This next scene takes place after Ben's fight with Ricky. Ben is cleaned up but he has a black eye developing and despite his now cleaned up face, it he still looks like he's been in a fight. He shows up at the Law Offices of Enirquez & Lee. Adrian has dropped her previous last names from both Ben and Omar and returned it to Lee. Ben has just picked up the roses he had Clementine order from the florist. The receptionist will be played by Raven Symone.
(Ben enters the office building with the roses in his left hand and a package containing his journal in the other.)
Ben: Excuse me, I'm wondering if Adrian Lee is in her office.
Receptionist: Yes, she is sir do you have an appointment. (the receptionist is a young woman 26 years old, and seems to be checking Ben out.)
Ben: No, she's not expecting me. I was hoping to have a meeting with her if it's not too much trouble. (Ben feels awkward about his appearance after the fight with Ricky.
Receptionist: May I have your name sir? (Notices the bruises on Ben's face that are appearing, but still finds him attractive.)
Ben: Yes, tell her that her ex-husband Ben Boykewich is here to see her.
Receptionist: Ben Boykewich, the Sausage Prince? (looks surprised)
Ben: Yes, but I really don't like to be referred to as the "Sausage Prince". (Ben looks embarrassed by the nickname he never wanted.)
Receptionist: I'm sorry, but Adrian sometimes refers to you as that when she is speaking of you. (Looks at Ben flirtatiously)
Ben: Adrian speaks about me. (seems surprised)
Receptionist: Yes, she speaks of you often she refers to you as the one that got away. I can see why.
Ben: Looks almost hopeful of his chances with Adrian.
Receptionist: Right now she is with her other ex-husband, but I will let her know you are here.
Ben: Thank you. (Looks saddened at hearing Adrian was with Omar. He feels angry and depressed that he may have missed his chance with Adrian)
At that instant Adrian and Omar emerge from her office, talking like old friends and smiling. This makes the receptionist take notice as well, and looks up from her desk.
Omar: So dinner tonight? (Ask's Adrian who is smiling from ear to ear.)
Adrian: I would love too? (then takes Omar's hand, and kisses him on the cheek which makes Ben's heart drop from his chest.) Adrian then turns without noticing Ben and heads back into her office.
Omar" (Takes notice of Ben, and approaches him) Hi Ben, nice to see you. (holds out his hand for Ben to shake)
Ben: (Stands up and shakes his hand.) You too, (Looks angry and begins squeezing Omar's hand which causes Omar to take notice.)
Omar: Don't worry Ben, I gave up on Adrian you have no fear of me. (then lets go of Ben's hand and approaches the receptionist desk.) So are you ready to go, Karen?
Karen (Receptionist): Yeah, just let me get my jacket, and talk to Adrian right quick.
Adrian: Karen, I thought you and Omar were going to lunch. (surprised that Karen who started dating Omar, has not left for their lunch date.)
Karen: I am, but I have to let you know that your other ex-husband is outside. He looks like shit, but he is still looking fine!
Adrian: What do you mean, he's here? What do you mean he looks like shit? (Surprised at this news, and shocked.)
Karen: Check the security cam on the view screen. (grabs the tv remote and press the 00 button to view the front office where she and Adrian see Ben sitting down looking different than his normal calm, and confident self. The look on his face now reminds Adrian of that awkward nerd she married in high school. This makes a smile come to her face as she see's him looking so nervous as he waits to speak with her.)
Adrian: Why is he here? What does he want? Is he here to see my dad, one of the other attorney's or me? (Adrian looks nervous, yet hopeful)
Karen: Girl look at what's in the man's hands. I don't think he brought flowers and candy for your dad. If he did then, you need to talk to your dad, and really reconsider your feelings for that man.
Adrian: So you think he is here to see me. About what?
Karen: About what you have been crying your eyes out about since, you saw him again.
Adrian: Really, do you really think he wants to be with me again? (looks hopeful.)
Karen: If he doesn't would he be here y? (Karen get's irritated.) Girl I can't get you, Omar is fine, but Damn you gave up a good looking born rich man like that?
Adrian: First off he didn't look like that until now. Secondly I told you the circumstances with us were wrong.
Karen: Wrong, you took his virginity in the backseat of his car in front of your house, to get back at your cheating boyfriend, and his fake ex-girlfriend. Adrian that's how my parent's met.
Adrian: You know how we got started, but you also know how we ended.
Karen: Adrian, that's not how you and Ben started. Your relationship started long before that night, but you two were too dumb to realize it. It ended when you both gave into the pain of losing your child. Right now you and he have another chance to have what you and Omar never could have. Something I am hoping to have with him. So don't blow it.
Adrian: Are you sure he's here to try again. (looks scared and sad, yet hopefully)
Karen: If he wasn't Adrian would he be here? (takes Adrian's face and looks at her), Now go get your man, while I go get your other one. (Grabs her jacket. and heads for the door to meet Omar. Before she leaves she stops by the door and speaks with Ben.
Look, that girl in there is more than just my boss. She's my sister from another mister. If you hurt her I promise I'll hurt you a lot worse than she or anyone else ever did. (Ben looks at her surprised. How could she know so much.) Yeah, I know the whole story between the two of you including how she slept with your best friend. She did some pretty fucked up shit to a lot of people, but Adrian only regretted what she did to you. She's not perfect, and she always hated how perfect you were. She hated how the one time you weren't perfect made her hate you. She hated herself even more when she realized that you were allowed to have some imperfections.
Ben: If I wanted to hurt Adrian, I wouldn't be here. I just hope me being here is the right thing for both of us. (Feels uneasy about the entire situation.)
Karen: Look here Sausage Boy love isn't perfect, and that is where you and Adrian got screwed up. She thinks its about loving someone despite their imperfections, and you think its being perfect for someone. But love is just accepting someone for who they are and how they make you feel. Nothing is perfect or imperfect, its confusing I know, but that's what makes falling in love so grand. Being in love is hard work. I know you and she aren't lazy so start working.
Ben: I will, and thanks for the advice.
Karen: Thank you. Now that you are back, I don't feel guilty about hooking up with her other ex. But, if things don't work out for either of us "Call Me" (holds her hand in the shape of a phone to her ear in the gesture as she walks out the door.)
Adrian: Ben, Hi are you here to see my dad? (She asks hoping to be subtle.)
Ben: No, we both know that I came here to see you. (gaining back his former confidence. He doesn't want to let Adrian gain the upper hand as she usually did when they were in high school. At the same time he doesn't want himself to gain control over the situation either. Ben wants whatever they are going to do in this situation from getting back together or walking away from one another forever to be totally equal.)
Adrian: So, why are you here to see me? I thought you would be with Adrian now that she and Ricky have split. (Trying to gain control over the situation. and herself she doesn't want Ben to hurt her again.)
Ben: I'm here to apologize for how I acted at the cemetery. I was angry, sad, and honestly I didn't want you to comfort me. I don't like being comforted Adrian. At the time I really didn't want to be comforted by you.
Adrian: Well that is what you said. So I shouldn't be surprised, you wanted to be comforted by Amy not me.
Ben: Adrian that's not what I mean.
Adrian: Then what do you mean, Ben?
Ben: I mean that I didn't want to remind myself of what I felt, and of who I felt it for. I don't love Amy, Adrian. I don't think I ever did. Amy was just the person who I thought I should love, because of the situation she was in. She was who I thought I wanted, or forced myself to want because it distracted me from feeling what I did for you.
Adrian: And what do you feel for me, Ben? Do you love me because I was your first? Do you love me because of our daughter, and you feel you have to love me. Or do you hate me for how I hurt you when I kicked you out of the condo. Do you hate me for how I slept with your best friend. Or for how I chose Omar and Ricky over you? Or do you hate me because I lost our daughter and you blame me for her death. God Knows I am the reason why she died, and you know that's why she died. Because she couldn't be born to a slut like me. The woman who took her father's virginity, and got pregnant for revenge. Which is it.
Ben: Its for all of that, and I still love you Adrian. Because, I could never hate you Adrian, no matter how hard I tried. I tried to hate you for everything you said and more, but I couldn't. So I left, because I didn't want to see you happy with someone else. Because I didn't want to feel love for you, what you felt for someone else. I tried to find someone else that made me feel the way you made me feel, and I couldn't. I tried lots of times, and each time I tried I would see your face. I thought after I left that love at first sight was a myth, but now I know that it wasn't.
Adrian: Amy was the girl you fell in love with at first sight Ben.
Ben: The first girl I ever saw Adrian was you.
Adrian: What are you talking about.
Ben: You were wearing a white shirt, with black pants, and you hair was in curls. You had silver hooped ear rings in your ears leaning against your locker holding your baton, and talking too Ricky. I didn't see Amy until after I saw you. I originally wanted Grace, but I could never really love her. It was Alice that saw Amy and pointed her out to me. But, you were the person I saw first and fell in love with. Dylan was pointed out to me by Henry. You were the one I wanted from the beginning. I just never let myself believe it, because I could never understand how things between us became so wrong. (Shedding tears.) When I was with Amy Adrian, I would have to force myself to try and be there, she made me feel needed. But you made me feel free to have a choice to be there. You were so strong and independent. I never understood how I could feel so happy, and free with you. But, I could never feel that with Amy, or anyone else. I felt weak, and ashamed when I wasn't able to help you deal with losing Mercy. I hated myself and you for losing her, because I thought that if we really loved each other then something like that wouldn't have happened. I could never understand how loving you and being so happy cause our daughter to die. But, I realize now that bad things happen no matter how hard you try, and you have to accept that. But, I couldn't I wanted to blame it on me, on you, on us. I thought that Mercy paid for our sins.
Adrian: So do I. That's why I decided not too be with you. I thought Mercy dying was proof we were wrong for each other. So I wanted to keep you far away from me, and find something with anyone. I thought I had found it with Omar because you and he are actually pretty similar, but he wasn't you, and no matter how hard I tried I could never love him. But, how do I know that if love you Ben, I thought I loved Ricky and look how that turned out.
Ben: What did you originally want to name Mercy? (Ben looked intently at Adrian who looked shocked at his question)
Adrian: What?
Ben: When we found out you were having a girl we both agreed that if we were going to have a boy I would name him. If we would have a girl you would name her. What was the name you chose.
Adrian: (Looking at Ben sadly, and crying.) I wanted to name her after your mom Sarah.
Ben: Why did you choose that name? (knowing the answer already.)
Adrian: I chose it because after she how you and your dad talked about her I couldn't have thought of a better name for her. the way you and Leo would talk about the great woman she was, and the memories you two had of her, and how happy she made the both of you. I wanted our daughter to have that same impact on people. When she died I couldn't give her that name because I knew it would bring you even more pain, and I couldn't do that to you. I chose Mercy because I wanted some forgiveness to be given to you, me, and her.
Ben: Do you know the name I wanted to choose if we had a boy.
Adrian: No.
Ben: I wanted to name him Antonio. Because I knew how important he was to you, and how everytime you thought of him it made you smile.
Adrian: Ben, even if what we felt was real, how do we know if we both will feel that way agian.
Ben: We can use your last kiss theory and figure that out. We aren't the same kids we were in high school, but I think the same rules still apply.
Adrian: But, what if you feel something and I don't or I feel something and you don't, or we both feel nothing.
Ben: Then we will know and accept, but I can't go on not knowing Adrian. I might be older and I have achieved a lot in my life, but I still feel as if I'm holding my breath. NO matter who I am with I can't breathe or live. It feels like I'm drowning and I need air, the only time I felt I could breathe was when I was with you.
The two looked at one another and Adrian stood up from her desk and approached Ben who stood standing wearing a sleek blue shirt, and put down the roses, and his journal. They looked at one another and Ben took Adrian's face into his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. She looked at him and they kissed.
(LISTEN TO THE JORDAN SPARX & CHRIS BROWN SONG "NO AIR")
Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air
If I should die before I wake
It's 'cause you took my breath away
Losing you is like living in a world with no air
Oh
[Chris Brown]
I'm here alone, didn't wanna leave
My heart won't move, it's incomplete
Wish there was a way that I can make you understand
[Jordin]
But how do you expect me
to live alone with just me
'Cause my world revolves around you
It's so hard for me to breathe
[Chorus:]
Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air
Can't live, can't breathe with no air
It's how I feel whenever you ain't there
It's no air, no air
Got me out here in the water so deep
Tell me how you gonna be without me
If you ain't here, I just can't breathe
It's no air, no air
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air
[Chris Brown]
I walked, I ran, I jumped, I flew
Right off the ground to float to you
There's no gravity to hold me down for real
[Jordin]
But somehow I'm still alive inside
You took my breath, but I survived
I don't know how, but I don't even care
[Both:]
So how do you expect me
to live alone with just me
'Cause my world revolves around you
It's so hard for me to breathe
[Chorus]
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air
No more
It's no air, no air
[Chorus]
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air
Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air
Can't live, can't breathe with no air
It's how I feel whenever you ain't there
It's no air, no air
Got me out here in the water so deep
Tell me how you gonna be without me
If you ain't here, I just can't breathe
It's no air, no air
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air
No air
For the first time in a very long time Ben, and Adrian could both feel free as if they could live again. Adrian looked at Ben and it her whole life became clear. Ben felt the same as if for once in his dark and cloudy life he could see the sun. No matter what he did before only this moment here with her seemed to be real, everything else was a dream.
Ben: So did you feel anything?
Adrian: No, I think I need to try again. (Kissing Ben intimately and passionately one more time.
Ben: I think I'm confused now, and need another opinion. (Placing his arms around Adrian as she wrapped hers around his neck and giving into each other.)
They then broke from their kiss and leaned their heads against one another.
Ben: Hi.
Adrian: Hey.
Ben: I missed you.
Adrian: I missed you too.
Ben: If we are going to do this you'll need to read this. (gives her his journal.)
Adrian: What's this? (takes the package and opens it.)
Ben: Its' me. Who I truly am, no illusion, no lies about who I am. Read it, then burn it. Even after that kiss Adrian I don't want to be with you until you know exactly who I was, what I did, how I did it, and what that made me feel. This journal is my soul, my true self. Once you read it really read it and understand me. I want you to burn it.
Adrian: Burn it? Ben why would you want me to burn this book if its so important to you.
Ben: Because I won't need it any longer. I'm tired of hiding who I am from everyone, especially myself. When you finish reading it let me know what you want to do. That is the only way we can try, if we try at all. (He then turned and left.)