"Lets talk about it."
Chandler finished setting his improvised dinner table. He used the air hockey rink that he had in the center of the room, all he did was place the cover on it then simply added the dishes. Chandler sat down and thought for a minute.
"Wait." He said out loud. "Is Rachels coming over to dinner a friendly gestture or is there more to the story?" He questioned. He then stood up and paced for a bit. "Why am I worried about this?" He laughed, "Its only Rachel and we've known each other forever." He turned as he heard the bell to his aparment door. Chandler sauntered over and looked through the peephole to make sure who he was expecting was the one who had one who run the bell. It was indeed Rachel.
Chandler opened the door and smiled. Rachel was wearing a black dress. It seemed like one of the strapless numbers she would sell at the store.
"I feel so underdressed." Chandler said looking down at his faded sweatshirt and jeans emsemble.
"Thats ok." Rachel said. "Since I started being a VP at Bloomingdales I can buy all the nice stuff I want to." She said as Chandler took her coat." Course the unfortunate result is that I bought so much cool stuff I had to get another closet built, and some stuff hasn't even seen the light of day yet." Rachel turned to look at him. "I'm only afraid I'm out of date."
"You look great." Chandler said. He pulled out a chair for her.
"Thanks." Rachel said and sat down. "I bought this two years ago."
"Who could ever tell?"
"Well just me. And the saleswoman who sold it to me." She smiled.
"Ah."
Rachel smiled. "So Chandler, what have you been doing with yourself?"
"Not much, I got a promotion as well." He said and he sat up straight.
"Cool."
"Yeah, now my job is as unidenitfiable as ever." Chandler said.
"What do you do? I know it has to do with a desk and a computer. But if you want specifics I'm pretty much lost."
"You're safer that way." Chandler smiled.
A bell sounded. Chandler hopped up.
"That would be our dinner." He said getting a pair of oven mitts. He pulled out a pan filled with chicken teriyaki.
"I didn't know you were a gourmet cook. When did you learn how to make my favorite meal?" Rachel asked.
"Well if you hang around Monica at her restaurant long enough, anything can rub off on you." Chandler laughed.
"Good point, but how did you know to cook this tonight." Rachel asked.
"I didn't." Chandler pleaded. "Okay, I called Ross and asked him what to make."
"Ah." Rachel said as Chandler spooned out the chicken on her plate.
"I just hope I didn't give Ross the impression that we were dating. After all, the first time we talk in years and the topic is Martha Stewart!" Chandler laughed.
"Yeah." Rachel laughed.
They sat and stared at each other for a minute.
"We better uh eat this before it gets cold. Its very gross when it gets cold." Chandler said sitting down.
"Oh?" Rachel said after taking a bite.
"Well the first small batch was burned beyond recognition."
Rachel laughed.
"I found a nice homeless person to give it to." Chandler finished the story.
Then there was another long moment of uncomfortable silence.
Chandler and Rachel picked at their food. The phone in Chandlers bedroom rang.
"I better get that." Chandler got up and ran into his bedroom.
Rachel wiped off her mouth. "I wonder what Chandler meant when he mentioned Ross and his being afraid Ross was thinking that we were a couple." Rachel pushed her fork around the plate. "Maybe hes trying to hint that he wants to go out with me." She looked at the door. "After all, Chandler did do some mighty heavy hinting when he wanted to go out with Monica. It does make you wonder."
Chandler came bounding out of the bedroom.
"Silly, stupid thing." Chandler said. "It was the office."
"The office?" Rachel said, noticing that Chandler never really gave a name to where he worked, but decided not to mention it.
"I gotta go, this is a really bad time." Chandler said grabbing Rachels coat. "I have no idea when I will be back."
"Chandler I gotta talk to you a minute." Rachel said, grabbing his hand.
"Okay, but it cant be too long."
"All right." Rachel took a deep breath. "I was wondering what you meant when you said that you didnt give Ross the impression we were dating each other."
"Uh." Chandler said actually baffled by what she said.
"But did you really mean that you did want to give Ross the impression that you did want to see me." Rachel said. She looked into his eyes.
"But I don't know how you feel about me. I mean its like if Ross and Joey and other certain guys were not around do you think we might have had a chance?"
Rachel sighed and thought for a minute. "Well there is one way we can find out." She said and looked at him.
"What?"
"Well in a movie two friends tested out how they felt about each other by a kiss." Rachels said. "If something is felt in the kiss, then they would go on from there and...."
"....and if neither felt a thing for ther other person they would go on as just friends?" Chandler said. He thought about it for a second. "Its worth a try."
Rachel and Chandler got closer to each other. They tried to get their faces and their lips closer together and one time ended hitting their heads together.
"Why is this so complicated?" Rachel asked with what seemed like shy laughter.
"Cause we're nervous." Chandler offered.
They tried again and finally made contact. Chandler kissed her gently on the lips and pulled away.
"How was that?" Rachel said and looked at Chandler. There was a beat or two of silence between them.
"No offense but it felt like kissing my sister." He finally said. "Not like I ever did that you understand."
"Same here." Rachel smiled. "Friends?" She extended her hand.
"Friends." Chandler took her hand and they shook on it.
"You have to go!" Rachel said. "Hurry up, or you will be late for whatever important thing that was."
"Yeah." Chandler said. He grabbed his own coat and they walked out the door together.
