♡

THE ONE WITH A REGRETFUL NIGHT.
EPISODE FIFTEEN

♡

Monica was frantic about the number of books in the apartment. With the books printing rapidly, Zara had been sent numerous boxes to sign copies, so now there were stacks of books around them.

"Zara, I love you, and I'm so proud of you, but when am I getting my apartment back?" Monica questioned.

Signing another book, Zara handed it to Joey to add to the newest growing stack. "Once I'm finished, I guess. These are just exclusive versions for shops."

Already, Zara's hand ached, but she was determined to get them done. There was already talk about her book brewing; posters were being put up in shops and preorders were now available. It was all getting real and Zara felt sick — a good, giddy kind of sick.

"Hey, how much you give me to eat this whole jar of olives?" Joey questioned from the fridge, where he was rummaging through the contents, clearly bored with helping Zara now.

"I won't give you anything," Monica told him. "But you'll owe me $2.95."

"Done," Joey decided, grinning brightly.

"You were stacking my books," Zara reminded him.

"I can do both," Joey suggested.

"No," said Zara. "You're not spilling anything on my books."

"Hey," Phoebe hurried in to greet them. "I need an atlas! I need an atlas!"

"Why?" Monica questioned. "Do you have a report due?"

"I have a date with this diplomat I met while I was giving free massages outside the U.N and I don't know where his country is."

"Okay," said Monica. "Let's start with the free massages at the U.N."

"Oh, it's my new thing," Phoebe announced. "I figure bodies at peace make peace."

"Wow," Monica said. "You might just get the first Nobel prize in rubbing."

"Phoebe, you shouldn't be doing that for free," Zara told her.

"So, what country is this guy from?" Monica asked.

"Um, Inchnech...traian...istan. There's a G in there."

"I've never heard of that before," Zara said.

"Where's that?" Monica questioned.

"In your atlas," Phoebe answered.

"I don't have an atlas," Monica told her.

"Zara," Phoebe's eyes fell on her. "You must have an atlas."

"It's at school," Zara said. "Sorry, Pheebs."

"Oh, well, wait," said Monica. "I do have a globe."

As Monica disappeared, Joey spoke up: "so, Pheebs, what's this guy like?"

"Um, well, he's very dashing, you know?" Phoebe came over to tell them. "And, um, very, very sophisticated. And he doesn't speak any English, but according to his translator, he totally gets me."

"Thank God the translator was there for you both to meet then," Zara said.

"Okay, here you go," said Monica, returning with a small globe.

"What is this?" Phoebe questioned, holding it.

"It's a globe..." Monica told her. "And a pencil sharpener."

Phoebe brought the globe close to her eye, trying to find the country where her date was from.

"Hey," Chandler came in to join them. "Anybody need anything copied? I'm going to the Xerox place?"

"Oh, no thanks," Monica told him.

"Perhaps a few more books," Zara suggested.

"Oh, is a hundred not enough?" Chandler questioned. "Soon, we won't be able to see you through all the books."

"No more books," Monica decided.

"I guess I'll have to settle with what I have," Zara told Chandler.

Though, as her eyes scanned around the apartment, she was certain that there were more than a hundred books. While Zara wanted to count, she also didn't want to risk giving Monica a heart attack.

"Okay, listen," said Chandler. "Give me anything I can make two of."

"Well, if you don't have anything to copy, why are you going down there?" Monica asked him.

"Yeah, are you just going to gawk at that hot girl with the belly button ring again?" Joey questioned.

"Yeah," Chandler said. "Do you want to come?"

Joey thought about it for a second. "Yeah."

"What? What hot girl?" Zara demanded.

"The one Joey just said," Chandler replied. "You want to come?"

"No, thanks," Zara forced herself to remain calm. "I have all these books to sign, so have fun." Though, as the two left, Zara mumbled: "stupid hot girl."

"You're so jealous," Phoebe pointed out with a laugh.

"I'm not," Zara insisted, refusing to look at Monica, who was quiet on the subject. "Why would I care that they're both going to go see some hot girl?"

"Because it's not you," Phoebe teased. "You want them both gawking over you."

"No," Zara forced the word out.

"Keep signing," Monica reminded her. "These books have got to go."

But Zara knew what Monica was doing; Zara had made her choice, choosing to focus on her book being published, then her conflicted heart. So, Zara picked up another book to sign, but still silently cursed the hot girl.

♡

"All right, rock on?" Zara repeated, unable to stop laughing as she sat in the coffee house with both Chandler and Joey. "You really said that?"

"I know, I know," said Chandler. "Can I be any more embarrassing?"

"You know, it's more embarrassing for me," Zara told him. "I dated you."

Chandler frowned at that as Joey laughed.

"Anyway," Chandler decided to move on. "Joe, maybe we should get going. I mean, what time did Chloe say we should get there?"

"Uh, 10:30," Joey confirmed, having stood with Chandler.

Zara raised her eyebrows at their eagerness.

"What time is it now?" Chandler asked.

"4:30," Zara told them. "So you guys are stuck with my company."

"Yeah, all right, so we'll hang out," Chandler said.

Of course, Zara needed to head back up to the apartment to finish of signing the books, but she was very amused at where the night was heading for the two. But, knowing Zara, it would likely end in bitter jealousy.

"Hey, remember when she brought up that thing about — you know, the three of us?"

Looking up from her laptop again, Zara's eyes were on Joey.

"Yes," Chandler answered. "Vividly."

"She was kidding about that, right?" Joey questioned.

"Yeah, I think so," Chandler replied.

Zara couldn't help but stir things. "Are you sure?"

The two were silent, lost in their fantasies.

"Yeah, I think so," repeated Chandler, though it lacked the confidence.

"God, it would be weird if that situation presented itself tonight, huh?" Joey said with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh, yeah," Chandler agreed. "Yeah, I mean, uh... what–what would we do?"

Zara's eyes darted between the two with her laptop completely forgotten.

Joey shrugged. "Dude, I don't know."

"She was kidding," Chandler guessed.

"Yeah...she was."

"I never joke about things like that," Zara commented.

The two looked at Zara, lost for words again. Zara was not suggesting it, but she was certainly enjoying seeing them both flustered and spiralling for the night. Maybe, if Zara kept nudging them, it would ruin their chances with Chloe.

"You know what, just in case," Chandler suggested to Joey. "Maybe we should come up with a set of ground rules."

"Yeah, for sure," Joey agreed as the two sat up with the conversation becoming more serious. "Okay, probably want the first one to be: never open your eyes."

That caused Zara's eyebrow to rise, having not heard that rule before.

Chandler clicked his fingers, liking the rule.

"You know?" Joey continued. "Because you don't want to be doing something and then look up, right?"

"Where you looking up from, Joe?" Zara asked, unable to hide her smirk as she shot Chandler a wink, seeing his face pale.

"I meant seeing something you don't want to be seeing, you know?" Joey corrected, not wanting to even think about what Zara was suggesting.

"Yeah, good call," said Chandler. "Nice... hold it! Hold it! What if my eyes are closed and... and my hand is out there..."

"Ah!" Joey realised as Zara started to laugh. "Okay, eyes open at all times!"

"That's worse than what I suggested?" Zara challenged.

"You're not a part of this," Joey told Zara, clearly starting to panic. "So, please, stop adding suggestions," then his eyes widened at his mistake. "Or suggesting things that won't be happening!"

Zara simply smiled to herself, knowing she had gotten under his skin. "Oh, I guess I won't share any tips from my experiences for you both then."

"Like... what?" Chandler asked, tripping over his words.

"Nope," said Zara, returning to her laptop. "Joey told me to stop adding suggestions."

"B-But—"

"Maybe call Janice, Chandler," Zara suggested.

Though even that was enough to leave Zara pale. At the reminder of that forgetful night (thank God), the three were silent: two trying to block out a night they couldn't remember; the other, caught up on what advice Zara could give on the topic.

"Oh, hey," said Joey after a moment. "How do we decide where we, you know, each would you know...be?"

"Right, right," Chandler realised what Joey was trying to say. "Well, I, uh, we could flip for it."

"Yeah, I guess, but, like, what's heads and what's tails?" Joey questioned.

"Well, if you don't know that then I don't want to do this with you," Chandler decided.

"You're both hopeless," Zara told them. "Maybe — if it even happens — you let Chloe lead and let her decide what she wants?"

"Huh," the two said.

"You know what," Zara decided. "I'm coming tonight, but I won't be crashing your date. You can both have fun doing whatever you plan to do, but I'm gonna find my own fun."

Maybe it was the best way for Zara to move on.

Or the biggest mistake Zara could make.

♡

Zara had officially lost the plot and she no longer had Monica to keep her sane. With literally everyone out on dates, what else was Zara supposed to do? Stay home and sign books all night while two guys she had feelings for chased another woman? No way.

So, Zara found herself in a bar in the centre, wearing her heeled leather boots to match with the black and red she was wearing. It was enough to leave the two guys silent, eyes glued to Zara, unable to even form a thought, let alone even a word.

Chloe was, in fact hot, and Zara couldn't hate her.

"How'd the two of you have a friend like this?" Chloe questioned.

Zara laughed at that, knowing Chloe was completely oblivious (like the three were too) to the situation of their friendship. Still, though, Zara kept to her promise: she let the three get on with it as she occupied herself at the bar.

A man sat down next to Zara. "So, which one's your boyfriend?"

"Who?" Zara questioned, turning her head to face the stranger.

The man was handsome — the dark, dashing kind with bright blue eyes and stubble on his chin. Zara sipped at her drink, struggling to resist the urge to look at her friends.

"The two you came in with," said the man. "They left you alone at the bar."

"Neither of them are my boyfriend," Zara told him. "And they know I can look after myself."

"If they're your friends, then why are you sitting alone?"

"Because they're both trying with that girl," Zara explained. "Plus I was hoping to meet someone myself tonight anyway."

The man smiled. "Can I buy you a drink then?"

Zara accepted the offer, knowing it was an easy start as she introduced herself, hoping to keep things going in a positive direction. As Zara enjoyed the company — enjoyed the flirting — she looked over, capturing Joey's stony gaze.

Chandler was talking to Chloe, but Joey had spotted the two, where he now watched with a mixed expression. There was a hint of jealousy, but more than anything, Joey was gutted, though he didn't seem surprised.

Offering him a smile that one would give a friend, Zara returned her attention back to the man that was trying to flirt.

At least, until Ross came in, looking glum with Zara surprised. Tonight was the big anniversary date between Ross and Rachel, so there should be no reason why Ross should be here. Excusing herself, Zara hurried over to the group.

"Oh, hi, Ross," Chloe greeted their friend.

"Hi, Chloe," Ross mumbled.

"I want you to meet some friends of mine," Chloe introduced with the three just staring at Ross, confused as to why he was there. But, going along with it, the three shook Ross's hand, pretending to just meet him. "This guy's my hero."

"No way," said Zara, even more confused. "How?"

"He comes in with some stuff, wants it blown up 400%," Chloe explained. "We say: 'we don't do that'. He says: 'you got to'. And you know what? We did it. And now any time anybody wants 400, we just say: 'lets Ross it.'"

"Wow," Zara summarised.

"And that's the only colour that comes in," Chandler added, clearly bored.

"Yo, Chloe, do you have a quarter for the condom machine?"

Chloe disappeared with a groan as Chandler seemed relieved for her to be gone.

"So, you guys are clearly having fun," Zara pointed out before her eyes snapped to Ross. "You should not be here."

"What are you doing here?" Chandler asked as Ross walked towards the bar. "I thought tonight was your big anniversary dinner?"

"Yeah," Ross agreed. "A little change of plans: uh, we're going to break up instead."

That caused the three to look at each other, having not expected that in the slightest.

♡

While the guys spoke to Ross, Zara was quick to find a pay phone to call Rachel. Monica and Phoebe were both out on dates, so Zara didn't want Rachel home alone.

"No," said Rachel. "Don't come home."

"Rach, I'll come home," Zara insisted.

"No," Rachel repeated herself. "Please, just have fun, okay? I don't want to ruin your night."

"It wouldn't be ruining my night," Zara reassured her.

"I think I just need to be alone right now," Rachel decided.

"Oh, okay," Zara gave in, knowing she could be the same when she was upset. "Monica should be home soon anyway."

The conversation came to an end as Zara looked over at the three at the bar, terrified that this was going to ruin their group. Zara found the man she had been flirting with on the dance floor on the way back as he brought her another drink before asking her to dance.

Seeing that the guys were still talking, Zara had accepted the offer and she smiled brightly, falling into the trap of a distraction. The night reminded her of her early twenties — when Zara had drank, danced, and flirted with New York, filling up that lonely void.

However, at the bar, the two guys now sat alone as Ross had vanished to call Rachel.

"Hey, Chandler?" Joey questioned.

Forcing his eyes away from Zara, Chandler's attention fell on his friend. "Yeah?"

"How do you do it?" Joey asked.

"Do what?" Chandler questioned.

Joey's eyes drifted to Zara, who was dancing with another man. There was a bright smile on her face, the beer bottle in her hand, and Joey wasn't sure how many she had. "Sit here and watch your ex-girlfriend flirt with another man?"

"Oh, Zara?" Chandler realised, but he knew Joey had caught him watching her. "I don't know, I guess I just get on with it. A bit of pain is better than not having Zara at all, I suppose." Then he took a swig of his drink, finding it hard. "Plus, Zara's always been out of my league anyway, and I've always been hopelessly tragic at this. So this? Not surprising at all and I can't really blame them for wanting her, can I? Zara's hot — unbelievably hot."

"Hotter than Chloe," Joey decided. "That's for sure."

"Do you think that's why it didn't work out with Chloe?" Chandler questioned.

"Because of Zara?" Joey guessed. "I guess so, but you're getting over Zara, right?"

"Right," confirmed Chandler. "I mean, I dated Janice, and Zara and I are friends now, so that means I'm over Zara."

Maybe the alcohol made Joey immune to the undertones of the words. For Joey, he was fighting feelings that had suddenly sparked to life for Zara, but Chandler was failing to bury the feelings of love for her again. So, the two sipped at their drinks, completely oblivious to each other.

Spotting them both sulking, Zara felt bad for them, knowing this wasn't how their night was supposed to be. Ignoring the guy she was dancing with, Zara headed over to them.

"You guys look so bored," Zara told them.

"A bit," said Chandler. "But you're having fun."

"Come on," Zara encouraged. "Do some shots and I'll show you my favourite bar."

"Oh, another bar?" Chandler questioned. "I do believe it's bedtime."

"One more bar," Zara begged, tugging at his hand. "Please."

"Fine," Joey gave in. "But you've got to do an extra shot."

Zara grinned at that. "Deal."

♡

However, the next morning, Zara felt her head pounding from the glimpse of daylight coming into her bedroom before she had even opened her eyes. Groaning, Zara rubbed at her eyes before opening them, relieved that she was in her own bedroom.

Someone snored next to Zara as she felt the air leave her lungs. Clutching the covers close to her, Zara knew she was naked, but she was too afraid to see what drunken mistake she had made.

Very slowly, Zara looked towards her left, finding Joey sleeping next to her.

Under her breath, Zara cursed.

Even with the hangover lingering, Zara recalled the previous night. In the second bar, the three had gotten drunk before stumbling home, helping carry Chandler to his bed.

And then, after, Zara had plans of returning to her own bed.

"Let me walk you home."

"I live opposite you."

"I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't walk you home."

"Joey, I can walk home."

"Yeah, and I care about you."

Zara remembered looking at him, seeing his eyes widen with an indication that those words had a deeper meaning. Not thinking straight, Zara had been the one to kiss him, giving in to the bubble of emotions that had suddenly decided to explode in her.

"Zara," Joey had pulled away. "Chan—"

But, with the alcohol making it harder to stop, their minds failed to work as they gave in. They had crossed the line, so they might as well carry on, and face the consequences sober.

Zara always got what she wanted.

And that night it was Joey, who was now sharing her bed.

"Oh my God," whispered Zara.

Joey opened his eyes, scrambling in panic as he realised he was in bed with Zara. The hysteria grew, resulting in the two quickly getting out of bed and finding their clothes. For Zara, she was quick to grab her dressing gown, finally able to breathe again now that she wasn't naked.

"Zara—"

"This was a mistake" Zara's voice was quiet — urgent. "This shouldn't have happened."

"Oh," Joey forced himself to nod his head, averting his eyes from Zara. "Right, we were both drunk."

"Completely drunk," Zara panicked. "It didn't mean anything. No one has to know, right?"

Joey seemed to sink, forcing himself to accept what Zara was telling him. "Right," said Joey again. "Like you said: it was a mistake."

A mistake no one needed to find out about.

Quickly, Zara was ushering Joey out of her apartment before anyone discovered him. Fortunately, someone was in the shower, and Zara hoped the other was still asleep in their room.

There was nothing neither needed to say, like their almost kiss, it wouldn't be spoken about.

So, when the door closed, Zara let out a long breath.

It was just a mistake.

"Who was that?" Monica questioned.

Zara froze, eyes wide as she spotted Monica with her arms folded across her chest.

"No one," said Zara.

"Zara Ellison," Monica said. "Who was that?"

And Zara simply smiled, hoping it was enough to cover up her mistake.

♡

EPISODE SIXTEEN.

♡

Properly dressed, Zara was sitting at the dining table with her head in her hands. Already her head was pounding and she didn't need Monica to lecture her.

"What happened to no friends?" Monica questioned.

"I guess drunk me forgot," Zara said.

"And Chandler?" Monica pushed further, bringing out her blender to make them both a smoothie, thinking it'll help Zara's hangover. "How'd you think he'll react to this?"

"Mon, Chandler doesn't need to know," Zara decided. "This was just a foolish, drunken mistake that no one else needs to know about."

"Why did you even go with them in the first place?" Monica asked.

"I don't know," said Zara. "I guess I was kind of jealous over Chloe and everyone was out, so I didn't want to be alone." Then, she sighed, peeking at her friend through her fingers, hoping to see a glimpse of a happier Monica, but her friend looked as disappointed as Zara felt. "I tried finding someone new — a distraction like you suggested."

"Well, that distraction certainly worked," Monica said before her face softened. "Zara, I don't want to see the three of you hurt."

"I don't either," Zara confessed, finally dropping her hands as she felt heavy with sadness, knowing that Joey was already hurt. "I won't make the mistake again."

Monica looked as if she had more to say, but then Rachel was coming out of the bathroom, wrapped up in her dressing gown with a towel on her head. All conversation about the situation was dropped as the two greeted their friend with Zara already sporting a supportive smile, knowing Rachel needed them.

"How was the big anniversary dinner?" Monica asked, still making their smoothie.

Zara's head darted back to Monica, shocked that she didn't know already.

"Well," said Rachel. "We never actually got to dinner."

Monica chuckled at that. "Whoa...nice."

"No, we kind of broke up instead."

"What?" Monica exclaimed, turning the blender on without the lid with the smoothie exploding around them.

"Oh my God, Monica," said Rachel. "It's on the ceiling."

"That's okay," Monica decided, trying to ignore the mess as Zara was already standing, quick to help clean it up. "This is more important than fruit...on my ceiling. You broke up?"

"Yeah, but it's okay," Rachel told them. "Because when Ross left, Mark came over."

"Mark came over?" Zara repeated, surprised at that.

"Oh, no!" Monica replied. "Rachel, you and Mark?"

"No, no, it's okay," Rachel reassured them. "Calm down. Mark and I talked and I realised how much I love your stupid brother and...yeah, we got our problems, but I really want to make it work."

Zara admired the bravery, knowing it was something she and Chandler had never been able to figure out how to do. Instead, all Zara was good at doing was ruining everything and giving everyone a reason to leave.

Trying, to get back on Monica's good side, Zara helped her friend clean up. Joey was never brought up again and Zara was very determined to keep him from her mind.

"Hey," Phoebe greeted them, coming into the apartment.

"Hey," Monica replied, not snitching on Zara.

"Hey, why are you moping the ceiling?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, there's banana on it," Monica explained.

"Wow, I have the spirit of an old Indian woman living in mine," Phoebe told them.

"That's nice," Zara replied.

"So then you know," said Monica.

Phoebe placed her box on the table as Zara kept her eyes on the ceiling, passing the spray to Monica occasionally. "The mailman was downstairs, so I bought up your mail."

"Oh, good, thanks," Monica replied.

"Was there anything about my books being picked up?" Zara questioned. "Or more being dropped off to sign?"

"No," Phoebe said.

Zara was supposed to be heading to the office next week to carry on signing, so perhaps she should ask before Monica lost her cool. The plan was for Zara to sign as many as possible — the more signed books to encourage preorders and then sales, the better.

"Now, what is fabutek?" Phoebe questioned.

"Okay..." said Monica, pulling down the mop from the ceiling. "All right, don't judge me too much, okay? But I saw this infomercial and I swear to you I've never, ever ought anything on TV before...except for this mop. But there was this stuff on leg waxing and it looked so amazing..."

"Waxine!" Phoebe guessed, getting excited.

"Yes!" Monica exclaimed. "Have you seen it?"

"Oh! It's incredible! I so want to be a Waxine girl!"

"I know!"

Zara was a little startled by their reaction but was too intrigued as Phoebe started opening the box.

"God...do you think it really doesn't hurt?" Phoebe questioned. "'Cause how can they do that?"

"Hello? Organic substances recently discovered in the depths of the rain forest?"

"They have the best stuff in there!"

"Can we test it?" Zara asked. "I'm really good at waxing."

"You're one of those who don't care about pain, aren't you?" Phoebe realised.

Zara simply smiled, knowing she was going to be waxing them.

♡

In Monica's bedroom, the three had set up the Waxine with Phoebe reading the instructions and Monica eagerly following every step. Zara sat on the end next to Phoebe, happily spreading the wax on her leg with a sheet in place.

"...And pull it off in one quick pain-free motion."

"Okay..."

Zara pulled hers away from her leg first, feeling the sting of pain, but she didn't scream as Monica did. The two watched her cry out, shaking her body in the hope to ditch the pain.

"Is it not pain-free?" Phoebe questioned.

Without giving Phoebe a chance, Zara pulled one of the strips from Phoebe's leg as she cried out from the shock. Worse than Monica, Phoebe repeated the word ow, having thought Monica was being dramatic.

"Zara, why would you do that?" Phoebe shouted.

"They gotta come off," Zara reminded them both. "Plus it's fun."

"Now aren't you glad we didn't start with bikini strips?" Monica exclaimed.

To quicken things up, Zara had finished waxing her legs before she helped both Monica and Phoebe. Zara was quick as she pulled the strips from their legs, resulting in the two crying out at the same time.

"It's not that bad," Zara told them. "Just relax, you're making it worse."

But they didn't stop screaming until the two guys came in with a saucepan and a kettle, yelling as loud as the two girls were. Avoiding his gaze, Zara stood up from the floor, relieved that the two were finally finished waxing.

"We're all right," Phoebe reassured the two. "It's okay, it's okay."

"We were just waxing our legs," Monica told them.

"Off?" Chandler demanded.

"They were being wimps about it," Zara added.

"For your information," said Phoebe, glaring at Zara. "This happens to be a pain like no man will ever experience. Zara's just crazy."

Zara grinned at that, meeting the gaze of the two guys before she remembered that this was the first time she had seen Joey since the shameful morning. While her smile didn't vanish, it did decrease, as Zara met his gaze, seeing the memory of the previous night — of hurting him not long ago.

"I don't think you can make that statement unless you've been kicked in an area that God only meant to be treated nicely," Chandler told them.

Breaking the hold of Zara's stare, Joey found himself joining the conversation again with Zara knowing he was trying to cover up how hurt he was. Even though Zara regretted the night, it still felt like a stab in her heart.

"I think women just have a lower threshold for pain than men, that's all," Joey said as the three women scoffed. "I mean, come on, it's just a little wax."

Zara picked up a wax stick, making sure to dip it into the wax before she spread it along Joey's arm. Then, she patted his arm with the white strip in place, looking up briefly to meet his gaze again with a smile on her face.

"Oh, that's mature," Chandler told her.

"There's plenty for you too, Chandler," Zara offered, knowing he wouldn't be brave enough to volunteer trying.

"Okay, fine," said Joey. "So, now what? I just pull it off?"

"You better be brave," Zara told him, hoping it was going to bring them back together as friends again with the whole previous night forgotten. "Pull it off, Joe."

Maybe it was Joey trying to show that he wasn't hurt by Zara, but he forced that typical Joey smile on his face before tearing the white strip from his arm, pulling the hair too. Joey made a funny whimpering sound, trying not to reveal the pain he was in.

"...Come on, talk to me, please!"

"I can't even look at you right now!"

As Zara's eyes were wide, Chandler did the right thing of closing the bedroom door.

"What?" Monica questioned.

"Nothing," said Chandler. "Nothing."

Zara folded her arms across her chest, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Rachel said everything was okay," Monica said, starting to worry.

"What are they talking about?" Phoebe asked.

"Chandler, you know," Zara accused.

Outside the room, Rachel and Ross started to argue with Monica and Phoebe being the two at the door, listening in. Zara's eyes darted between the two guys, knowing they knew, but whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Where...where did he put it?" Phoebe questioned.

"Oh my God," said Monica.

"Oh God," Phoebe responded too. "I knew something had to be wrong because my fingernails did not grow at all yesterday."

"What happened?" Zara asked.

"Well, I guess they had a fight," Chandler said. "And he got drunk...and he might have slept with Chloe."

Zara's eyes popped wide, not expecting that.

Monica gasped, slapping their heads. "You guys knew about this and you didn't tell us?"

"He had sex and we get hit on our heads," Chandler exclaimed.

Now, all five of them had found a way to have their ears pressed up at the door as the fight continued. It spiralled with Rachel demanding how Chloe was.

"Was she good?"

"Don't answer that," Joey advised.

Zara frowned down at the floor, starting to wonder if last night had been good for Joey (even if it had been a mistake). For Zara, she hadn't let herself delve into the memory of the night, but now her mind was tumbling back to under the covers with him.

Thinking about it left warm honey inside Zara, where everything was golden. The sex between them had been...

"Awful. Horrible," Joey listed.

"She was not good," Chandler added.

Looking at them both, Zara reminded herself that they were listening in on Ross and Rachel's relationship issues and not Zara's sex life.

"Nothing compared to you," Joey finished.

"She was different."

That caused the five to flinch, knowing that was the worst thing to say. And it resulted in Rachel hitting Ross with something that caused Zara to panic.

"That better not be my book!" Zara snapped quietly.

"Sh-should we do something?" Phoebe questioned.

"Yeah," said Chandler, moving away from the door. "Never cheat on Rachel."

It was awful as Zara knew what it was like to be cheated on, so even if Rachel was using her book to hit Ross, she found herself glad that it was a thick hardback. Something slammed against the door with it clearly not going well between the two.

"You know what?" Joey said. "I don't think we should listen to this anymore."

Monica stopped him from leaving. "What are you doing? We can't go out there!"

"Why not?" Joey asked. "I'm hungry."

"Because they'll know we've been listening," Monica explained.

"You know what?" Chandler said. "I think we can go out there. I mean, they have more important things to worry about."

"Yeah, we'll be fine," Joey decided.

"And then Chandler and Joey convinced me not to."

Those words caused the three to glare at the two, who were suddenly quiet from fear.

"Wax the door shut," Chandler suggested, handing the wax over to them. "We're never leaving, ever."

That meant they were trapped in the room, which was perhaps the worst day for it, as Zara tried avoiding Joey's lingering stare as much as possible. Zara was exhausted — emotionally and physically — but there was nothing she could do right now.

Perhaps this was her karma: locked in a room with her ex and his best friend, who she slept with last night.

"...Because it's...I mean, it's you."

"Aww," the five said.

The day had slipped by with the night appearing as they were now starving as well as tired.

"Oh, man," said Joey at the discovery that Rachel was ordering food. "Pizza. I like pizza."

"We know you like pizza," Zara said with a small smile, still not looking at him.

"Put olives on the pizza," Joey said.

As Zara looked up, Joey's hand shot away from his forehead as if he was doing some telepathic magic trick. Giving in, he eventually sank onto the bed, starting to sulk.

"We could eat the wax," Phoebe suggested. "It's organic."

"Oh great," said Chandler. "Food with hair on it."

"No, not the used wax..."

"Because that would be crazy?" Chandler replied.

They ended up on the bed anyway, licking at the wax with Zara deciding that she would rather starve to death. It was no surprise that Joey had found a way to like the wax with Zara watching him, more amused than anything.

"They're going to get through this, aren't they?" Phoebe questioned.

"Yeah, come on," said Chandler. "It's Ross and Rachel. They've got to."

"We didn't," Zara reminded him.

But was what they had like Ross and Rachel?

"I guess we were different," Chandler said.

Different in the worst way.

"What if they don't?" Monica questioned.

The question was left with silence, not liking the thought of it being officially over for the two. For Zara, it only reminded her of the lingering heartbreak that came with Chandler when they broke up: the recurring pain of seeing him every day, forcing herself to not act as if she was coming home to her best friend.

"You think I need a new walk?" Joey thought out loud, interrupting their silence.

"What?" Chandler questioned for them all.

"Well, you know," said Joey, sitting up again. "I've been walking the same way since high school. You know how some guys, they walk into a room, and everybody takes notice? I think I need a take-notice walk."

"Are you actually saying these words?" Chandler asked.

"It has to be the wax," Zara decided. "We're all going crazy."

They ended up back at the door again, listening in.

"I don't cheat. Right? That's not me. I'm not Joey."

"Whoa," Joey pulled away from the door.

Chandler shrugged at him, knowing Joey was the one to sleep around.

"Yeah, okay," Joey agreed.

"Hey, it's three in the morning," Monica realised. "They don't know that I've come home yet. You notice how neither one of them are wondering where I am?"

"Yeah, people could be so self-involved," Phoebe said.

Zara couldn't listen anymore as it was too heartbreaking — between them, it should have never ended like this. Hearing that it was the end between the two, the five pulled themselves away from the door, finding it too much.

"They've been quiet for a long time," Phoebe noticed after a while.

"Maybe she killed him," Joey said.

"Let's go," Chandler decided.

The five finally left the room to find Rachel asleep on the sofa. Everyone was silent with their goodbyes as Monica moved to place the blanket over Rachel while Zara saw their friends out to lock up the door for the night.

Joey was dramatic with his footsteps as he reached the front door.

"Is that your new walk?" Chandler asked him.

Joey shook his head. "No, I really have to pee."

Opening the door, Joey still let his friends leave first as he met Zara's gaze. There was nothing they could say, not with so many ears, but she caught his smile.

Seeing that, Zara knew their friendship wasn't ruined. Not everything was ruined because of Zara.

♡

Whoopsie, Zara's really in trouble now! I've literally been so excited to write this chapter and everything to follow!!