Missing "Scene" from 3-02 I Drive Alone

I was putting up episode links on the sidebar when I noticed that a scene is missing from episode 2. I must have forgot to copy it over from my word processor. Strange thing is I read the episode and it doesn't seem to suffer with the part missing. This scene occurs after the Chance and Eddie scene (What Happens to a Dream Deferred?) Of course, all these episodes will be edited after I post the last one, but I am wondering should the missing scene be a part of the episode or should I just leave it out? Here it is:

Truth Is a Five-Letter Word
“Thanks, Trey,” says Noah. Trey deposits Ricky in the passenger seat and closes the door. Ricky opens it again and vomits on the driveway.

“No that BITCH didn’t! “ Alex yells from his upstairs window, holding a crying Oje on his hip.

“Babe, go lay down,” Trey calls up to Alex. “I’ll clean this up.”

“Yeah, Alex, get some rest. I’ll handle Ricky” Noah says.

Alex mumbles under his breath before closing the window.

“Noah, you better take this.” Trey hands Noah a clean wastebasket. “He’s pretty tore up.”

“Will you or Alex drive his car home tomorrow?”

Trey shakes his head.

“Goodnight,” Noah says, hugging Trey.

The ride to Silver Lake is uncomfortably quiet. Ricky rests his throbbing head against the window, ready to vomit at the slightest bump. Noah grips the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles turn pale. They hit a pothole. Ricky grabs the wastebasket and heaves into it. Ricky looks down and sees his expensive Armani shirt covered in sick. “Pull into that gas station,” he demands. “I need to clean up.”

Noah pulls into the gas station. “I think I’ll fill up while I’m here,” he says, undoing his seatbelt. Ricky stumbles out the car without closing the door behind him.
“Ricky, be careful.”

“Help me, then.”

Noah gets out the car and grabs Ricky around the waist and steadies him. “The bathroom is over here,” Noah says, pointing. As they walk, Ricky rests his head on Noah’s shoulder.

In the bathroom, Ricky rinses his face and mouth. He takes off his shirt and wipes his chest down. "Thank you for helping me," he says, turning to face Noah.

“You seem to have everything under control; I’ll wait outside,” says Noah, turning to leave.

“STOP IT!” Ricky turns off the water. “Turn around. Look at me.”

Noah slowly turns around. “Ricky, I-I…”

“You can’t even be alone with me anymore.”

“I-I-I…”

“You can’t even talk to me without stuttering. You can’t look at me. You’re afraid of me now?”

Noah shrugs his shoulders and looks at the ground. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say anything, Noah. Say something to me.”

Noah slowly looks up. It takes him a few tries before he finally slows down his thoughts to think straight. “I'm scared, okay? You’re my best friend, Ricky. I don’t know how to deal with…with what is happening between us.”

Ricky walks over to Noah, looks him in the eyes for a long moment, and when Noah tries to turn away, he gently guides his chin back to face him. “I can’t take this.” He puts his hands in Noah’s soft hair. “I want you.”

“Stop it, Ricky!” Noah removes Ricky's hands. “You’re drunk.” He turns to leave for the second time. Ricky grabs his arm.

“I love you, Noah.”

Noah pulls his arm free. “I’ll be waiting in the car.”


Okay, now that I've read it, I do think it explains why Ricky and Noah stopped talking and an intervention had to be staged. But then again, Ricky storming out of the Silver Lake house explains it as well. What do you think?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

To my Noah's ARC Angel...I'll be the first to say...the episode made perfect sense...as written...because we know how tormented Ricky is/was...about an unreturned love for Noah...

However...this additional scene removes the implied...and adds more of a glimpse....into Ricky's heated desire...and Noah's confliction...basically not wanting to lead Ricky on in any way...

I'm glad that you posted this...and it will be so exciting to read all edited episodes...

Anonymous said...

I "think" I can't wait til Thursday!

Seriously- the missing "chapter" it adds to why Alex & Chance had to do SOMETHING...

Noah & Ricky may have never spoken again...too hard for too many reasons!