The Mating Game-Part One
Written by: Juana
Story Summary: Felicity comes back from California a changed woman. Noel examines ways to deal with all that he has learned about Ben and Felicity.
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters from Felicity. They belong to Matt Reeves and J.J. Abrams and all the people involved with the show.
BEN AND FELICITY ARE STANDING AROUND THE CAMPFIRE WITH BEN AND HIS FRIENDS THEY ARE GETTING READY TO TOAST THE NEW YEAR.
A RADIO IS ON IN THE BACKGROUND AND THE ENTIRE GROUP IS GETTING READY TO DO THE COUNTDOWN WITH THE RADIO ANNOUNCER.
GROUP: 10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1…..HAPPY NEW YEAR!
BEN AND FELICITY KISS. ALL THE OTHER COUPLES ARE KISSING TOO.
BEN: (finishes kiss) Happy New Year Felicity.
FELICITY: Yeah….Happy New Year Ben.
FELICITY AND BEN START TO KISS AGAIN. CUT TO NOEL IN HIS ROOM BY HIMSELF. HIS RADIO IS ALSO ON.
NOEL: Happy New Year Felicity….wherever you are. ( takes a swig of champagne straight from the bottle)
THERE IS A KNOCK ON NOEL’S DOOR.
ELENA: Noel?….(opens door and looks around it) Noel? (sees Noel on bed) Are you okay?
NOEL: Fine…come in. Wallow in my misery with me.
ELENA: Come on Noel…don’t do this to yourself.
NOEL: What? Feel sorry for myself? Elena my girlfriend cheated on me…I think I’m entitled to this wallow.
ELENA: Not to bring up a sore point…but technically Noel…you cheated on her too.
NOEL: It was a mistake!….What she has done…. it was planned….premeditated….thought out and….what’s another word for premeditated?
ELENA: I want to feel sorry for you I really do….but I really can’t. Noel you did this to yourself.
NOEL: Elena….you are not helping.
ELENA: Maybe I should go.
NOEL: Whatever…go…stay….but whichever you decide just remember Noel’s the victim….feel bad for Noel.
CUT TO FELICITY AND BEN BACK AT CAMPSITE THEY ARE SAYING GOODNIGHT TO EVERYONE. THEY HEAD BACK TOWARDS THEIR CAMPER..BEN GRABS BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE AS THEY ARE LEAVING.
AS THEY GET INSIDE THE CAMPER FELICITY STARTS AGRESSIVELY KISSING BEN.
AS THINGS START TO REALLY HEAT UP FELICITY WHISPERS INTO BEN’S EAR.
BEN: (shocked he stops kissing her) Tonight?….Are you sure?
FELICITY: Yes.
BEN: Are you really sure?
FELICITY: Completely.
BEN: Because Felicity….there’s no pressure here.
FELICITY: Ben…I want to do this….so unless you're set on talking me out of it….
BEN: No…God no…I just don’t want this to be a decision you regret later on.
FELICITY: I won’t.
FELICITY AND BEN START KISSING AGAIN. FELICITY STARTS TO UNBUTTON BEN’S SHIRT AND HAS IT HALF WAY OFF HIS BACK WHEN HE PULLS AWAY.
BEN: Wait….let’s just slow down a second.
FELICITY: (frustrated) Why?…What’s wrong?
BEN: Please don’t hate me Felicity… but…I can’t do this.
FELICITY: Why not?
BEN: Because as tempting as the offer is…I think we need to talk about this.
FELICITY: I don’t want to talk….I want to….well you know.
BEN: See…you can’t even say it.
FELICITY: Yes I can.
BEN: Say it.
FELICITY: I want to….Ben will you make….I think that we should have se…..I can’t say it. But that’s okay because I don’t need to say it to do it….do I?
BEN: Felicity to use your own words this is a huge deal.
FELICITY: I know that….and Ben I’m ready….really.
BEN: Felicity if we made love it would really change things for us….Are you ready for that?
FELICITY: Yes…Ben this time that we’ve spent together has been really special. I liked being your girlfriend.
BEN: That’s just it Felicity….as much as we have seemed like a couple…we’re not. You still have Noel and I….well I have Lyssa.
FELICITY: Don’t you want to do this with me Ben?
BEN: Oh yes…..definitely…but I’m just not sure that it would be the right thing to do.
FELICITY: I have a New Year’s resolution for you Ben.
BEN: And that would be?
FELICITY: To stop thinking so much and just go with the feelings.
FELICITY STARTS KISSING BEN AGAIN AND THIS TIME HE DOESN’T STOP HER. THEY HEAD INTO THE SMALL BEDROOM OF THE CAMPER.
FELICITY AND BEN ARE LAYING ON THE BED KISSING. BEN STOPS KISSING FELICITY AND LOOKS AT HER.
BEN: (with passion in his eyes) I’m only going to ask this one more time Felicity…because frankly I have just a small amount of self-control left here…are you sure about this?
FELICITY: (passionate response) Yes…Ben….Make love to me.
BEN SMILES AND STARTS PASSIONATELY KISSING HER AGAIN.
FELICITY: (voice over to Sally) Sally…wow where do I start? 1999 started out with shall we say….fireworks? Sal…Ben and I made love. I always thought people were kidding when they said it changes things and makes you feel more grown up….but now….I guess we’ll wait and see.
NEXT DAY:ELENA AND NOEL ARE SITTING IN THE MAIN ROOM.
ELENA: So what’s your plan?
NOEL: The way I see it I have two options here. I could confront her and get it all out into the open….or I could just wait and see if she dumps me.
ELENA: That’s your plan? Please…Noel tell me you have a third option floating around somewhere.
NOEL: Well….no…that’s pretty much it.
ELEVATOR DOOR OPENS AND FELICITY AND BEN STEP OUT. NOEL STARTS TO GET UPSET.
ELENA: Easy Noel….not the time.
NOEL: (fake smiling) I’m fine…..just envisoning what he would look like wearing my fist.
FELICITY WALKS UP AND NOEL HUGS HER AWKWARDLY.
FELICITY: Hey.
NOEL: Yeah….hey yourself….How was CA?
FELICITY: Good…it was really good. Um…I’ll tell you about it later….okay? I’m just kind of tired from the flight.
NOEL: Sure…okay. (kisses her on lips) Call me when you get up.
FELICITY: I will.
BEN PICKS UP FELICITY’S BAGS AND TAKES THEM INTO HER ROOM. FELICITY FOLLOWS HIM.
FELICITY: You can just leave those on the bed.
BEN: Okay….What’s up Felicity? You haven’t strung together two full sentences since we left Palo Alto.
NOEL POKES HIS HEAD IN.
NOEL: Is everything okay in here?
FELICITY: (jumps) Fine….just fine. Ben was just leaving.
NOEL: Well I don’t mean to interrupt…but we are having a big game night in the lounge tonight…I was hoping maybe you’d want to join me.
FELICITY LOOKS AT BEN AND THEN TURNS TO NOEL.
FELICITY: Um…sure.
NOEL: Great…it starts at seven o’clock….so I’ll see you then.
FELICITY: Sounds great…bye Noel.
NOEL: Okay….well…I’m going.
NOEL WALKS OUT AND BEN TURNS TO FELICITY. HE IS VERY ANGRY.
BEN: (angry) What was that all about?
FELICITY: I don’t think this is the time or place for this conversation anymore Ben….you should leave.
BEN: (still angry) Whatever. (Ben starts to walk out and then turns back around) I don’t exactly understand what I did wrong here….but if this is the way you want it…. (walks out and slams door)
JULIE WALKS IN AFTER BEN LEAVES.
JULIE: What was that all about?
FELICITY: Nothing.
JULIE: Ben seemed pretty mad.
FELICITY: You're talking to me? When did you start talking to me again?
JULIE: I know….I’m sorry. I’ve been pretty weird lately.
FELICITY: Any explantion?
JULIE: Let’s just put it down to a psychotic episiode and leave it at that.
FELICITY: Okay….So how was your Christmas?
JULIE: Really good. I met someone.
FELICITY: Julie…that’s great. When do I get to meet him?
MEGAN WALKS IN WHILE JULIE AND FELICITY ARE TALKING.
JULIE: Well he’s coming over to the game night tonight…will you be there?
FELICITY: Yeah I told Noel I would.
JULIE: Great…we’ll see you there.
JULIE IS STARING AT FELICITY.
FELICITY: (self concious) What?
JULIE: Did you change your hair or something?
FELICITY: No…why?
JULIE: I don’t know…something’s different. I can’t quite put my finger on it.
MEGAN: She had sex.
FELICITY: (shocked) I did not!
MEGAN: I’m not often wrong about these things.
FELICITY: Well this time you are.
MEGAN: We’ll see.
MEGAN WALKS OUT AND JULIE STARTS LAUGHING. FELICITY LAUGHS NERVOUSLY.
NEXT SCENE: BEN IS SITTING IN HIS ROOM STARING AT THE PHONE. THERE IS A KNOCK AT HIS DOOR. SEAN PEEKS HIS HEAD INSIDE.
SEAN: Hey…someone here for you.
BEN: (hopeful) Felicity?
SEAN: No…it’s Lyssa.
BEN WALKS OUT INTO THE LIVINGROOM LYSSA IS SITTING ON THE COUCH.
BEN: Hey…what are you doing here?
LYSSA: Well you’ve been back in town since this morning….I figured since you weren’t going to call me I would come see you…find out what is going on with you.
BEN: Nothing’s going on…I’m fine.
LYSSA: Okay…I accepted that the first week…I even let it stretch into the second week….around the third week of this behavior I began to have my doubts and started talking to anyone who would listen about you. Ben you were gone for a month and I got two phone calls….both very strained and distant….something is up and I want you to tell me what it is….Now!
BEN: What do you want me to say Lyssa?
LYSSA: Tell me it’s my imagination…tell me you want out….tell me anything….just don’t keep me in the dark about our relationship any longer.
BEN: It’s not that simple.
LYSSA: Then let me make it simple…Do you want to continue this relationship?
PHONE RINGS. BEN LETS IT RING TWO MORE TIMES AND THEN PICKS IT UP.
BEN: Hello.
JULIE: Ben….hi…it’s Julie. I was calling to invite you to Kelvin tonight…We’re gonna play some games in the main room.
BEN: I can’t tonight Julie.
JULIE: Come on Ben…are we ever going to be friends again?
BEN: We’re friends Julie….I just have some things that I need to take care of.
JULIE: Well if you change your mind we’re all meeting at seven.
BEN: Okay…thanks.
BEN HANGS UP PHONE.
LYSSA: What was that about?
BEN: It was Julie…she invited us to some game night that they’re having over at Kelvin.
LYSSA: I think we should go….get out and socialize.
BEN: I really don’t want to.
LYSSA: It’s either that…or we can finish the conversation we were having.
CUT TO KELVIN HALL. PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GATHER IN THE MAIN ROOM. JULIE WALKS IN WITH HER NEW GUY AS BEN AND LYSSA EXIT THE ELEVATOR.
JULIE: (to Ben ) I thought you weren’t going to come?
BEN: We changed our minds.
FELICITY WALKS OUT OF HER ROOM AND SEES BEN AND LYSSA. SHE STARTS TO WALK TOWARDS THEM THEN CHANGES HER MIND AND GOES BACK INTO HER ROOM.
FELICITY: (Voice over to Sally) Sally….I slept with Ben. I….slept with Ben. No matter how many times I say it….I still can’t believe it. I’m suppose to feel different…grown up somehow. Sally…why is the only thing I feel……an indescribable amount of guilt? I just keep thinking about what this would do to Noel if he knew. Sal….he would hate me….almost as much as I hate myself right now. Does loving Ben with all my heart in any way make what I’ve done right…don’t worry Sally that was a rhetorical question.
FELICITY EXITS HER ROOM AND WALKS INTO THE MAIN ROOM. NOEL WALKS OVER AND HUGS HER. IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS DISTURBS BEN.
SALLY: (Voice over to Felicity) Felicity….my what a tangled web we weave….Just trying to lighten the mood in an otherwise precarious situation. I love you Felicity….you know that …but honey I can’t tell you what’s right or wrong here….or what I believe in your heart you already know is the path to follow. Whether it’s Noel or Ben…or even someone else…Felicity relationships are built on honesty, faith and trust….shatter those and you have nothing left but a broken heart or hearts in your case.