours for it to print out. You'll see it in the morning."

"You sure?" Monica questioned.

"Positive," Zara replied.

"Night then," said Monica. "But, Zar, I'm so proud of you."

Zara still had a smile on her face Monica headed back into the apartment. As her head turned to the guys, she spotted Joey holding the printer with a grin so wide, it was adorable. But, Zara's gaze caught Chandler's stare, seeing the warmth from his joy, but also the hidden emotions that neither would confess to.

"I knew you could do it," Chandler told her. "I still get first dibs, right?"

"Yeah, you were always going to get first dibs, Chandler," Zara promised him.

And that was enough to make Chandler's smile seem sweeter.

And Zara's heart pounded, knowing she loved him.

But she had to find a way to let him go.

♡

It's actually too cute😭 I've been dropping little hints about Joey and Zara. Has anyone noticed? Not saying when it'll start!