So, in the beginning of my movie (action w/ romance), my male MC has a girlfriend, but he's also fascinated by the female MC when she appears.

What I don't want: a jealous, clingy girlfriend. I'm aiming for a normal girl who sees what's happening and isn't willing to stand around and play second fiddle. She's going to ditch the MMC, but in the meantime, I'm not sure how she should behave. She's naturally inclined to be nice to the FMC, since the FMC is a new girl at school, and I'd rather not have her turn cruel over a guy.

Help? Advice?

See Girl Write: the life of a college writer, trying not to flunk out.

It might help for her to be funny, so the reader/audience feels confident that she'll land on her feet, and therefore don't resent your main character for being "the other woman."

Maybe as she's sensing that things might not work out with the guy, she starts to pursue a job in another city/country/etc. - kind of giving herself a kick in the pants rather than mooning over/clinging to the guy? Could be a convenient way to get her out of the picture without making him The Jerk.

Good luck!

It'd be kind of nifty to see their issues have nothing to do with this girl. Since you don't sound like you're turning this guy into a cheater, maybe their relationship, while cordial, is already falling apart. She has different ambitions (new kid at school leads me to think set in High School, so maybe an Ivy League school, but if college, Peace Corps). Maybe she also isn't roo perceptive, so she thinks that this girl will remain just a friend and is perfectly civil. She could be a really secure person who (and maybe this is totally deluded of her) doesn't think that anything is going to happen that she doesn't have control over, which would really allow you to delve into her character as well.

Here's a scenario that I've always thought would be fun.
The ex-girlfriend cares a lot for the guy... but she cares for him in the sense that she wants him to be happy, and she sees how happy he'll be with the FMC. So she latches on to the FMC, takes a "big sister" sort of role, and puppet-masters her way to bringing the two of them together.
+=+=+=+
Screnzy '08: Ceres. It's a romantic comedy between two mad scientists in space.
NaNo 2007: The Dragon Herald. (It's really not much like it sounds like.) Failed pretty badly, blah. :-/
NaNo 2006: Jerusalem O'Kira, Blockade Runner. I WON!

I think if you keep her 'happy' and sort of huh, mature, I guess is the word I'm aiming for. Show her as maybe 'growing up' and then she simply has to move on with her life, but realizes that it's not time for him to move forward and they can still be friends or something if you want and the new FMC can step in. Just my 2 cents.

www.freewebs.com/sdh
Sara's website, the Wandering Thoughtstream, where do YOUR thoughts take you?

I think you should have the ex-gf be nice to the FMC but have an almost obvious struggle with it. That way the FMC can see that the ex is really a nice person but has trouble trying to cover the fact that she is torn up. Makes the FMC and the ex both seem like deeper characters.

You know that feeling? The one where you don't know anything until someone tells you something and makes you feel like an idiot? Story of my life.

-Kurozake

-NaNoWriMo '07 winner "The Search for the Tree Council"