Christmas Angel - EPISODE 8: Five Golden Rings

Scene: Outside Club Elf

Phone is ringing five times.

Chris is on his cellphone trying to call Carol.  He wasn't able to catch her when she ran away because Noelle grabbed his arm.  She and her friends were standing in line outside the club waiting to get in.

Noelle:  Chris!  It is you! Wow, you look hot!

The bouncer comes over.

Bouncer: Boss, is everything okay?

Holly: Did he say Boss? You're the boss here?

Bouncer: Yeah, he's the owner of Club Elf.

Ivy: Really? Chris, can you let us in? We've been waiting out here for an hour!

Chris: (to the bouncer) Okay, let them in.

Girls: Yey!  Thanks Chris.

Noelle: Chris, aren't you coming in with us?

Chris ignores them, and continues to walk quickly and call Carol on the phone but after five rings, it goes straight to voicemail.

Chris: (on the phone) Carol, let's talk about this.  Please call me.  I don't know where you live or I'd go to you right now.

***

Scene: Inside Club Elf.

Noelle: (she's giddy) Oh my gawd, you guys.  Chris Pascual is totally my boyfriend.  We've been totally hooking up for months now!

Joy:  Wait... you told us, whoever goes out with him......

Noelle: Yeah, yeah, whatever!  I say lots of things..  Did you all see how hot he looks?  Yeah, I hit that.  I totally did! Hi hi hi..

Noelle's friends do not look too happy.

***

Scene: Carol's apartment. 

In the living room, Carol and Merry are having a serious conversation. 

Carol: I just can't believe I let it get that far.

Merry: Stop beating yourself up over it.  You were drunk.

Carol: That's another thing.  Why did I let myself get that drunk.

Merry: You said you ordered orange juice and they were spiking your drink

Carol: Merry, it's been a while, but I know the difference between plain orange juice and orange juice and vodka.  I believe that deep down I wanted to get drunk so I'll have an excuse to go out of control!

Merry: Stop psychoanalyzing yourself!  You're driving yourself crazy.

Carol: Why?  Why did I allow this to happen?  I worked so hard to rein in my wild nature.  I've been successful for so long.  Maybe my stepmother was right after all.  I'm a nothing but an out of control animal and nothing I do can ever change that.

Merry:  Carol!  Stop that! Look at what you've accomplished!  I will not let you talk about yourself that way!   Let's figure this out.  If you were a client, what would your advice be?

Carol thought for a while. 

Carol: I would say that it is better to face your problems head on but if you can't help yourself around a certain person or thing, then you have to remove that person or situation from your life.  This means I need to stay away from Chris.

Merry: Really? Hmmm, you seem so alive when you are talking about him.

Carol: I'm telling you, that man just brings out the worst in me!

Merry: I don't know if it's the worst in you, but he certainly brought out something in you! 

Carol: Merry!

Merry: Sorry.

Carol: All I know is that I can never let this happen again.

Merry: What about the book deal?

Carol: I don't know what to do. 

***

Scene: Noelle's condo.

Chris and Noelle just came back from dinner.

Noelle: My friends were so jealous of me tonight! Hi hi hi

Chris: What are you talking about?

Noelle: Didn't you see it?  When they saw how yummilicious my boyfriend looks!  I win again!

Chris: Oh, I didn't notice.

Noelle: You did seem distracted.  I thought you would be happy that I'm telling everyone in the world that we're an item now. 

Chris:  Umm.. (wants to change the subject) that lasagna was really good.  What was the name of that place again?

Noelle: D'Argento Campane Ristorante.  The best Italian restaurant in town. 

Chris immediately thought of taking Carol there, but he pushed the thought away as thoughts of her just confuses him at this time. 

Noelle: The food was good, but I'm hungry for something else now. 

She walks over to Chris and pulls him to the bedroom.

***

Scene: Several minutes later in Noelle's bedroom

Chris is pulling on his clothes.  Noelle is still in bed and she's furious.

Noelle: What the fuck! What's going on with you! 

Chris: Sorry. I'm really just not in the mood tonight.

Noelle: You are never 'not in the mood'!  What's really happening?

Chris: Nothing, nothing.  I have a lot on my mind, okay.  I better go.

Noelle: What!  You're gonna leave me hanging like this?

Chris: I'm really sorry.  I'll call you.

Chris leaves without looking back.

***

Scene: Carol's apartment

Someone is knocking on the door.  Carol opens it.  It's Chris.

Carol: How did you know where I live?

Chris: I asked Beth from the publishing company to look it up.  Can I come in?

Carol: I don't know if this is a good idea...

Chris: Please?  We really need to talk.

Carol: Okay, come in. 

Chris comes in the apartment and he takes a seat in the couch.  Carol sits far away from him.

There's uncomfortable silence between them.

Carol is dressed in a simple summer dress.  Her hair is in a pony tail.

Chris: So, you haven't put up Christmas decorations yet?

Carol: I don't decorate for Christmas.  You have something you want to say, Chris?

Chris: I'm really sorry about getting you drunk. 

Carol: It wasn't all your fault.  I should have known.

Chris: I really didn't mean to scare you.

Carol: Let's just forget about the whole thing, okay?

Chris: Good!  I'm glad to hear you say that. (smiles) 

Chris cell phone rings.  

Chris looks at the phone but doesn't answer it.

Carol; Aren't you going to answer it? 

Chris: It's just Noelle.  This is the fifth time she called me today!  Unbelievable.

Carol: Isn't that what you wanted?  Why don't you talk to her?

Chris: She keeps calling and she really has nothing to say.  She just blah, blah, blah (making talking hand motions)

Carol: She's your girlfriend, right?

Chris: I guess.  It's funny, all I ever wanted before was for her to admit to people that we're seeing each other.  Now, she's telling everyone.  But I'm not so sure about her anymore.

Chris' cell phone is ringing again.  He looks at it and rolls his eyes.

Carol: That's the fifth ring.  Maybe she's got something important to tell you.

Chris: Yes, Ms Carol.  I'll do what you say.

Chris answers the phone.  Carol gets up and goes to the kitchen.

Chris: (on the phone) Hi... um, what?... ..oh, um, not today, I'm busy.... no, I won't be at Elf later.... just stuff, lots and lots of stuff to do... ok... yes I'm sure I don't want to go to your condo.... me too... I have to go...  my cell battery is low... ok... ok... thanks... bye...yeah... bye.

Carol brings out some milk and puto bumbong.

Chris is looking intently at her and Carol is getting a bit self-conscious.

Chris: Thanks.

Chris eats but is still staring at Carol as if he's never seen her before.

Chris: I just don't understand why a very beautiful woman like you would make herself look like she's 80 years old.

Now, it's her phone that's ringing and she leaves to answer the call.

Chris is looking around the living room.

When Carol comes back, he's picked up a small statue of an angel from her shelf and is looking at it.  She hurriedly takes it from his hands and puts the statue back.  They both feel a spark when their hands touch.  They both remember that night when more than just their hands touched.

Carol: (awkward) Umm, Chris, I accept your apology and I want to apologize to you too.  I take full responsibility.  I am a professional and I shouldn't have let it go that far.  We shouldn't have let things go that far.

Chris: Carol, I'm only apologizing for getting you drunk.  I'm not sorry for the other things.

Carol: Chris, please.  You're not making it easy.

Chris: Ah, is that why you dress the way you do, you act the way you do, to make things easy?

Carol: (getting agitated) You don't know anything about me!  I thought we can still work together after that 'incident' but I was wrong. 

Chris walks over to Carol.

Carol: (yells) Don't come near me! 

Chris: (surprised at her reaction)That's a little over the top, don't you think.  I was just going to sit next to you.   

Carol: Don't you see!  ... I can't be near you!  (she's crying now)  I worked so hard to control myself and in just one night, I lose it!!

Chris takes Carol in his arms as she continues to sob.  After a while, Carol calms down a bit. 

Carol: Terrible things happen when I lose control.  I won't let it happen again.   

Chris: You are still not making any sense.

Carol continues to cry while Chris holds her tight.

After some seconds, Chris kisses Carol and she kisses him back at first, but Carol abruptly pulls away and stands up.  She walks quickly to the door and opens it.  

Carol: Chris, it would be best if I don't see you anymore.  I will recommend a very good therapist...

Chris: Carol, please, let's talk.

Carol: (shakes her head) What are we doing?  You have a girlfriend, Noelle.  Remember her?  You were going to ask her to marry you. 

Chris: Is that our problem?  I'll break up with her now!

Carol: No, it's not just that. (pause)  You have some issues to deal with.  You need to talk to your grandfather, you need to deal with your feelings about your mother.  I have some issues to deal with. (crying)  I haven't mastered my own emotions as much as I thought I have.  (pause)  Please leave.

Chris hesitates.  Carol pushes him out the door.

Carol: Get out!  Now!!