Her question answered itself when he went into his room and he silently closed the door. Rachel closed her own door and went back to her bed. She lay her head on her pillow. She recalled how devastated Chandler was when Linda told him the news. He looked so torn between crying and well uh not crying. This was the second devastating relationship he has had as of late. Rachel tried not to think about how sad Chandler must be. She eventually rolled over and went to sleep knowing full well she had to work in the morning.
Rachels eyes flew open but she could not see anything. It was almost as if someone was covering her eyes.
"Whats going on?" She asked.
"Shhh." She heard Ross's voice. "It's a surprise."
"What?"
"Shh." Ross took his hands off her eyes. The lights turned on.
"Surprise!" Everyone yelled. "Happy Birthday Rachel!"
"Oh my god!" Rachel placed her hands on her cheeks. "This is wonderful!"
"Happy birthday baby." Ross said kissing her on the lips.
"I love this surprise you have for me." Rachel said as Ross brought her into the main ballroom. She passed a mirror. She looked at herself.
"Oh my." She said. She was wearing clothes that would have been worn in the fifties. Rachel noted the particular ensemble would be worn at a sock hop.
"Whats wrong sweetie?" Ross said to her.
"Nothing. Just looking at myself."
"You are so beautiful tonight, no mirror could do you justice." Ross said taking her hand again. "Come on, lets boogie."
"Ok." Rachel smiled and followed Ross into the main ballroom.
As they entered they ballroom instantly turned into a malt shop. There were people standing at the counter with their malts and other assorted goodies. A voice rang out.
"Hey, it's Ross and Rachel, the coolest kids in school!" The voice was familiar, it came from Gunther who stood behind the counter with a big smile on his face.
"Everything is on the house tonight in honor of Rachels Sweet Sixteen!"
"Wow!" Rachel said. "All this just for me."
"I like this kissing thing." Rachel said to him. "Don't stop ok?"
"Yes, stop actually." Rachel heard. She turned and saw Chandler at the door.
"Chandler!" Rachel and Ross said.
Chandler smiled at the door. Rachel ran over and hugged him.
"We all thought you went to the war." Rachel said looking at him.
"I did. But now I'm back." Chandler said setting down his duffle bag.
"But Chandler I'm with Ross now." Rachel said.
Ross came up and put his arm around Rachels back. "Yeah, so I guess thats the breaks huh dude?"
"The only thing that kept me alive in the trenches of Normandy is the thought of coming back to your beautiful face." Chandler said. "I came to be with you. I guess now I have to fight to have you back." Chandler struck a weak looking fighting pose.
"Chandler..."
"Chandler I don't fight." Ross said. "I am a gentleman."
"Well neither do I." Chandler said.
"Tell you what." Ross said coming face to face with Chandler. "You still have your Studebaker?"
"What are you guys talking about?" Rachel asked.
"In primo condition."
"Chicken." Ross said. "We will meet on Montgomeries Cliff at nine. "If you love Rachel as much as I do, you will show up."
"I'll be there." Chandler said not hesitating. He saluted Rachel then turned on his heel and left.
"Whats chicken?" Rachel asked Ross as he got a milkshake.
"Two cars race toward the cliffs edge. The first one to hop out is a chicken."
"So you have to die in order to prove you're brave you have to die." Rachel said. "Makes a lot of sense."
"It's about honor." Ross said. "We have to be up there in ten minutes. Are you coming?"
Rachel hesistated. She didn't want to see either one of them die but what could she do? Rachel had no control over what was happening although this was her dream. Rachel nodded.
"I'll come with you. But I'm not taking sides." Rachel said.
"Great." Ross said. "I'll pick a song on the juke."
"Happy birthday Rachel Green." She said to herself.
Later
Rachel stood in the middle of the field that led to the cliff's edge. She now wore her favorite lucky scarf Chandler gave her around her neck. She tugged at it nervously as she walked toward the cliffs edge. She stopped several inches before the cliff stopped and the rocky shoal at the bottom of it stared her in the face. Looking at it made her blood run colder than any winter chill. Ross and Rachel were the first to arrive. She hoped that she wouldnt have to leave alone, without either Chandler or Ross at their side.
There had to be a way to resolve this without death and the distruction of automobiles.
Rachel walked over to the crowd which seemed to grow bigger every second. She only wished this many people showed up at high school football games. She heard her name being called.
"Rachel!" She heard Ross over at his car. Chandler had lined his studebaker right up next to Ross's car.
"We're ready." Chandler said.
Rachel took her scarf off in one fluid motion and stepped in front of the cars, but out of the way so she would not be hit. All the other cars had lined up along side the race way. Rachel cleared her throat.
"Give me some lights!" Rachel raised her arms.
Every light lit up showing the way to the cliff. There would be no light that would be able to show into the deep dark abyss that was below the cliff.
Rachel raised her arms again. "Get ready."
Ross and Chandler got inside their cars.
"Start your engines!"
They started their engines and raced their engines.
Rachel thought "This is it, no turning back now."
"Ready, set, go!" Rachel jumped up and threw her scarf up and down to signal them to go. Ross and Chandler raced by her standing there. She turned on her heel and felt her skirt twirl around her ankles. She ran toward the back of the cars.
"You can stop!" She yelled at the cars but she knew her effort wsas futile. She stopped a few feet short. The cars went over the edge.
Rachel didn't see anyone get out of their cars. She went to the edge, and watched helplessly as the cars sailed toward their certain doom. One car hit bottom and rolled down while the other collided with a large boulder and exploded on impact.
"No!!" Rachel screamed, tears coming out of her eyes. She looked around. She was alone. Everyone was gone, no one could help her. She buried her hands in her eyes and wept loudly.
"Rach?" She heard.
"Who said that?" Rachel got up and looked around.
"I did." Ross said coming up from a small dirt ledge. "A little help here?"
Rachel leaned over and started to help Ross up.
"Let me help." Chandler said crawling up the dirt trail not far from the ledge.
"But how?" Rachel asked as Chandler helped Ross up.
"We jumped at the same time." Ross said. "We met after the fight in the malt shop and agreed what we did ws stupid."
"Yeah. Lets go home." Chandler said. "You can stay with Ross. After all, I met a nice nurse overseas. She may write."
"Thats nice." Rachel said.
"But you gotta wake up." Ross said.
"Why?" Rachel asked.
"Cause you're gonna be late for work." Ross said squeezing her.
"Oh. That." Rachel said. "I'm glad youre with me."
"So am I babe, so am I." Ross said and kissed her before going back to sleep.
