### Episode 18: "The One with All the Poker"
*(Featuring Rosé's Growing Bond with the Group, His Influence on the Poker Game, and Subtle Tension with Monica and Rachel, Following the Original Plot)*
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**Opening Scene: Monica and Rachel's Apartment**
The episode opens in Monica and Rachel's apartment. Monica is cleaning the kitchen obsessively, while Rachel is lounging on the couch, flipping through a magazine and absentmindedly scrolling on her phone. There's an excited buzz in the air, as the girls have plans to do something fun later.
**Monica:** (cleaning furiously) "You know, Rachel, you could help out a little. Just because we're playing poker later doesn't mean the place should look like a mess."
**Rachel:** (rolling her eyes) "Monica, the place is *always* spotless. I don't think Rosé or the guys are going to notice if there's one crumb on the floor."
**Monica:** (frowning) "It's not about the crumbs! It's about setting the tone. And besides..."
She trails off, suddenly realizing she's about to admit something she's been keeping to herself—something about Rosé. Rachel raises an eyebrow, sensing Monica's hesitation.
**Rachel:** (grinning) "Besides... what? This wouldn't have anything to do with *Rosé*, would it?"
Monica freezes for a moment before sighing.
**Monica:** "Okay, fine. Maybe it's a *little* about him. But I don't want to make a big deal out of it."
**Rachel:** (teasing) "Oh, it's a big deal. I've seen the way you look at him."
Monica shoots Rachel a look, but before they can continue their conversation, there's a knock at the door. Rachel hops up to answer it, her heart racing slightly as she realizes who it probably is.
She opens the door to reveal Rosé, standing there in a casual outfit—dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt that shows off his toned arms. His hair is styled effortlessly, and as usual, his presence seems to fill the room the moment he walks in. His different-colored eyes, one black and one silver, immediately catch Rachel's attention.
**Rosé:** (smiling) "Hey. I brought some snacks for poker night."
**Rachel:** (flustered) "Oh, um, great! Come on in."
Monica, who's still wiping down the counters, tries not to look too eager as Rosé walks in. Rachel shoots her a knowing look, but they both manage to keep their cool.
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**Scene Shift: Central Perk – The Poker Invite**
The scene shifts to Central Perk, where Chandler, Joey, and Ross are sitting on the couch, drinking coffee. Phoebe is at the counter, chatting with Gunther about some new song she's writing. The atmosphere is relaxed, but there's an undercurrent of excitement as they prepare for their first-ever poker night with the girls.
**Chandler:** (smirking) "So, poker with the girls tonight. I've got a feeling this is going to be a disaster."
**Joey:** (grinning) "Come on, man! It's gonna be fun. And besides, we've been playing for years. No way they can beat us."
**Ross:** (more seriously) "Let's not get too cocky. Rachel's competitive, and Monica... well, she's Monica. She'll do whatever it takes to win."
**Chandler:** (laughing) "Monica will flip the table if she loses one hand."
As they laugh, Rosé enters the café, calm and collected as always, and walks over to join them. Joey immediately perks up when he sees Rosé.
**Joey:** "Hey, Rosé! You're playing poker with us tonight, right?"
Rosé smiles, sitting down next to Ross.
**Rosé:** "If you'll have me. It's been a while since I played, but I'm sure I can pick it up again."
**Chandler:** (teasing) "Great, now we've got Mr. Calm-and-Collected over here. What's your strategy? Stare at everyone until they fold?"
Rosé chuckles softly, leaning back in his chair.
**Rosé:** "Let's just say I'm good at reading people."
**Joey:** (grinning) "Oh man, this is gonna be awesome. We'll clean up!"
**Ross:** (laughing) "Careful, Joey. That's exactly what we thought the first time we played with Monica."
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**Scene Shift: Monica and Rachel's Apartment – Poker Night Begins**
Later that evening, everyone gathers at Monica and Rachel's apartment for poker night. The table is set up in the living room, complete with chips, cards, and snacks that Rosé brought earlier. The girls—Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe—are seated on one side of the table, while the guys—Chandler, Joey, Ross, and Rosé—take the other side.
Monica is shuffling the cards, clearly trying to maintain control, while Rachel and Phoebe exchange excited whispers. It's obvious they're both looking forward to showing the guys that they can hold their own at poker.
**Monica:** (confidently) "Alright, boys. Prepare to lose."
**Chandler:** (laughing) "Oh, Monica, I love your optimism."
**Phoebe:** (innocently) "I've never played poker before, but it's like Go Fish, right?"
Everyone laughs, but Monica quickly leans over to Phoebe, whispering instructions.
**Monica:** "No, Phoebe. Not like Go Fish. Just... follow my lead."
As the game begins, the tension builds. Joey is already deep into his poker persona, trying to bluff his way through every hand, while Chandler is sarcastically commentating on everyone's moves. Ross, who is more focused on strategy, is surprisingly quiet, while Rosé observes, calmly placing his bets.
Monica is determined to win, her competitive streak showing through as she expertly shuffles her chips and eyes the cards. Rachel, on the other hand, is trying to keep up but is clearly distracted by Rosé, who remains effortlessly cool, leaning back in his chair with his arms folded.
**Rachel:** (whispering to Monica) "Okay, I can't concentrate. He's sitting right there, looking all... you know."
**Monica:** (trying to focus) "I know! But you have to *focus*, Rachel. This is poker, not... whatever you're thinking about."
**Rachel:** (laughing) "Easier said than done."
As the hands continue, Rosé begins to subtly raise the stakes, his poker face unreadable. He makes small talk with the group, but there's an undercurrent of tension between him and Monica, who's determined not to let him win.
**Monica:** (smirking) "You're awfully quiet, Rosé. Trying to intimidate us?"
**Rosé:** (grinning) "Just playing the game."
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**Scene Shift: Mid-Game Banter**
As the night progresses, the banter at the table intensifies. Phoebe's unorthodox strategies—like asking the deck for good cards—are making everyone laugh, while Joey keeps trying to bluff, with little success.
**Joey:** (grinning) "Alright, I'm all in. You guys can just fold now."
**Chandler:** (suspicious) "Joey, you don't have anything. You're terrible at bluffing."
**Joey:** "Hey, you don't know that!"
**Rosé:** (calmly) "Actually, Chandler's right. You've been fidgeting with your chips every time you try to bluff."
Joey's face falls as everyone bursts into laughter.
**Joey:** (groaning) "Aw, come on! I was *this* close to getting you."
**Ross:** (grinning) "No, you weren't."
Meanwhile, Rachel has been playing more conservatively, watching how the others play. She's still distracted by Rosé's presence, but she's managed to stay in the game longer than expected. Monica, however, is in full-on competitive mode, trying to beat Rosé with every hand.
**Monica:** (determined) "Alright, this is the big one. I'm going to take you down, Rosé."
**Rosé:** (smiling) "We'll see."
The tension between them is palpable, but it's lightened by Chandler's sarcastic commentary.
**Chandler:** (grinning) "I love watching Monica lose. It's like seeing a unicorn cry."
**Monica:** (glaring at Chandler) "I'm not losing!"
Rachel watches as Rosé places his bet, his calm demeanor making it impossible to read his hand. She bites her lip, unable to stop herself from admiring how collected he seems, even under pressure.
**Rachel:** (whispering to herself) "How is he always so calm?"
Monica notices the look on Rachel's face but says nothing, focused entirely on beating Rosé.
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**Scene Shift: The Final Hand**
The game reaches its climax with the final hand. Everyone is all in, and the tension at the table is thick. Joey has already lost all his chips and is watching from the sidelines, while Phoebe is trying to figure out why she keeps losing despite asking the cards nicely.
**Phoebe:** (frustrated) "I don't get it! I'm being polite to the cards. Why aren't they being polite back?"
**Chandler:** (deadpan) "Maybe they don't like the way you shuffle them."
The final hand comes down to Monica, Rachel, and Rosé. Monica is laser-focused, her eyes darting between her cards and Rosé, trying to figure out his strategy. Rachel, meanwhile, is playing cautiously, still unsure if she should try to out-bluff Rosé.
**Monica:** (confidently) "Alright, let's do this."
She lays down her cards, revealing a strong hand. The room goes quiet for a moment as everyone looks at her.
**Chandler:** (mock surprise) "Oh, look, Monica's winning. It's a miracle."
**Rosé:** (grinning) "Not so fast."
Rosé lays down his cards, revealing an even stronger hand. Monica's face falls as she realizes she's lost.
**Monica:** (in disbelief) "No! How did you—?"
**Rosé:** (calmly) "It's just poker."
Monica glares at him for a moment before finally breaking into a smile, her competitive side giving way to admiration.
**Monica:** (laughing) "Alright, fine. You win this round. But next time, I'm going to destroy you."
Rosé chuckles as the group starts packing up the poker chips, the game coming to an end.
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**Closing Scene: Central Perk, the Next Day**
The next morning, the gang is back at Central Perk, nursing their coffee after a long night of poker. Monica is still slightly bitter about losing to Rosé, but Rachel can't stop thinking about how calm and composed he was throughout the entire game.
**Monica:** (sipping her coffee) "I still can't believe I lost. I had him."
**Rachel:** (grinning) "Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure no one can beat Rosé at anything. He's like... unflappable."
**Joey:** (cheerfully) "At least I didn't lose *all* my chips until the last hand. That's gotta count for something, right?"
**Chandler:** (deadpan) "No, Joey, it really doesn't."
As they chat, Rosé enters the café, smiling as he approaches the group. Rachel and Monica both glance at each other, silently acknowledging their shared admiration for him, even though neither is willing to say it out loud.
**Rosé:** "Morning. How's everyone feeling after last night?"
**Monica:** (grinning) "I'll feel better once I get a rematch."
Rosé smiles softly, his eyes briefly meeting Monica's before shifting to Rachel, who can't help but blush slightly.
**Rosé:** "Anytime."
The tension between the three of them lingers as the group laughs and continues their conversation, Rosé's calm and quiet presence once again grounding everyone. As the camera pans out, the dynamic between Monica, Rachel, and Rosé remains unspoken but increasingly undeniable.
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**End of Episode 18**