---
**[Monica's Apartment]**
We were sitting together in the living room, eating Chinese takeout and talking about different things, while Monica tried to interrogate me about my dating life. Just then, Joey entered, walking in with full swagger, greeting everybody.
"Hey guys, do you think I have a chance with Janine?" he asked the group.
Though I gotta say, for an actor, he is not good at acting.
"Ah honey, we've been through this before," Monica said, and Rachel continued, "Yeah, don't do that to yourself."
This made Phoebe join in, saying, "Yeah, she made it pretty clear that nothing is going to happen."
"Well, I guess I shouldn't get excited about the fact that I just kissed her," Joey said excitedly.
"Are you serious?" "Really?" "This is great!" Monica, Rachel, and Chandler said at the same time.
"Yeah, well… we'll see," Phoebe said, seemingly more upset about being wrong than happy for Joey.
"You kissed her?!!" Ross asked, as if to confirm he wasn't just hearing things. I mean, really—he didn't have a chance with her, not with how awkward he is around her.
"Pffft," I tried to suppress a small laugh after seeing his reaction, which did not go unnoticed by him.
"Oh, oh, we kissed it up real nice," Joey replied, clearly oblivious to Ross's mood.
"So you kissed her? What happened after that?" Chandler asked.
"Let me guess, you came here to tell us, leaving behind the girl you were kissing," I said, knowing that my guess was probably right.
"Yeah," Joey said with a silly smile before he stilled for a second, eyes widening, turned around, and started running back to his apartment.
"Well, that happened. Anyway, Monica, can you do me a favor and supervise the cleaning service I hired to clean my apartment tomorrow?" I asked.
"And you can't do it yourself why?" Ross tried to butt in on our conversation.
"Because, unlike you, I am actually busy. I have two back-to-back surgeries lined up first thing in the morning," I answered, sounding more smug than excited.
"Ugh, enough you two! We get it, you don't like each other. That doesn't mean I like hearing you bickering like teenage girls," Rachel said.
"Okay, I will do it, but only if you tell me why you keep finding things to annoy Ross," Monica said.
"Ah, then don't worry about it. I'll just ask Jessica to send someone instead."
"Owww, come on, you know you're gonna tell her eventually, right?" Rachel and Phoebe said together.
"Fine, but I don't want any hugging after I tell you. Deal?" I told them.
"Deal!" everyone said. Even Ross seemed interested.
"Well, it started after my parents died and I came with Nana to live with you while she got everything sorted out. Remember?
Well, on the day of the funeral, while everyone was either paying their respects, eating, or doing their own thing,
Ross kept nagging Aunt Judy and Uncle Jack to take us back home because, and I quote, 'the funeral was boring.'
He kept telling Aunt Judy that he had to practice his keyboard skills or watch some nonsense program about dinosaurs the entire time—all that while sitting next to me.
So I guess he's just etched in my mind as an insensitive, spoiled jerk who doesn't care about anything but his hobbies," I answered honestly.
"Oh, oh, I remember that! Yeah, he was being extra whiny that day, and I remember clearly because that was the first time I sat on him until he cried in public," Monica said while snapping her fingers and flailing her hands as if she was physically pulling the memory from her head.
"Yeah, and that's how I learned that seeing him in pain and crying brings me happiness, and also why you're my favorite," I said with a smile.
"Is it just me or did he look creepy just now?" Chandler asked Rachel in a not-so-hushed voice.
"Wait a minute, that's it? That's the reason? I was a kid back then" Ross said, trying to justify himself.
'Still, saying 'that's it' after hearing that confirms that I am right and I am not being childish about this at all," I thought while looking at him.
"No, you were not! He was the kid; you were 18," Monica said, glaring at him.
"You're my favorite for a reason," I thought.
"Anyway, let's change the subject. You are going to supervise the cleaning service tomorrow, right?" I asked her, trying to steer her from continuing this pointless discussion.
*Sigh,* "Yeah, sure," Monica said after a small sigh, as she could tell Daniel didn't want to continue this discussion.
"I still can't figure out how you landed that apartment. I thought it was the landlord's," Chandler said.
"Dude, I am the landlord," I answered him.
"Yeah, right," Ross and Chandler said together.
I looked at them and just shrugged. If they don't want to believe it, they don't have to…
--- a few days later
**[Coffee House]**
We were sitting together in our usual spot. They were talking, and I was eating bagels, donuts, and cupcakes, stuffing myself with sweets to avoid thinking about the patient I lost today and because I hadn't eaten all day.
"Dan, slow down! You're gonna choke if you continue like this," Monica—the voice of reason—told me.
"I haven't eaten anything all day, and to top it all off, I lost a patient today. I mean, everything was done perfectly and on record time, but she just didn't wake up, no matter what I tried," I told her before stuffing my mouth with a donut.
"Ooh, I am so sorry sweetie. Do you want me to prepare food for you? We can go up now and do it if you want."
"That would be nice, yeah. Just wait a second and let me have the rest of these packed in a to-go box," I said while taking the plates and carrying them to the counter where Gunther would take care of the rest.
Just then, Joey entered. He looked a little bit bummed out about his relationship with Janine ending.
I wanted to be supportive, but the story was funny. I wasn't there to witness it myself because I was busy most of the time, but from what Monica told me, I found it amusing.
They had gone on double dates, but Janine didn't like Monica and Chandler….Joey didn't like that.
They tried again but it's still the same results,
They tried civil about it but ended up with Monica running Janine out of the building while trying to beat her with a trash bag.
And I guess today is the day she moves out.
"Hey Joey, I know what will cheer you up! I'm going up with Dan to make him some food. Do you want to come? Daniel even has dessert," Monica said to him after hearing that Janine had moved out.
"Yeah, that sounds nice. Food always cheers me up," Joey said while I just stood there looking at Monica with suspicion.
'Why is she being generous with my sweets?'
---
**[Monica's Apartment]**
Sitting at the kitchen table, Joey and I were eating our dessert after we inhaled the food Monica made for us, which, by the way, was just pasta. She didn't cook anything else; she just reheated leftovers, made sandwiches, and served them with the pasta.
Still, I can't complain; the food was good.
Anyway, it was just Joey and me trying his new idea for dessert, which was a scoop of strawberry ice cream and a scoop of chocolate ice cream mixed together with some nuts and then smeared on the donuts, which I gotta say tasted great.
"Ring! Ring!" The phone rang, and Monica answered it.
"Hello? Oh hey, Jessica…. Yeah, he's here… He's still eating his dessert. Is it urgent? … Really? … That does sound like him. How about we do it together? How does the day after tomorrow sound? Okay, see you then."
She put down the phone and then looked at me.
"That was Jessica. She said your interior designer quit today because, and I quote, 'she couldn't handle your outrageous requests.' Now, she and I are going out the day after tomorrow to pick out your furniture and do it instead," Monica told me.
"She also said you're paying for our shopping too"
I just made a dismissive hand motion and continued savoring my dessert….
-————-
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