thepilot

The episode begins with Felicity Porter recounting her highschool graduation day. Before this day her future had been pretty much planned out for her. She was to attend Stanford, pre-med, then 4 years at Stanford med school, then start her residency at one of the Stanford hospitals. Felicity felt as though everyone around her was looking forward to their lives. She didn't feel joy,sorrow or anticipation. All she could feel was dread.

After the ceremony, Felicity gets up the nerve to ask Ben Covington to sign her yearbook. She'd only spoken to him once. This was her last chance. He agrees and sits down on the grass and writes an unexpectedly lengthy note. He hands her the yearbook. Felicity reads what Ben has written as he walks away. He reveals in the note that he has watched her for 4 years - always wondered what she was like - what was going on in her mind all the time she was so quiet - just drawing in her notebook. He regrets he never asked her and now it's 4 years later and he doesn't know her. Felicity calls out to Ben and asks where he's going to college He tells her he's going to New York. He asks her where she's going and she tells him it's 'unclear.' They say goodbye. Suddenly Felicity knew what everyone else was feeling.

Felicity applies to New York University. Her parents are completely against her going to New York. Her father tells her he won't support her financially if she goes. He wants her to follow in his footsteps. She tells him she can't. Felicity gave up everything her parents had planned for her - all that she had expected - all for someone she didn't even know.

When Felicity arrives at the dorm she finds her roomate,Meagan, has already moved in. The decor suggests she's into the gothic scene. Ben spots Felicity while she's having her student ID photo taken. He asks her why she hadn't told him she'd be attending the university too. She pretends to have forgotten Ben was supposed to be attending. Ben is accompanied by a girl. They kiss. He tells her, "I know this girl from highschool." Only he can't seem to remember Felicity's name so she says it. Felicity is crushed and her facial expression reveals her disappointment. Of course this is when the photographer takes the photograph.

Felicity visits her academic counselor. She finds out her parents called to speak to the counselor. He tells her they are concerned. Felicity has second thoughts about being there. The couselor tells her the university as well as the New York are best suited for the independent minded student and her parents seem to imply that she might not fit into that category. She seems disappointed that her parents feel that way. She leaves the counselor with her portfolio of drawings.

In poetry class Felicity begins to cry softly. Ben is in the class just a few rows away. The girl next to her, Julie, notices her tears and passes her a note asking if she's okay. They talk after class. Felicity and Julie find they have much in common and quickly become friends.

Felicity confronts Ben to tell him she came to New York because of him ,but now she's over it. She admits it was crazy to follow someone she doesn't know and that her being there isn't about him anymore. She tells him she'd like it if they could be friends. He says he's flattered and agrees to be friends.

Felicity has a work study job in the admissions office. She finds Ben's college application essay and reads it. He'd written about a brother who'd died of cancer. Felicity confides in Noel,the dorm Resident Assistant and asks for his advice on whether or not she can be friends with Ben given the circumstances. Noel advises her to give it a month and she'll be okay.

After two weeks Felicity is convinced she and Ben are becoming friends. Ben requests her help for poetry class assigments and she agrees to study with him. Felicity invites Julie to come along with them. Julie declines because she doesn't want to be a third wheel. Felicity tells Julie she and Ben are just friends - that they know one another from highschool.

Felicity,Ben and Julie go to a popular hang out. When Julie goes for a drink refill Ben reveals his interest in Julie to Felicity. He asks her how she feels about it and she says she's fine with it,but of course she isn't. Later Felicity goes to Ben's place and yells at him for writing what he wrote in her yearbook - that his actions have consequences - that he made her fall in love with him. She tells him she read his college essay. He's angry that she invaded his privacy. He asks her how she could love him when she doesn't even know him. Julie comes to the door to leave Ben's place. She says 'hey' to Felicity- no goodbye to Ben. Julie leaves. Felicity had no idea she was there . She walks away.

Felicity discusses with her counselor the possibility of leaving the university. She tells him she's going to become a doctor and save someone else's life. He returns her portfolio and tells her she's already an artist. She thanks him and leaves the office.

Later, Felicity is packing her things when Ben stops by. He confesses he fabricated the 'brother with cancer' story for his entrance essay - that he did it just to get into the university. He never even had a brother. He tells her the main reason he wanted to come to New York was to get as far away from his parents - his old life. Ben apologizes for not being who she thought he was. He tells her that she makes him think about things he'd never think about just by the way she looks at him. She tells him she's never made a substantial choice in her life and he was really an excuse to come there. When she went up to him at graduation, it was like a high because she'd never done anything like that before. She concludes that the first big decision she made turned out to be stupid and she'd look back on it as a regret.

Noel attempts to convince Felicity to stay telling her she'll regret leaving. He admits to having feelings for her but asks her not to disregard everything he has told her because of his affection for her.

Julie apologizes to Felicity stating that she never would have gone back to Ben's place if she'd known how Felicity felt. She tells Felicity she won't see him again. Felicity tells her it doesn't matter because she's leaving anyway.

Felicity has dinner with her parents who are elated she's decided to leave the university. Her father has arranged for her admission to Stanford. She finds out that he had a hand in her original acceptance. Felicity's parents offer her complete financial support, an apartment and a car. She'd be able to get right back on schedule. Felicity refuses their offer and decides to stick it out in New York. Her parents think she's nuts. She resents her parents attempts to remedy everything for her. She tells them she has to stay - give it some time. Her father tells her that if she decides to make this 'colossal' mistake and stay they won't bail her out. She tells him it's a decision he'll have to make.