Chapter Text
As much as Elphaba loved every single one of her kids (and she did love them all very much), teaching first grade did get exhausting at times. Her one reprieve for when she was having a particularly lousy time were her lunch breaks with Galinda (or Ms.Uppie as the kids liked to call her, both to shorten her surname and because of her incredibly upbeat personality).
Oftentimes, it wasn’t the kids themselves that exhausted Elphaba, but rather the challenges that the kids faced. Administration was hardly ever any help, and a lot of these children had things that distracted them from their work. For some, it was trouble at home. For others, it was trouble with their fellow peers. All in all, Elphaba felt the pain and frustration of her students as if it were her own.
Galinda was the only one who seemed to take the job as seriously as Elphaba did. Many adults like to write off the woes of children, claiming that they couldn’t possibly be as dire as the ones those kids will face years into the future. But what people fail to understand is that right now is when these small souls will learn to face those future challenges. They’re alive for the first time, and everything feels so huge because it is to them. That should be respected.
This is everything Elphaba was ranting to Galinda about on this lovely afternoon as they ate their lunch on their favorite park bench. Elphaba doesn’t know how it became their favorite park bench, it just did. One day, Galinda had gotten really quiet when they were walking. This was normal, sometimes she just went off into space. But then, she had stopped moving as well.
“Here.” She had stated, as if Elphaba should already know every other stop that her thought train had taken. This is also something that happened rather often.
“Where?” Elphaba had asked curiously.
Galinda pointed to the bench and spun to her with a smile. “That bench right over there is perfect. It’s in the shade so we won’t overheat, but the sun is right beside us if we wish to warm up. It has such a lovely view of the park, but it’s far away enough that we won’t be too disturbed by birds or patrons or the like. It’s not too far from the school so we can walk every single day if we’d like! Given it doesn’t hail, of course. Oh Elphie, isn’t it just perfect!!”
Elphaba found herself smiling and gazing at Galinda instead of the park bench. “Yes, plenty perfect indeed” she agreed.
For some reason, they have never sat on another bench again. Come rain or shin, you could always find one waiting for the other right at this bench.
Now they were here, months had passed and yet the same problems remained. Elphaba felt as if her students weren’t cared for enough. Galinda taught special education, which was a whole different wheelhouse. Administration helped her out a lot more, since this program helped their image, but that also meant Galinda was more watched over and restricted.
“I just… I really feel as if Jack would benefit more from being in your class. His father keeps arguing with me that he’s ’normal’ and ‘doesn’t need to be with those kids’ and it infuriated me endlessly!! Galinda, I can’t even tell you how difficult it was to keep my demeanor as I told him, as politely as I could manage, that those kids are doing much better than his kid because they’re actually getting the attention and accommodations that they need!! It’s preposterous the way these parents think and behave, really!! As if it’s a BAD THING that their children are getting a proper education that better suits them!!”
Elphaba couldn’t even eat, she was so upset. Jack was such a kindhearted and extremely bright kid, but that father of his was going to make him feel less than, and it will spiral until he’s a self-conscious and bitter adult. Why couldn’t anyone ever see the path that their ignorance and cruelty led to?!
Galinda smiled at Elphaba gently, a sympathetic and understanding smile. “Oh Elphie, I’m certain you’ll do everything you can to make sure Jack has the best education you can provide him” she assured softly.
Elphaba just shook her head, Galinda’s words barely reaching her. “That’s just it, Galinda! I CAN’T provide him the best education, only YOU can” she turned to look towards her colleague. “Galinda… I see the things you do with your kids and it’s incredible! I can’t do what you do, especially not in the environment I’m in. Jack needs a teacher like you. Shit, I think everyone would benefit from having you as their instructor.”
Maybe Elphaba had stopped thinking about Jack, just for a moment, and maybe she started thinking about her own feelings towards her co-worker. Feelings of adoration and admiration and… maybe something a little stronger than that. Something she definitely should NOT entertain in the slightest. But it got hard to ignore it. It was difficult when Galinda took her hand and looked into her eyes as she was doing right now.
“Elphaba Thropp. Ms.Thropp, if you will. You are a wonderful teacher. A SPECTACULAR one, I would say! You care about your students, and that counts for a lot. Jack will be fine under your watchful guidance, I PROMISE. And… if you’re still not assured… I can offer to give you some pointers on how to deal with the unique challenges that come with trying to teach disabled students from a shitty ‘one size fits all’ curriculum” she explained with a gentle smile.
Galinda’s biggest gripe was with the way her students couldn’t showcase their skills because the people who came up with the curriculum never considered actually accommodating their disabilities. But then again, who did? They all just tell the kids: “believe in yourself” and “you can do anything you put your mind to” so that they themselves don’t have to face the fact that every part of society is an ableist clusterfuck that they have to go out of their comfort zone to fix if they ever want these kids to actually succeed in life.
Elphaba relaxed a little at her friend’s words, although she wasn’t very relaxed for long. “Pointers? How so? Jack’s needs are changing all the time” she pointed out cautiously. Galinda laughed, “I'm saying that I’ll give you some extra help, silly! You’ll be the student and I’ll be the teacher. Isn't that such a fun little change of pace in our dynamic? We can meet let’s say… once a week sound good? If Jack’s father refuses to have him diagnosed then he can’t be in my class, so that means we have to get creative, right?” she winked.
Elphaba’s mouth went dry. She wanted to help Jack, but… more one-on-one time with Galinda?! Was that something she could even handle?!
“I— uh… where would we meet?” Elphaba asked nervously.
Galinda has since let go of her hand and looked off, distracted by a bird. She really loved birds. “Is that a blue jay? Oh my, you don’t really see those this time of year! Do you want to hear their song, Elphie?”
Without waiting for Elphaba to answer, Galinda started singing a gentle tune, one that Elphaba could only assume was the blue jay’s song. Galinda had a gorgeous voice, and she was always singing. On many occasions, the birds would even sing back.
Elphaba couldn’t fight the undoubtedly dopey smile that spread throughout her face as she watched her distracted fellow teacher. Galinda could work so well with her kids because she WAS one of those kids when she was younger. Only, she was in general education, like Jack. So if Galinda had survived that challenge and ended up to be the amazing person that she was now… then maybe Jack would be alright if Elphaba looked out for him, which she very much intended to do.
When Galinda was finished with her song, she spun back towards Elphaba. “Oh goodness, Elphaba, I’m so sorry! I don’t know WHAT comes over me when it comes to birds or songs or fashion or— well, you know! Sometimes I feel just like one of my students! This year, I have the pleasure of teaching this absolutely wonderful young girl who is simply ENAMORED with thoughts of flight. She really is an adorably charming little thing, but she gets distracted so easily. Constantly staring out the window at every plane and wishing she were on it. I told her that if she pays attention and tries her very best in my class, then one day, she could FLY one of those planes herself! And Elphie, oh I’ve never seen a smile so bright!!”
Elphaba would beg to differ. Galinda’s smile right now would certainly give that student a run for her money. THIS is what these students gain from being under Galinda’s care. Specialized support, encouragement, love, and the best kinds of individualized care that she could sneak past admin’s overseeing and scrutinizing gaze. Elphaba needed to put her feelings aside, she couldn’t dare strip Jack from even a fraction of that care just because she had a super ironic schoolgirl crush on the teacher next door.
“Let’s meet at my classroom afterschool. Tuesdays would be perfect. It’s enough time for me to see what Jack’s struggling with for the week and then try and help him out before Friday. No one ever does ANY work on Friday” Elphaba said, smiling a little by the end of it. Galinda was smiling as well.
“WONDERFUL! Oh! As long as you don’t mind waiting a little longer, that is! I have to help my students get to the bus. Your sister and Boq are GREAT classroom aides, but one person can’t possibly do busing their own, and since the school has yet to fix that wheelchair ramp, Nessarose and I have to switch roles during dismissal” Galinda sighed, annoyed.
Elphaba rolled her eyes, also irked. Shiz Elementary had a LONG way to go when it came to giving a fuck about their disabled students AND staff. Galinda, Elphaba, and Nessarose have complained about that to no end.
“Yes, of course I don’t mind! I mean, I really wish that the school would just fix that damn ramp, but one thing at a time. Besides, I don’t mind waiting for you. The joy of your presence is something I never mind waiting for” Elphaba said, meaning to be teasing and funny, but maybe being a bit too honest.
Galinda grinned a mischievous grin. “Careful, Elphie… keep saying stuff like that and I’ll have to report our relationship to HR” she winked.
Elphaba’s eyes widened, “I mean— I wasn’t— I didn’t—"
She was cut off by Galinda’s beautiful, boisterous laughter. As embarrassed as Elphaba was right now, she had to admit that it felt really good to make Galinda laugh like that.
“Oh Ms.Thropp, you make this too easy!” she grinned at Elphaba and took her hand, “now come on! Lunch break is almost over and I simply MUST show you the art project my students are working on before they return and scold me for revealing their masterpieces before they're complete!”
As Elphaba allowed Galinda to drag her the short way back to the school, she was feeling much better, reenergized. It made sense, given that talking to Galinda always made her feel this way.
But she was mainly thinking about Jack! Certainly, this was entirely about Jack. This was about getting Jack Pumpkinhead the proper education, by any means necessary.
It's just… well it didn’t exactly HURT that said means included spending some extra time with a certain pretty, blonde, bubbly teacher who smiles so brightly that it made Elphaba forget that any other light source had ever existed. Yes, certainly. This was all about Jack.