by Lucy Henson
Disclaimer: I don't own any of them.
This is a response to the challenge: Write an 'almost getting together' moment for Chandler and Monica, has to be before Friends.
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"Hey, you know I'm not gay!" Chandler protested, glaring at his best friend Monica. He was almost cross with her – but only almost. He would never really be cross with her; they were the best of friends.
"Okay, then, um..." Monica paused, her mind racing. They were playing truth or dare, best friends, drinking whiskey and chatting.
"C'mon, Monica, you gave me my question, it's my turn," Chandler replied. "Truth or dare?" He was twenty-two, she twenty, and they had been friends for almost a year, meeting when Chandler had taken the apartment across from Monica's.
"'Kay," Monica said, frowning. "Truth. Nothing too bad, though, please?" She could tell the mischievous sparkle in Chandler's eyes. She took a gulp of the whiskey, just in case.
Chandler thought for a moment. "Um, did you ever have a crush on me?" he asked eventually.
Monica blushed wildly.
"C'mon, I'm waiting," Chandler teased her. "Answer me, Monica... or else you'll have to forfeit." He smiled. "And you know what the forfeit is, right?" He knew she knew. The forfeit was to go out onto the balcony and sing "Any Dream Will Do" for the whole city to hear. And Monica would never do that – she hated singing in front of people.
Monica sighed. "Okay, yes, I had a teeny-weeny crush on you when I first saw you, that Thanksgiving." She avoided his eyes. "I thought you were really cute." She looked at her feet, going redder than ever. "Um, you were my first crush, actually. You were the reason I lost all that weight."
Chandler stared. He never thought the answer would be yes. He'd thought her answer was "no", and she just didn't want to hurt him. "Oh my God," he eventually managed to blurt out.
"You didn't KNOW?" Monica questioned. "I-I was certain you knew."
"I never thought it for a moment," was the reply.
Monica went redder than ever. "I never would have said if I thought you didn’t know."
"I’m glad you did," Chandler replied.
"Why?"
"Makes me feel good about myself," he quipped. It did as well. Chandler had a very low opinion of himself, and to know that Monica – a beautiful woman, in his opinion at least – had had a crush on him made him feel good.
"Glad I could be of service," Monica said. She gave a half-smile. "Y’know, you are slightly cute."
"Only slightly?"
She laughed. "Well, you’re my best friend, I mean, I couldn’t tell you that I found you attractive, could I?" Her tone implied that she wanted to.
"I think you just did," he whispered, looking deep into her eyes.
She looked back. They inched closer and closer to one another.
Their minds and hearts racing, their lips just moments away, the two people weren’t sure about this at all. Were they ready to cross the line from friends to lovers?
Not sure? Then why did they have their arms around each other, why were they ever so nearly kissing on the sofa? Why were they each wearing small smiles, each happily anticipating the moment their lips would touch with those of their best friend, their long-time crush?
The instant the lips touched, it was like fireworks, like flames, wonderful, unbelievable—
But broken almost as soon as it began. The telephone’s loud ringing startled the two kissing people. They broke away, and Monica reached for the phone, glaring at it all the time.
Chandler sighed, watching Monica move away from him. He knew the time had passed. Just one kiss, that was all he had wanted. Why did the phone have to ring now?
Monica only half-listened to the apologetic man on the other end of the phone, talking about a wrong number. She had only wanted to kiss him. Was it a sign?
She put the phone down, and turned to Chandler. "Wrong number." He nodded. "So, um, truth or dare?"