Chapter Text
Galinda was no fool, despite what people may oftentime have thought. Elphaba returned late to their dorm that Friday evening, and leaned dreamily on the door as she closed it. The show of some lovesick maiden who's been kissed in a silly romance novel. Galinda was no fool. Elphaba had without a doubt been prancing about with Morrible, casting spells and brewing potions. With a wand Galinda could have been using herself: a wand Galinda should have been using herself.
A firerousous, bubblomicking, boilerfrolicking jealousy rumbled in Galindas stomach and she had to grab her bedpost to ground herself. Elphaba looked so content it sickened her. How come Elphaba got the offer and not her? After all the effort, and all of the letters Galinda had written Morrible. Had she not been doing excellently in her classes? What did Elphaba have that Galinda didn't? Surely not that green skin had given her a place!
"Oh. You-"
"Well no need to be rude!", Galinda exploded before Elphaba could finish. And it really did feel like an explosion. It drove Galinda to her feet, and to the centre of the room, where the girls met. Elphaba, while initially shocked, clearly wasn't one to back down from such an upfront attack.
"I am not the instigator in this"
"Oh," Galinda loathed, dragging out the syllable in a way she thought sounded terrificly terrifying, "Oh yes you are"
"I am no such thing", Elphaba all but exclaimed, lifted her arms and furrowed brows in a show of false innocence. Really, did she think Galinda was dumb? "I came in as quietly as I could!"
There had been nothing quiet and humble about the content smile on Elphaba's face when she came in. To Galinda it was gloating and mocking. "You marched in with your big old magic books, stomping about my room"
"Our room"
"My room. That my popsicle payed for"
"I didn't ask to be your roommate!"
"Oh sure, yeah." She just knew that after the incident in the courtyard, Elphaba had gone right to Morrible and demanded to steal her room. "I know you did it just to spite me"
"Spite you!? You and everyone else have been horrid to me since I arrived. Why do you hate me so?"
An easy question. Galinda didn't even have to think about how to answer: "You are insolent! You are rude! You are g-"
-reedy! But she didn't even get to finish through Elphaba's interrupting, "And you- a saint?-"
Galinda's insides wriggled and writhed and shook like intoxicated worms. Must Elphaba always interrupt her! Every time her sentences were cut short, Galinda almost exploded. It happened the other day with Pfanne, and Galinda all but threw a fit. She stormed right out of the dining hall, and didn't speak to Pfanne for half a day.
Noone did it quite as much as Elphaba though, and it drove Galinda right up the wall. Every thing her roommate said seemed to start in the middle of whatever she was saying, and Elphaba had an incredibly powerful and grating voice. A voice that attracted attention. And Galinda hated it. Hated her.
"-you keep me up all night with your ridiculous humming, and your beauty endeavours, and your- Your stupid pink lamp!"
Galinda was only half listening, still furious from the multitude of disgustingly impolite interruptions. Her only response to Elphaba's confusifying view was: "My pink lamp is not stupid!"
"And look! Your things are everywhere! I have but a quarter of the room! Why am I entitled to less!? Riddle me that!"
Oh, this still. Wasn't a corner of the room enough!?! "Because it's my room!"
"Our room"
Galinda registered their position. There was perhaps a fist of space between them, and their faces were really quite close. Rhythmic breaths of air fanned her skin, making her lip curl in vague disgust.
There was a lengthy, tense silence.
Galinda wondered who'd break it. Perhaps-
"You've never had to share in your life, have you? Just a pompous little brat, you"
Galindas stomach fell to her feet, but she found her words. "You know nothing about me"
"There's nothing to know about you. You're as shallow as the lilly pond".
Galinda retreated after a silent second, hands shaking, blood boiling. She opened the balcony door, the cold air sobering her before she slammed it closed with all her might.
The room rattled dangerously.
Galinda: shallow!? She had personality for miles! She was smart, and clever, and had her peers laughing at every comment. She had hopes stretching to the skies and dreams stretching to the seas, and an innate ability to work a crowd. And she cared for people, and was kind to most. She also admired her own balance of mind: her ability to stay clear-mined and logical in face of challenges, and how she could find positive and negatives in any situation, scenario, or season. She liked her ability to adapt to change, and often impressed herself by the way she bounced back when things felt rough. And what about all those kids she taught to climb Gillikin trees when she was little, and the brave face she put on when she plastered up Killin Ranferson's broken arm. All these humble but genuine appreciations for herself zipped through her mind at the speed of a few furious steps.
And to think she'd been narrowed down to the depth of a school pond. Perhaps the worst- and only- insult she ever been gifted!
Galinda came to face Miss Elphaba Thropp. Even closer than before. The meaning of her next words would not be lost to the atmosphere. They'd sink deep into Elphaba's (green!) skin, and they'd stay there. The words were shaky, slow, and meaningful as they left Galinda.
"I loath you"
Elphaba's eyes narrowed and she grinded her teeth. She had a look so deathly about her that Galinda, if not pumped with litres of adrenaline, would find scary.
Elphaba responded in turn: "I loath you"