First, a bit of business. I'd like to announce that I'm officially ending the use of the nickname "Knoll" for Noel in the recaps. Not because the others on the show have finally learned how to pronounce his name, but because getting all the emails telling us the correct spelling isn't worth it.
Felicity kicks it old-school to start us off, sitting in her darkened room, heaving a big sigh, picking up her tape recorder, and saying, "Dear Sally." Felicity looks very distressed about something as she explains that she got Sally's message and returned the call, but that Sally's machine picked up. Keri Russell's hair has grown out a lot over the summer, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I really liked it at the length she was wearing it at the end of last season. Anyway. Felicity continues, "So, I'm a senior now, officially, which is, um...I mean, I'm sure everything's going to be great. It's not like..." Felicity pauses and struggles to hold back tears, twisting her mouth. She collects herself and continues, "I mean, things have been much more complicated than this."
The camera pans back and the soundtrack picks up, as Felicity asks, "Have you ever had such a good summer that it was sort of a problem?" Well, since you ask, I have. I spent the summer before my senior year at college with my friends, and it was awesome, and then my roommate came back, and she was all resentful of the closeness between us, and felt excluded and...oh, she wasn't asking me. Felicity explains, " I spent the last three months here in New York, with Noel." Uh oh.
We switch to a Felicity voice-over (FVO) as we see footage of Felicity and Noel chasing each other around the loft with cans of whipped cream, spraying each other. I think there's a bowl of fruit and chocolate ice cream on the table in the foreground. FVO says, "At first I thought it might be, you know, awkward, with everything that happened at the end of last year. But I was wrong....I mean, we spent the whole summer in Central Park, or at the Angelika." I'd love to tell you what else Felicity and Noel did over the summer, but unfortunately, my tape ran out right here. So imagine me fumbling around for a new tape and cussing up a storm as Wing Chun fills you in on what I missed.
Wing here. Dude, you hardly missed anything. FVO goes on, "Or at Yankee games, and the Strand eating really bad food. We spent the summer not thinking, which I didn't even realize until I started getting these clippings from my dad." Cut to the roof, where Felicity, Javier, and Noel are sitting up on the roof, sunning themselves. Felicity opens an envelope and unfolds a couple of bits of paper, exclaiming, "Oh my god!" Javier asks whether she's reading "that article on Gwyneth." She says she isn't. Javier effuses, "It is fantastic! Please read it so we can talk." "He sent you another clipping?" Noel asks. Felicity replies by reading the note: "'This girl graduated Harvard Medical at twenty-two. FYI, I thought you'd be interested. Love, Dad.'" Noel cracks, "'FYI, compare yourself to another successful person that isn't you.'" Felicity reads the end: "'P.S.: Please return my calls; stop avoiding me.'" Noel asks whether she's avoiding her father, and Felicity bitterly confesses that she is: "If I call him, he'll start probing me about my life, and I'll get all nauseous." Javier, sitting between them, officiously asks, "Noel? Get my back?" "Speaking of nauseous..." Noel snorts. Javier calmly informs him, "Okay. The problem is? That when you make the jokes? They're never funny." So true. Felicity giggles and says she'll do Javier's back. "You, I love," Javier tells her. Noel congratulates himself on doing the crossword puzzle in ink. Felicity tells him, "Dinner's on me." Noel says that was kind of his motivation. They Will&Grace, "What were you thinking --?" "The new Chinese place --?" Felicity asks Javier whether he'll join them, but Javier begs off: "Before she gets back from Buffalo, I have to perform some errands for the bane of my persistence." Felicity exposits, "Give Elena a break -- she's getting married!" Javier moans that it's not soon enough: "This is the last wedding coordinator gig of my life!" Noel, apparently having ignored the part of the conversation where Javier said he wouldn't be having dinner with them, tells them to figure out where they're having dinner while he goes for a run. Before he gets up from his chair, he assures Felicity, "That clipping means nothing." Felicity quietly thanks him, and Noel takes off. As soon as he's out of sight, Javier turns around and raises his eyebrows at Felicity -- a particularly funny gesture since he's wearing those little no-raccoon-eyes tanning goggles and his eyes are thus invisible. Felicity's all, "What?" And, back to Kim.
Felicity rubs sunscreen on Javier's back as Javier mentions that he has not heard "one particular noun, all day long: Ben. Jameen." Felicity reassures Javier that Ben is her boyfriend, and that she loves him. Javier counsels Felicity that this year is not going to be as easy as she thinks, and then screeches, "Aieee!" as Felicity slaps him on the back. Felicity finishes with the lotion and puts it in the basket...er, on Javier's chair, and leans back to soak up some sun. Haven't these people ever heard of skin cancer? I mean, Javier is a swarthy Mediterranean type, but Felicity has pretty fair skin. Anyway, FVO says that she wasn't sure why the clippings from her father bothered her so much. Felicity looks at the clippings more closely as FVO says that they were a bunch of strangers her own age who know "exactly what they're doing with their lives, as if it's all that matters." Heat waves shimmer as FVO concludes, "But they did bother me. They do bother me."
In her bedroom, Felicity wakes up suddenly with a gasp. She walks into Noel's room and finds him fast asleep. She calls to him a few times, but he doesn't respond. She annoyingly asks him whether he's awake, like wouldn't he already be talking if he were? Felicity tells Noel to forget it, and makes to leave. Noel stops her and asks what's up, and if she had a bad dream, and calls her over. Felicity walks over and squats down to his bed so that she's at his eye level. She shakes her head over her own silliness, and then explains that in her dream there was an alligator that was eating Noel, and eventually killed him. Then the alligator started chasing Felicity. Noel doesn't appear too upset by this dream. Felicity sighs, and then asks Noel what will happen this year, and how they got so old, and how did they get to be seniors already? Felicity's wondering how they got so old gives me mixed feelings. On one hand, if they're old, I'm practically walking with a cane and gumming my food. On the other hand, after recapping some of the first-season episodes, the characters do seem a lot older. Noel points out that he already graduated. Felicity points out all the ways in which things will change: Elena's getting married; Noel will go off and get a job and Felicity will never see him. Noel says that he doesn't have a job yet, but Felicity is sure that he'll get one. Noel explains with his one extra year of wisdom that Felicity is "panicking about the future because, for the first time, [she] can actually start to see it." Noel reminds Felicity that she's going to do that Honors Arts Program. Felicity admits that she hasn't even applied for it yet, because she's too intimidated by "Jeremy Cavallo," the instructor. Noel thinks that Felicity's portfolio is amazing. Felicity worries that Cavallo will look at her portfolio and say that she's not good enough. Noel is sure that won't happen, and pronounces that this will be "the best year of [her] life." Was Noel's senior year the best year of his life? Between the marriage, and the divorce, and the Leon stuff? Felicity thinks that over, and whispers, "Then why do I feel like this?"
The credits are mostly the same, with the addition of Ian Gomez as a regular. Hurray! And there are some new shots at the end from Javier's wedding.
Sean and Meghan enter the girls' apartment, which I think got bigger since last year, if that's possible. As usual, Sean and Meghan are arguing. Elena heard someone come in, and asks whether it's Felicity. Meghan replies that it's her, and Elena says that she'll "have to do," running into the room to ask if something is colored bone or white. Meghan's all, "My summer was great, and yours?" and Elena apologizes and says she's having a crisis. Sean interrupts to ask if Elena wants to hear something really funny, and Meghan threatens that if Sean tells Elena, he will "lose [his] ball." Hee! Meghan snaps that the sample Elena is holding is white, and Elena starts to walk out, just as Felicity walks in all smiles and greetings. Felicity and Elena hug. Elena announces that she's going down to Dean & Deluca, and if they hear that something happened to Javier, she did it.
Sean wants to tell Felicity about his argument with Meghan, over Meghan's continued protests. Sean ignores her and explains that on the plane back from Switzerland, they played a game where you had to name who you would have sex with, out of anyone in the world. Felicity laughs. Sean said Elizabeth Hurley, which he thinks is a "perfect answer." Sean reveals that Meghan's answer was Tracy. Like Elena's fiancé, Tracy. Felicity cracks up as Meghan protests that Tracy is hot. Sean points out that Tracy is marrying Elena, and is their friend, so Meghan could potentially have sex with him. Yeah, isn't the whole point of that game to talk about hot celebrities? Like, say, Scott Speedman? Where is he, anyway? Meghan announces that she doesn't want to involve Felicity in their argument, and she and Sean walk out, but not before Meghan ascertains that Felicity is doing well.
Felicity stands outside an office as slow jazz plays on the soundtrack. She watches the silhouette of some guy pacing inside, and braces herself, then opens the door and enters the office. FVO tells us that you would think, as a senior, she would be at the point where someone's personal opinion of her wouldn't matter. Felicity stands with her portfolio under her arm, so I guess this has something to do with that Honors Arts Program. She waits for Pacing Dude to get off the phone. He turns and says, "What?" Felicity says, "Nothing," then turns and runs out.
Back at the loft, Felicity tells Noel what happened. Noel puts on a tie as he suggests that she go back tomorrow. Felicity thinks she would be too embarrassed. Noel turns to ask what Felicity thinks, and the camera reveals that he's wearing a suit coat, shirt, and tie on the top, and shorts and sandals on the bottom. Felicity says that he looks great, and then encourages him to change so that they can go up to the roof and catch some rays. Felicity has her hair up in a bun and is wearing a cute bikini top with shorts. Noel proclaims that he feels good about his upcoming interviews, and Felicity agrees that he will be turning down jobs. Not in this economy, he won't. Felicity brings it all back to herself by asking whether she just ruined her chances of getting into the Honors Arts Program, when Ben walks in the door.
Felicity turns to see Ben, who softly says, "Hey." Felicity smiles and asks what he's doing there. Ben has very close-cut hair (which I like) and about a three-day growth of beard (not so much). But overall, he looks good. Ben grins and says that he came home early. Ben and Felicity both drop the bags that they were holding and embrace and start kissing. They seem genuinely happy to see each other. Noel grins, too, and greets Ben; they exchange pleasantries. It's so obvious that Ben and Felicity just want to run into the bedroom. Noel excuses himself and says that he's going to head up to the roof. Felicity promises to meet him up there in a little while, but Noel tells her to stay with Ben, and leaves with a grin. Ben puts his hands on either side of Felicity's head and says, "You know how much I missed your face?" Felicity can't believe that he's there. They kiss some more. God, I wish they would just stay together. I wish every episode was just Ben getting back from being away for three months. I might have to watch that scene again.
Elena hustles into Dean & Deluca carrying a wedding dress. She slaps the dress down on the counter and asks Javier what is up with the buttons. Javier reveals that his cousin Almondina is making the dress. Elena declares the dress "a disaster." Javier says, "Put on your chill pill. I'll call her..." Elena interrupts to point out that the hemline is wrong. Javier promises to fix everything, and Elena freaks out some more. Man, is she turning into Bride-zilla or what? Javier announces that everything will be fine for two reasons: "One, she's my cousin. I don't know why that's a reason. And two, she's so fast, she's like Rumplestiltskin." Elena asks what that means, and Javier asks a passing barista who Rumplestiltskin is. Elena gives up and dumps the dress on Javier, because she has to go register for classes. As she storms out, Javier says, "Oh, lucky me." Why isn't Tracy helping with any of this? Oh, that's right. Because he's on Scrubs.
Ben and Felicity talk in bed, clearly post-coital. Felicity asks whether she can admit something terrible. Ben assents, so Felicity explains that when Ben called her and said that the one thing he found out from the EMT training program was that he doesn't want to be a paramedic, she was relieved. Ben asks why, and Felicity says that it made her feel like she's not alone in not knowing what she's supposed to do. Ben contemplates that for a while, and then says that while he doesn't want to be a paramedic, when he was there he realized something. Felicity asks what, and Ben tells her not to laugh. Felicity promises not to laugh, and sits up on her arms so that she can look in Ben's eyes. Ben declares, "I realized I want to be a doctor." Felicity doesn't really react, except to say, "Wow." The phone rings in the background, and then there's a knock at the door. Noel hollers that Felicity's father is on the phone. Felicity wants Noel to take a message, but Noel says that Mr. Porter is in town, so Felicity grabs a shirt and heads out to take the call.
Before handing over the phone, Noel advises Felicity not to let her father make her feel bad about herself. Felicity thanks him and takes the phone. We only hear Felicity's side of the conversation, but it quickly becomes apparent that her dad is saying things she doesn't really want to hear. Felicity crinkles her forehead angrily and tells her father, "For example, I'm in the Honors Arts Program, okay?" Felicity resorts to terse answers as she agrees to meet her father somewhere the following day and hangs up. She walks back into the bedroom and slams the door.
Felicity sits on the bed, clearly upset. Ben asks whether she's all right, and when he gets no response, asks whether she's in the Honors Program. Felicity says that she's not. Ben asks what her father wants. Felicity says that he's just there to talk to her. Ben asks what about, and Felicity tries to pretend she's not really upset as she responds, "Just, uh, I don't know. My future." I really don't like this direction of Felicity confiding everything in Noel and not really talking to Ben. I don't like it one bit! This way leads to madness and hickeys. I saw the previews! I know!
Felicity returns to the office she ran out of the day before. Pacing Guy is still in there, so Felicity walks in, calling him "Professor Cavallo." He recognizes her from the day before, when he was on the phone. Felicity starts to apologize, but Cavallo softens and says that he's sorry for being "a little grouchy." Felicity says that he wasn't, but finally admits that he might have been a little grouchy. Felicity explains that she wants to drop off her portfolio for the Honors Program, and Cavallo confirms that they are still looking for students, and promises to call her. As Felicity turns to leave, Cavallo suggests with a laugh that, in the future, Felicity should avoid him when he's on the phone. Felicity laughs and leaves, confident in her chances.
Some chinless dude eats a sandwich and looks at some papers as Ben sits tensely on the other side of his desk. Chinless announces that he will sign the drop-add form, because according to the records, Ben is "a natural for med school." Wuh? This must be a dream, because I don't think Ben has taken one science course, ever. Ben is surprised as well, and then smiles and looks incredibly relieved. Chinless starts listing off all of Ben's qualifications, including "an A in Organic Chem, A- in Bio Chem." Ben's face falls as he interrupts to say that he never took those classes. Turns out that Chinless was looking at the wrong file. He pulls out the correct one and looks at it, saying that it's a problem. Ben asks, "How so?" Chinless replies, "Have you seen this?" Heh. And, aw. Ben knows he's not the strongest student. Chinless explains that Ben is trying to take eighteen credits when fourteen is the norm. Ben knows this. Chinless continues, "Your grades -- and I'm not trying to bring you down here -- indicate that taking eighteen credits could possibly kill you." Ben says that he's the one willing to try, and wonders why Chinless cares. Chinless suggests that Ben do a fifth year instead. Yeah, that makes a lot more sense, because I refuse to believe that Ben could make up all the required courses in two semesters. Ben tells Chinless that when he got to college, he had no idea what he wanted to do, but now he does. Chinless considers, and then tells Ben to take a placement test; if he passes, Chinless will sign the form. Ben looks down at the test, thanks Chinless, and leaves.
At Dean & Deluca (which is oddly blue for some reason), Javier proudly holds up Elena's altered wedding dress. Elena angrily asks what happened to the sleeves. Javier explains that Elena asked Almondina to make them shorter. Elena cries that she wanted them shorter, not removed. Javier sets the dress down, puts his hands on Elena's shoulders, and sternly says, "Will you tell me if you're doing drugs?" Elena protests that she's not, and then continues to complain about the dress, declaring that it will have to be completely redone. Javier tells her to "stop exploding all the time." Elena says that she has to do everything herself, and that it's a wedding dress, not the wheel, finally asking Javier whether he can get it right. Javier loses it, and stutters that apparently, he can't, and he's been "busting [his] little behind for [her]." Elena yells that she will do it herself, takes the dress, and stomps out. Javier assures an amused customer that it's okay.
Noel and Felicity eat chips at Epstein Bar. I assume that's still what it's called. Noel has just come from his interviews, and thinks that it would be statistically impossible for all of them to go wrong. Felicity protests that he doesn't know that, but Noel explains that they always tell him that his work looks good, then pause, and then say, "But." That's when he knows it's not going to happen. Felicity assures him that it's just the first round. Noel asks where the summer went. I think he spent too much time playing grab-ass with Felicity. Noel says that he has nothing, while Felicity has the Honors Arts Program. Felicity says that she doesn't have the program; she adds that her father is in town, and that dinner with him will be torture. Noel says that it's her dad who's freaking out, and it's like "the spider thing." Felicity asks what he's talking about, and Noel explains that it's like when people are scared of spiders, but really it's the spiders that are scared. Can spiders feel fear? I don't know. Anyway, Noel urges Felicity that instead of thinking Dad, she should think Daddy Longlegs. Felicity laughs and asks Noel to come to dinner with her. Shouldn't she be asking Ben to come with her, since he's, you know, her boyfriend and all? Noel declines, but insists that he'll be there in spirit. He assures Felicity that it'll be like he's sitting right to her, "moping about [his] future." Felicity laughs and lays her head on Noel's shoulder. Nope, I don't like this one bit.
Felicity walks back to her apartment, where she finds her father talking to Ben. Felicity thought they were going to meet at the restaurant, but Mr. Porter says he was nearby, so he dropped in. What's with creepy Mr. Porter always dropping in on Felicity? Ben says he just came by to pick up those chemistry books. Mr. Porter remarks, "Pre-med." Felicity looks surprised that Ben told him, and then pastes a happy look on her face and says that she knows. Ben reveals that he passed the placement test. This is where Felicity hugs him and tells him how happy she is for him. Except she doesn't. She mildly says, "That's great." Mr. Porter congratulates Ben and shakes his hand. There's an awkward pause. Mr. Porter and Felicity leave for dinner. Felicity looks back at Ben like, "Dude, why did you have to bring up the pre-med?" Ben mouths, "I'm sorry." Felicity gives him another look like, "Now he's going to be all up in my business, because he wants me to be pre-med too!" At least that's my interpretation. I still don't know why they didn't invite Ben along.
At dinner, Felicity brings up her mom, and Mr. Porter says that she seems happy. Felicity tries to make more small talk, but Mr. Porter wants to say something. "I think," he begins, "you're wasting your time." Felicity's eyes widen. He continues, "It's my opinion that you've been floating through your experience here, head in the clouds, concerning yourself mostly with relationships with boys instead of planning for what's ." Felicity softly says, "Dad." Mr. Porter steams ahead: "You're graduating college in nine months. Art is fine. I like the arts. I like museums. I love that you're artistic, that you paint. But that is not a life. Felicity, it's time to get back to medicine." Felicity looks hurt as her father brings up a doctor friend of his who also does crafts. Felicity looks at him like he's insane. The waiter comes over, and Felicity excuses herself from the table.
Felicity finds a pay phone and calls Noel, who is "staring at [his] résumé, trying to figure out what's wrong." Felicity tells him that things are bad, and that she doesn't feel him there in spirit like he promised. Noel says that parents are stupid sometimes, and that her father doesn't know Felicity nearly as well as Noel does. Felicity wonders whether her father is right. Noel gains momentum as he tells Felicity that she has to make her own choices, even if some of them are mistakes. Felicity likes what he's saying. Noel tells her that life isn't pre-ordained or on a schedule, and that it's a challenge. Felicity gains strength from his words and says that she's ready to go back in there. Noel tells her to "kick ass and take names." Felicity thanks him and hangs up. I know I'm getting kind of predictable, but I wish that she had called Ben. Although, admittedly, Ben wouldn't have been as good at that little speech, probably.
Felicity sits back down at the table and sighs. She begins by saying that it must seem to her father like she's floundering, but she's in this Honors Arts Program, which is very important. Felicity repeats most of what Noel just said, including that she's not on a time schedule. Her father suggests that maybe she should be on one. Felicity says that's not how she wants to live her life. Mr. Porter replies, "Fair enough. Then I am not comfortable, and neither is your mother, subsidizing this lifestyle." Felicity looks shocked, and then reminds her father that she's in college. Mr. Porter doesn't think that Felicity is any better off than she was three years ago, and wonders where she will be a year from now. Felicity angrily tells her father that he can't come there and judge her. Mr. Porter says that's exactly what he can do, and that she wouldn't be there if it weren't for him. Felicity protests, and her father tells her that she's on the edge of a cliff with regards to her future. Felicity tells her father that he's not even listening to her. Mr. Porter reiterates that Felicity's time at college has been a waste. Felicity's face flushes with anger as she says, "Fine. I don't want you to pay for this. I will pay for this myself." Her father protests that he wasn't saying that. Felicity responds, choking back tears, "It's what I'm saying. I don't want your help. I don't need your critique, okay? I don't need you." Felicity grabs her purse and walks away. Damn. I guess it's her father's right to pull his financial support if he doesn't agree with what Felicity's doing, but whatever happened to encouraging your children to follow their dreams? Felicity is able-bodied and smart. She could work as a temp or a waitress or whatever while she tries to make it as an artist. And there are plenty of art-related careers that she could go into as well. Basically, I think her father is being a control freak, and a dick. Maybe Ben should call him a dick. That would make me happy.
Felicity returns to the loft, where she finds Noel lying on his bed in his suit. She asks what he's doing, and he says he's just lying there. She asks why he's in his suit. Noel says that he put it on to look at himself and figure out what the problem is. Don't get me started. Felicity joins Noel on the bed, and the camera shot changes to overhead. Noel asks whether things got any better with her dad, and Felicity reveals that she's paying for college herself now. Noel asks how she ended it, and Felicity admits that she walked out. Throughout, Noel is eating something, one piece at a time. Apparently, it's candy, and he offers some to Felicity, who takes it. They simultaneously crunch on their candy.
Felicity finds out from a clerk that there are three steps to declaring herself independent. First, there are some forms for her parents to sign. Second, they need proof that she is paying her own bills, like a rent stub or something. Third, she needs to sign a form so that she's eligible for loans. Felicity looks overwhelmed as the clerk calls for the person in line. Felicity walks down the street as FVO tells us that she dreaded going into the office, but "the weird thing about declaring your independence, I mean, if you really think about the idea of it -- it's kind of amazing." Felicity smiles at the forms as she walks down the street in slow motion.
Felicity rushes into Dean & Deluca, where Ben is working, and apologizes for being late. Ben reminds her that she was supposed to be there an hour earlier. Felicity tries to explain about the line at the financial aid office as Ben unties his apron and hands it to her, and then walks away. Felicity asks whether he's mad, and Ben says that he is, because he's late for his first class. Couldn't they have given me, like, one episode of Ben and Felicity being happy together before bringing on the discord?
Sean sits at the kitchen table in the girls' apartment, eating. Meghan walks in, wearing a pink bridesmaid dress that is an exact copy of three out of the five bridesmaids dresses hanging in my closet, pretty much. Except for the color, thank God. Meghan comments that if there were ever a reason for Elena and Tracy not to get married, it would be that dress. Sean snarks that Meghan doesn't want Elena and Tracy to get married so that she can "get lucky with the groom." They start yelling at each other when Elena walks in and asks Sean what he's eating. Sean replies, with his mouth full, "Cake." Elena tells him that it's the wedding cake. Sean says that he didn't know, and Elena points out that there was a bride and groom on top of it. Sean says that he knew it was a wedding cake, but he didn't know it was the wedding cake. How soon is the wedding, since the cake is already sitting in the fridge, anyway? Elena says that she's going to cry, and takes off. Meghan giggles at Sean, "You are so busted." Sean replies, "Shut up."
Noel and Felicity walk down the street. Noel is wearing his suit and waxing rhapsodic about how much Rod, his latest interviewer, loved him. Noel describes the office, which includes guys on scooters and a personal chef. Yeah, they'll be out of business in a month. What company has money for crap like that anymore? Felicity is happy for Noel, and asks him to wish her luck with the Arts program. Noel say that Felicity was right about him and the job, so he must be right about her getting into the program. Felicity promises to call him later, and they part ways.
Felicity enters Cavallo's office and her creepy dad is standing there, like, is he stalking her or what? She asks what he's doing there, and he replies that he wanted to see "this class that was so important." Cavallo rushes over and tells Felicity that he hasn't had time to look at her portfolio. Felicity is all "ix-nay on the ass-clay" as she tells Cavallo that it's fine. Cavallo and Mr. Porter exchange introductions, and Cavallo asks Felicity to come back at two, and he'll tell her whether she's in the class. Cavallo walks off, and Felicity pulls some papers out of her bag and asks Mr. Porter to sign them. Mr. Porter wants to know what's going on, and Felicity says she needs him to sign them so that she can pay for school. Mr. Porter looks shocked that Felicity has moved so fast on this, and says he needs to send them to his accountant. Felicity tersely replies, "Whatever you gotta do," and takes off.
Ben sprints down a hallway and around a corner. He arrives at a classroom to find the door locked. Obviously, Mr. Hand teaches this class. I would have just skipped it and gotten the notes from someone else, and then pretended that I added the class late or something. Ben knocks on the door, and the professor stops the lecture to open the door. Ben asks whether it's O-Chem, and explains that the door was locked. Mr. Hand sternly tells Ben that he's late, and that the door locks on the hour. There will be a quiz in the session on today's notes, which Ben can get online. If Ben misses two sessions, he's dropped from the class. Ben realizes that he's fucked, and Mr. Hand closes the door in his face and relocks it. Whatever. In my mind, if you could manage to skip all the lectures and still manage to pass the tests, more power to you.
Felicity returns to Cavallo's office, and he tells her to pull up a seat. He doesn't look happy to see her, which probably isn't a good sign. Felicity sits, and Cavallo tells her that her portfolio contains "good stuff." There's an awkward pause. Felicity adds, "But..." Cavallo suggests that she take Composition first. Felicity's face falls as she says that she already took it. Cavallo suggests another class with some guy named Bradshaw, and Felicity tries to pretend like her world's not falling apart as she says that she heard Bradshaw is really good. The phone rings, and Cavallo makes a joke about it, but answers it anyway. Felicity pastes a fake smile on her face, but as soon as Cavallo turns away, she looks like she's about to cry or go hide in her bed and eat Oreo cookies.
Ben gazes into a printer and then slams it back together. He does something on the computer, which doesn't work, and he buries his head in his hands. Felicity walks into the loft and sadly starts to tell Ben how she just met with Cavallo. Ben totally interrupts her to ask whether she knows how to make the printer work. Felicity asks whether there's paper in there. Ben's replies are very short, so Felicity looks confused and asks what's going on. Ben angrily answers, "Nothing's going on. I just want to print some notes. Can you get this to work?" Felicity looks incredibly hurt and on the verge of tears as she sets down her bag and fusses with the printer. It still doesn't work. Ben tells her that he'll do it. Felicity uncertainly asks him why he's angry. Ben meets her eyes for the first time since she walked in and shakily says that he got locked out of his class because he was late, and that's why he's angry. Felicity realizes that it was because she was late to work. Ben keeps complaining about the printer, as Felicity starts to apologize. Ben interrupts again to tell her that she doesn't know how hard this semester is going to be for him, and that he's taking eighteen credits. Felicity's expression has changed to a less understanding and angrier one as she apologizes again. Ben gives her the big whatever and storms off, saying that he's going to play basketball. I'm not even going to go into how dumb it is for Ben to think that he could get into medical school at this point, for two reasons. One, this recap is long enough already, and two, I'm sure that I'll have plenty of opportunities in future recaps, since this is sure to be a major story line this season.
Javier comes to Elena's room. He walks in and says that Almondina gave him something to return to Elena. Javier hands Elena a picture of a woman in a wedding dress and says, "It's your mother, isn't it?" Elena acknowledges that it is. Javier says he didn't know that she was trying to copy her mother's dress, and that he forgot that her mother's not around anymore for her. Javier concludes, "That would be so hard for me." Elena says that she thought if she wore the dress, her mother would be there with her. Okay, I know this is sappy, but it's really sad. Javier tells Elena that they will call Almondina and get the dress perfect. Elena gives Javier a big hug. Snif.
Mr. Porter knocks on Felicity's apartment door. She opens it and asks whether he wants to come in. Mr. Porter says he has a car waiting downstairs, so Felicity follows him into the hall. Mr. Porter gives the signed papers back to Felicity. She looks down at them, and then says thanks, as if she's not sure those are the right words in this situation. Mr. Porter confesses that this is not how he wanted this trip to go, and that he loves her. Felicity says she knows, and that she loves him too. She continues, "I just...I think this is important. I'm not a little girl anymore." Mr. Porter asks how Cavallo liked her stuff. Felicity lies that he loved it, and that she got into the class. She smiles for her dad, who responds, "Good for you." The elevator arrives, so he hugs Felicity goodbye and leaves. Felicity stares down at the papers in her hand. While I do think that what Mr. Porter did kind of sucks, Felicity only has to take out loans for one year of college. One year! That's like nothing. But I guess she's more upset about the lack of parental support and her own lack of direction than the money.
Felicity walks down the street in slow motion as FVO says, "It's hard to articulate this thing that I'm so afraid of, the future. I mean, why should we be so afraid of the future? It's just time, isn't it?" Felicity sits alone on the roof. Noel shows up in his suit and asks what she's doing there. Felicity says that she came to see Noel, but that he wasn't there, so she came up to their "summer hangout." Noel takes a seat. Felicity asks how the job thing went. Noel says that it didn't happen, because "it turns out Rod likes a lot of people. Turns out Rod is fickle. Rod has problems." Felicity is sad for him, but Noel claims that it's not a big deal. Felicity thinks that it is, and Noel admits that she's right. Felicity reveals that she got turned down for the Honors Program. Noel is sad for her. Felicity says, "And it occurred to me, in sort of a huge way, that maybe my dad's right -- that we're just lost." Felicity cries a little, and Noel looks at her sadly. Noel asks how they can both be so wrong about each other. Noel leans forward and rests his forehead against hers, and then kisses her forehead. Felicity says, "Maybe we're just...I don't know." Noel continues to kiss her forehead, and it's starting to look a little less consoling than I'm comfortable with. Felicity looks up at him, and then raises her face to his and they kiss on the lips, softly at first, and then with more intensity. Then they're, like, full-on making out. My cry of "Nooooooooo!" echoes for miles around. And then there are no previews for the episode. They're killing me.