Troy has lit a candle and tries to put the moves on Busy, who is very uncomfortable with the whole thing. She pretends to hear his father calling just to get out of his embrace. It's a pretty cringe-worthy moment, especially since Busy is so much shorter than Troy and is clad in overalls. As unwilling as she is, it almost seems like a pedo adult going after a child. She sees that Troy is writing a poem, but he doesn't want her to see it yet. He makes a big show of calling her Elizabeth, which Busy doesn't seem to like much either.
While Busy was at Troy's house, Amanda was at Busy's doing a magazine sex quiz with Busy's brothers because apparently she has no other friends. Busy asks Amanda to stay for dinner, but Amanda can't because it's Danny's last night before he goes to New York. Amanda laments how lucky Busy is to have Troy all the time, and Busy gives a "yeah right" expression.
Manny announces that he's living with his girlfriend, Sheila. Sam goes off about how "shaking up" isn't right, etc and says she won't be welcome at the table until there's a ring on her finger. Then for no apparent reason, sad music plays and the camera zooms in on Busy's face. It's like in this episode the writers have just completely given up pretending this kid isn't gay.
At their lockers the next day, Amanda rambles on about a candy necklace that Danny gave her while Busy tries to subtly cover up pictures of her and Troy on her locker door with a basketball poster. Just then, Troy comes up and asks to speak to Busy privately.
You'd think that after what happened in their last scene, that he's going to break up with her here. But for all his good qualities, Troy is just not picking up on the obvious negative signals that Busy is giving out. He gives her a ring that his mother gave him before she died, which seems like an extreme present to give someone at thirteen years old. Didn't his father have something to say about this? Anyway, Troy says he's not going to date anyone else. Busy assures him that he can, but he says he doesn't want to. They share this really awkward grandma kiss and some little kids laugh at how lame they are. Troy asks Busy over, but she's practicing with Neon Vomit.
Amanda looks up the meaning of rings and finds out they are symbolic of eternity. Busy is put out with this because she really only wanted to be friends with Troy. She says that Amanda is her friend and Troy isn't more important. Airhead Amanda actually gives her some sound advice about telling Troy how she feels, but that would be too simple for a TV show. Busy avoids Troy in the next scene and the girls decide to visit Manny and Sheila.
Manny is wearing a shirt that says Just Do Me and is watching what I think is the same stock basketball footage from the episode White Girls Can't Jump. Sheila changes into a man's flannel shirt which Busy (of course) compliments. Sheila says she got it from an ex-boyfriend and Manny demands that she go change. This is supposed to show why Busy doesn't want to be tied down, but mild-mannered Troy doesn't act like this.
Busy puts the ring in an empty envelope and writes Troy's name on it. Troy is all sad the next day because Busy presumably gave the ring back. Troy tells her that she didn't even send a note with it. Amanda said in a previous episode that Busy never writes notes and I like the continuity, whether it's on purpose or not. Troy says she doesn't have to wear the ring as long as it means she doesn't want to break up. Busy says she doesn't, although her behavior throughout the episode indicates otherwise.
Busy plays basketball with Amanda all the while talking about her muddled relationship with Troy. Busy doesn't want to be tied down (like Sheila) and seems to want to stay friends but without having to say she broke up with him.
Although Busy should have been clearer about her feelings, Troy really does not know how to take a hint. Now he's dropping some candy hearts on her homework and asking her to skip band practice for a special surprise. Busy grudgingly says maybe she'll make it.
Busy is rehearsing with Neon Vomit when Troy comes in, ready for the surprise. Busy says she's, well, busy, and the Liz, who can speak now for some reason, tells him no groupies allowed. Troy, with all the limited indignation he can muster, tells her to just forget it.
The next day, on the school announcements, Troy is said to have won an award for his poem called Elizabeth. Busy cries in the restroom and practices on Amanda what to say to Troy.
Troy won't speak to Busy without this kid Gordon lurking in the background. She apologizes for how she's acted and explains that the ring freaked her out...though she was acting put off before he even gave her the ring.
Amanda, who has also been lurking in the background, comes up and tells Busy she can go after Troy. Busy says Troy doesn't want her to and that she's a bad friend. Amanda: No...not always.
How comforting. The poignancy of the scene is diminished by the fact that Busy's pants are about five sizes too big. It was all I could see. And that's the last of Troy, a fairly good character, but he was obviously looking for a girlfriend, while Busy just wanted to be friends. It was believable for both characters for it to end like this.
Next episode: Amanda has to get used to her mother as a newly separated woman.
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