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Something that Elphaba realized quite quickly about Galinda was that she was peculiarly dramatic, bordering on eccentric, even. Of course, as their friendship matured, Galinda wouldn’t be caught dead without her dear “Elphie”, and so they fell into a pleasant routine. Galinda, being the show-stopping, albeit clingy socialite that she was, begged Elphaba to accompany her as she tended to menial tasks. Well, perhaps not accompanying in the usual sense of the word — wherever Elphaba walked, Galinda skipped, quickly outpacing her — but the intention was there, and it was, afterall, sickeningly sincere.
And then there was the attention that being with Galinda brought – to be fair, it was hard for Shiz’s students to ignore her greenness in the first place (both metaphorically and physically), but ever since becoming literally attached to the hip with Galinda, she was catapulted into the top echelons of Shiz’s social society, even if her only defining merit was being Galinda's non-negotiable plus one.
Still, there was something quite ironic in the way that people tried to get into her good graces (even if it was all a ploy to get into Galinda’s inner circle), especially since half the student body was convinced that Galinda would get engaged to Fiyero any day now.
But things would've moved on pleasantly enough, and Galinda would probably have been engaged to Fiyero quite a bit sooner if Elphaba wasn't in the library on that fateful day.
As it happened, it was a brisk fall morning, and Elphaba had woken up early to study for her potions exam. She had tried to convince Galinda, who, half-asleep, thought she was presenting a reasonable argument when she insisted you could LEARN things in your sleep, as it would infiltrate into her subconscious. (Elphaba wanted to point out that you actually had to be listening to something in order for that to work, but Galinda had fallen back asleep and refused to wake up again.)
Potions, it seemed, stressed almost the entire student body out, so she was surprised but not necessarily shocked when she saw some fellow morning risers studying in the library.
She immediately recognized them as Fiyero's gang, a group consisting of three boys who had, by no discernable merit, become Fiyero’s lackeys – following Fiyero around like lost ducklings under the guise of “bros being bros”.
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Ever since Elphaba had gained Galinda’s favor, Nessa – and by extension, Boq – had come to reap some of the rewards that popularity graciously offered, too.
Crope and Tibbett, by association of being Fiyero’s right hand men, had unofficially adopted Boq into their clique after an eventful picnic where Galinda got mud on her favorite day dress, Fiyero sprained his ankle carrying Galinda over said mud, Boq got stung twice, and which finally culminated in Elphaba breaking an antique Vinkus teapot with her magical anger-management-issues after being poked one too many times by Crope and Tibbett, respectively.
“Shut up,” Boq hissed, pulling Elphaba’s attention back to the present. “I need to understand the difference between reactions.”
Crope poked Tibbett – who looked absolutely disheveled with his untamed bed hair – in the arm with his pencil.
“All I’m saying,” Tibbett whispered conspiratorially, apparently picking up the conversation from before he was admonished, “is that they're gay.”
“That's rich, coming from you,” Crope snickered. “You didn't know you were gay until your senior year.”
“We're so failing this class,” Boq moaned, but his friends seemed to ignore him.
“Hey, gaydar is a real thing,” Tibbett hissed. He turned back to Boq, who was intently scribbling something on a spare piece of paper.
“Mandrake root and Helichrysum share an ionic bond, not covalent, dude,” he commented, looking over her shoulder.
“Fuck this,” Crope said, reaching over Tibbett so he could grab Boq’s paper, furiously ripping it into a thousand little pieces.
“I hate prerequisite classes. I shouldn't even have to take this, it has nothing to do with my field of study!”
Tibbett shrugged. “Don’t shoot the messenger. But as I was saying: Galinda and, damn it, what’s her name? The green one?”
“Elphaba,” Boq stressed, sounding fairly annoyed and breathless, his statement bordering on a soft plea, no doubt feeling as if he needed to defend his girlfriend's sister. “Her name is Elphaba.”
Tibbett hummed in reply, trying to twirl his pencil between his fingers absent-mindedly– and spectacularly failed. His pencil fell to the ground with a small clack.
“Like I said,” Tibbett said, glaring daggers at his pencil which had finally stopped rolling around on the floor like a beached whale. “An extremely unconventional name.”
“You never said such a thing,” Boq pointed out.
Croppe raised his eyebrows, and bent down to pick up Tibbett’s pencil.
“Whatever. I agree with Tibbett. They're into each other. Like two peas in a pod,” Crope commented, handing Tibbett his pencil whilst shaking his head ruefully.
“I'm surprised there aren't more rumors about them.”
Wait – what? Elphaba thought suddenly, processing what she had just heard.
“Aren't,” Boq started lamely, “aren't Fiyero and Galinda together?”
“Well, yeah, technically,” Tibbett replied lazily. “But, c’mon, there's no denying that they're at least both a little gay.”
I'm what – we're what – now? Elphaba thought, blinking in disbelief.
She was used to the name calling, used to the ridicule, but this? Students gossiping about her sexuality?
That was new.
And, decidedly, unwelcome.
“Shouldn't you, y’know,” Boq made an awkward gesture with his hands for added emphasis, “tell Fiyero your suspicions?”
“Dude, hell no. Do you want to get in between any of that?” Tibbett remarked, narrowing his eyes at him.
“Well – no, not exactly,” Boq replied sheepishly.
“And you think we want to?” Crope said incredulously.
Elphaba snickered quietly. Figures. Fiyero and his group were quite literally brainless.
“But! Touching on what you said!” Crope began, turning a page in their workbook. “There are plenty of rumors about Fiyero and Elphaba, right Tibbett?”
Tibbett gave a noncommittal “Hm,” as he briefly scanned the textbook in front of him.
“I mean, c'mon: Have you seen the looks that Fiyero gives her?” Crope pressed, nudging Tibbett with his elbow to get his attention. “Face it: the green one has Shiz’s socialites right where she wants them.
“Elphaba,” Boq hissed.
“Forget Fiyero! I’m talking about how gay Galinda and the green one are!” Tibbett threw his hands up into the air, exasperated that the conversation was not heading where he wanted it to go.
“Oz above,” Boq moaned.
“Typical,” Elphaba muttered under her breath. “Of course I'm referred to as the green one.”
“Anyways,” the Tibett continued, gesturing wildly with his arms as he spoke, “green girl is gay for Galinda.”
“Green Girl sounds like a shitty superhero name,” Crope decided suddenly, tucking the pencil studiously behind her ear.
Elphaba paused, taking a moment to properly entertain the ideas they were throwing around. Listening to Crope, Tibbett and Boq’s conversation, besides being bad for health, was one thing – actually digesting the material was another.
She took a deep breath, trying to not have an identity crisis. I'm not gay, she rationalized. Nor do I have a thing for Fiyero. Or Galinda, for that matter! Besides, if I had a thing for Fiyero, that’d make me straight.
Right?
But the blush creeping up her cheeks when she thought about the both of them – together – was making her think otherwise.
“It's not about the gay factor,” Tibbett intoned loudly, interrupting Elphaba's thoughts. “Think about it: who doesn't have a crush on Galinda Upland?”
“You, for one,” Crope replied lazily.
“I'm a statistical outlier!”
“Being gay makes you a statistical outlier?!” Crope interjected. “That means half of fucking Shiz are statistical outliers!”
“Half of Shiz is gay?” Boq said incredulously.
Crope facepalmed. “Half of the student body wears converse and tactical army boots, and you still haven't realized they're gay?!”
Tibbett snickered. “Technically speaking, if half of Shiz is gay, it's only one-third of the student population that isn't interested in Galinda…”
Crope sniffed. “My point still stands.”
Elphaba rose from her seat, feeling that she heard enough. She hadn't been able to study at all, her head was pounding, and to top it all off, she was experiencing an identity crisis. The conversation, though extremely idiotic, was – in a profoundly stupid way – enlightening.
As she rose, her stool grated against the library’s wooden floor, causing the trio of early risers to look her way.
The horror on their faces was evident.
“For the record,” Elphaba started, then faltered, then started again: “my name is Elphaba.”
And with that, she pushed her stool out all the way, wincing at the awful noise it made, and proceeded to run to the exit of the library.
A quiet “oh shit,” was the last thing she heard before the door closed.
Elphaba leaned back onto the library door as she took a deep breath. Okay. Okay. Focus.
Her agenda for the day had been totally altered. She was supposed to take her potions exam, work on her history essay during lunch, spend an hour or two at the library, then go home and get ready for bed. It was solid. Predictable. She liked predictable.
Entertaining gossip, she realized, was NOT on her agenda for the day.
She swallowed instinctively.
Emotions, and all that they brought with them, on the other hand, were downright messy. Emotions meant magic, and with Elphaba's unexplainable anger-management issues, magical energy combined with actual kinetic energy was never a good idea. So as a rule more so than a courtesy to those around her, she didn't spend too much time indulging in them.
The times where she was forced to make decisions that weighed heavily on her heart (though they were few and far between), she always somehow ended up taking a walk.
A walk. Now that was a good idea. Possibly the best idea she had all day.
She took another deep breath, summoning all her courage from Oz-knows-where, and gently propelling herself forward, started walking.
Especially when she had things that needed to be done.
Focus.
She had realized from a young age that she had an interesting relationship with sexuality, going as far as feeling little to nothing at all. Of course, this suited her quite well as far as she was considered – nobody would be interested in her anyways, so why not stay purposefully celibate? – but seeing as all her other previous assumptions of herself were thrown out the window by Fiyero and Galinda, why shouldn’t that go as well?
She took a deep breath.
Being gay – or at least feeling some sort of attraction towards Galinda and Fiyero didn’t necessarily mean they had to deviate from the status quo, right? Certainly not – assuredly not – and yet…
She couldn’t help but thinking back to what Croppe had said:
Face it: the green one has Shiz’s socialites right where she wants them…
She shook her head. It wasn’t true, of course – none of it was true. Galinda was only and deeply devoted to Fiyero – even if she and Elphaba were, for lack of better words, attached at the hip – and Fiyero seemed completely enamoured with Galinda, even if his gaze did stray towards her from time to time.
But a small spark of something – hope, and denial mixed with uncertainty, perhaps fear? – bloomed in her chest at the thought of having a chance with them. With either of them.
Fiyero’s crew were brainless, though. Mostly. Sure, they had their insights, and probably knew their way around social niceties better than she did, but it didn’t mean their gossip was true.
Should she ask someone? Anyone? Then again, who would she ask? Certainly not Galinda – she was a suspected party after all – and Fiyero was, for the same reason, arguably out of the question.
Nessarose was the only one she could reasonably confide in – and then her suggestions tended to lean towards me “stop-brooding-and-do-something” rather than the “I-completely-endorse-your-prolonged-bouts-of-social-isolation-and-overthinking”.
Still. She wouldn’t be able to realistically talk to Nessa until her potions exam was finished – and to her great chagrin, she had both Galinda and Fiyero in that class.
The unnamed gods hated her. That was certain. She had known this before, of course, but in a quieter, lesser capacity – a subconscious thought that dwindled at the end of her collective perception, emerging only in dreams and in bouts of cowardice.
She was being a coward now, she realized.
There were only two courses of action, she decided, exhaling slowly. And both of them involved Fiyero and Galinda. Her only real choice in the matter, of course, lay in delaying the inevitable. Either she’d skip breakfast (a terrible idea, seeing as she had a test the next period and didn’t focus well on an empty stomach) and head straight to her exam and face Galinda and Fiyero straight after. Which, she had to admit, was an equally terrible idea. Because Galinda and Fiyero would know by then – even if Croppe and Tibbett wouldn’t tell them (which was a fifty-fifty chance), Boq would be far too guilty, and would most likely blunder his way into a sob-story confession. The second option was going to breakfast, siting with them and act like nothing had happened, like she didn’t just intrude on an early morning gossip session — and wasn’t entertaining it. Either way, Galinda would sense that something was off. Fiyero, for all his feigned brainlessness, probably would, too. And the damnedest thing was, when they sensed something was off, they never left her alone. It was both maddingly infuriating and, strangely enough, charming.
There was more to lose than she had first realized. Because – Lurine above! – if she was being honest, she did like them. She isn’t sure how this love even came about – one moment she had loved them as friends and nothing more – and then one day, something just shifted. Maybe it was their constant, unwavering enthusiasm; maybe it was the simple fact that they weren’t giving up on her. She had never had that before; Frexpar’s love was conditional at best, and Morrible’s infatuation had to do more with her abilities than, well, her actual personality. That’s a sort of conditional love, too, she reasoned. And Nessa loved her because she simply had to – because they were sisters, and that’s what sisters do. But there was always a resistance to her love – not that Nessa didn’t care, she did, but Elphaba was, in many ways, beneath her – and it was hard to love someone equally when you’re not on equal footing to begin with.
But Galinda and Fiyero never left her. Their love and their friendship were perfectly balanced – and though Elphaba still sometimes felt inferior, Galinda and Fiyero never treated her as such. There was a comfort that came along with their fierce protectiveness, of their unwavering support and loyalty – even on her worst days, they wouldn’t stray from her side, no matter how many times she’d tell them too.
“Nobody deserves to be alone,” Galinda would chide gently, and Elphaba would, momentarily, forget how to speak.
Elphaba let out a long, wavering breath. She was screwed. There were no two ways about it.
Suddenly, she felt a warm hand against the small of her back. Elphaba turned around suddenly, cringed, and began blinking stupidly at Galinda Upland.
“Galinda,” Elphaba started. “I–uh, I wasn’t expecting you to be up this early?”
It came out as a question more than a statement, but Galinda didn’t pay it any mind.
Galinda let out a twinkle of a laugh, followed by her famous 100-watt smile.
“You did try to wake me earlier,” she reminded her, teasing her gently. “Besides, my alarm woke me up.”
Elphaba swallowed. “Oh,” she managed to croak out, immediately chastising herself, because Oh? Really? That’s what she was leading with?
Galinda’s smile wavered, replaced by a look of concern. “Are you okay, Elphie? You’re quiet today. Well,” she corrected after a moment’s thought, “more quiet than you usually are, at least.”
Elphaba nodded. “I’m fine,” she said quickly, racking her brain for a suitable excuse. “I–er, have a sore throat.”
Galinda tsked sympathetically. “You poor dear,” she cooed. “Come now – we’ll get you some tea at breakfast! And don’t you dare try to argue with me, Elphie,” Galinda said, effectively cutting Elphaba off when she opened her mouth to speak. “Besides, it’s time for breakfast, anyways. And this cold certainly won’t do your cold any good! Really,” Galinda intoned, taking Elphaba’s hand, all but dragging her towards Shiz’s dining room, “you should know better than to be out – alone – in this sort of weather! And with a cold, no less! Oh, Elphaba Thropp, sometimes I just do wonder about you.”
Elphaba couldn’t help cringing as Galinda led her through the numerous doorways and intricate but structurally unsound archways that littered Shiz’s campus. It was a marvel that the college was even standing – half of its infrastructure was based solely on looks and not structural integrity, which she owed to the fact that it had been commissioned by rich Gilkanese philanthropists. If Galinda had taught her anything, it was that the Gilkanese were anything but practical. If Elphaba had to guess, she would assume that Morrible played a large part in keeping the place standing.
“Really, Galinda,” Elphaba attempted to say whilst being manhandled through yet another archway, “there’s no—oh,” Elphaba gulped, face heating up as Galinda turned around, placing her pointer finger against Elphaba’s lips to shush her. “None of that,” she said, removing her finger so that she could playfully wag it in front of Elphaba’s face. “You’ll spare me this one little favor, won’t you, Elphie?” Galinda was looking at her intently with large, puppy dog eyes. “Besides, I think it’ll be good for you. You can be good for me, right, Elphie?”
Elphaba closed her eyes, praying to the unnamed god to help her keep her composure. She took a deep, shaky breath as she tried to control her racing thoughts. Oh, Lurline. She wasn’t going to survive this, was she? There was no way this was just friendly, right? Surely Galinda couldn’t have been that oblivious.
All of a sudden, she felt a soft, lingering touch just below her jawbone. Her eyes flew open on their own accord, and the next thing she knew was that she was exactly at eye-level with Galinda – a grand feat, considering Galinda was at least a good foot shorter than she was. Her chin was being propped up by Galinda’s steady hand, and once Galinda was satisfied that she had gotten Elphaba’s attention, she moved her hand down Elphaba’s neck, ultimately settling on Elphaba’s pulse point.
Oz, Elphaba thought, Oz and hell.
“It’s a good thing I wore higher heels today,” Galinda breathed, gently tucking a stray curl behind Elphaba’s ear. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to do this.”
Galinda didn’t hesitate in closing the gap between them. Throwing caution to the wind, she leaned in and placed a soft, albeit chaste kiss upon Elphaba’s lips.
Elphaba’s eyes went wide, and she swore that her feet began to buckle beneath her.
“Galinda,” she gasped, “Fiyero–”
“Don’t have much of a sore throat now, do you?” Galinda said smugly, eyes glittering with amusement.
"I–have to go,” Elphaba said quickly, using her hand to push Galinda away from her person. She was breathing heavily and shaking uncontrollably, with a wild, almost manic look in her eyes.
Galinda looked at her, utterly confused, and if Elphaba had to guess – a little bit hurt.
“Um,” said, “I–have–there’s this thing,” she explained hastily, before turning on her heels and running towards the Quad.
“Elphaba!” Galinda called after her. “Elphaba Thropp, don’t you dare run off again! Once was quite enough! And I can’t run in these heels!”
Elphaba ignored her, sprinting across the courtyard in record time.
To her great disdain, Fiyero was strolling across the other side of the courtyard, seemingly lost in thought – just generally ambling about, admiring the foliage. Upon hearing the pattering of boots on the cobblestone path, he looked up just in time to catch a glimpse of a blurry green blob running past him.
“FIYERO!” Galinda hollered from across the courtyard. “CATCH HER!”
Fiyero looked at Elphaba’s retreating form, then back to Galinda, as if to say are you crazy?
Galinda shot him a look right back.
Turning on his heels, Fiyero tried his best to call out to her.
“Elphaba!” Fiyero yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth so that the sound would travel across the field. “Slow down!”
If anything, Elphaba ran faster. Dodging through the crowds of curious onlookers that swarmed the courtyard and the surrounding field, she made a beeline towards the potions department.
Potions, she thought to herself desperately, her mind already in damage-control mode. All I need to do is to get to potions and take the test early so I don't have to see them before I talk to Nessa.
She rounded a particularly sharp corner, wincing as her leather satchel bounced up and down at the rush of moment, protesting by smacking her thigh none too gently every other step.
As she ran, she realized that this was most definitely going to become school gossip. She would’ve laughed at the ridiculousness of it if she had the energy – just imagine anyone flying down the edge of the Quad at eight-thirty in the morning, with Fiyero and Galinda shouting at them to slow down and stop. Now imagine if that person was painted a very vibrant, noticeable green. Well, Elphaba reasoned as she rounded yet another corner, it was a statement, if anything. Even if the statement was a simple “I HAVE TO RUN FOR MY LIFE.”
Jogging up the steps of the potion’s department, she paused, catching her breath beside the ornate, solid oak door. Upon further inspection, Elphaba found that there were engravings carved into the wood, spanning the whole door’s length – which was downright impressive, considering the door was a good fifteen feet high. It boasted an odd combination of beakers, vials, and random fleur-de-lys. The engravings were hard enough to make out because of the wood’s dark, almost mahogany color – but from the little that she’d seen, she could tell that the work was detailed and well done. She wasn’t quite sure what exactly it symbolized – potions and royalty had little to nothing to do with one another – but she didn’t have the time to dwell on it.
Galinda would like this, Elphaba thought immediately. I should show it to her later. Her main major was architecture, after all – even if she minored in sorcery.
Oh, she grimaced. Right. If she ever could face talking to Galinda again.
It was completely and utterly quiet at this point in the morning – most of the students had made their way over to the Dining Hall, and class wasn’t scheduled to start for another forty-five minutes. At any other point of the day, this place would be absolutely crawling with students – mostly first years. Potions, after all, was a prerequisite class. A very widely hated prerequisite class, but a prerequisite class nonetheless.
She sighed and pushed the door open – not an easy feat, considering it was a hefty ten pounds of solid wood – and stepped inside. Her classroom was located on the second floor of the building, so after a quick jog up the stairs (as if she didn’t get enough exercise already!) and a quick left turn, she was finally at her appointed classroom.
She hesitated slightly before knocking on the door, and upon hearing a muffled cry of “come in!” she entered.
Sitting at her desk was Professor Windig, sipping on a cup of steaming coffee, annotating some ancient textbook with a red calligraphy pen. She beckoned Elphaba over to her desk with a wave of a gnarled finger.
“Miss Thropp,” she drawled, nodding in her general direction before pausing to take a sip of her coffee. “This is an unexpected surprise. How can I help you?”
“Good morning, Professor,” Elphaba began, re-adjusting her satchel so that it wouldn’t fall off her shoulder. “I realize this is an unconventional request, but would I be able to take my potions exam a bit early today?”
Professor Windig looked at Elphaba warily. “And, might I ask, why you are requesting to take this test early?”
Elphaba took a deep breath. “Madam Morrible has a meeting scheduled during our regular class period,” she fibbed. “And the only time she is able to meet with me today, is, regrettably, the first period after breakfast.”
Professor Windig snickered into her coffee.
“Really, Miss Thropp, I wouldn’t expect you to be a liar,” she said, putting her cup down on her desk, folding her wrinkled hands together. “Master Tigelaar, yes – maybe even Miss Upland. But you? This is a first.”
Elphaba opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off for the second time that day.
“Before you say anything, you should be aware that Madam Morrible has a scheduled meeting during the first period in the morning with all of the potions professors. Usually I would ask Avaric, my TA, to take over for me,” Elphaba rolled her eyes, unable to retain her disdain upon hearing Avaric’s name, “but since this is our first exam, and you are all first years, it would be unfair for me to be absent. But I digress. Since your reputation exceeds you – let me finish, young lady, before you cut in,” Professor Windig rebuked sharply, noticing that Elphaba had opened her mouth. “I will give you another chance to explain yourself properly. So. I will ask you again: why are you requesting to take your potions exam early?”
Elphaba reddened considerably. There was no way she was telling Professor Windig about her romantic life. Hastily, she searched for a plausible excuse.
“As you know, I am..not fond of large crowds,” Elphaba began slowly, with Professor Windig nodding at her to continue. “And I find it is hard to focus properly at the best of times with a class of fifty, let alone in an exam room where everyone’s nerves are heightened. So I was wondering – requesting, really – if you’d allow me to take the potions exam before class starts today. I understand that this is an unconventional request,” she added quickly, noticing Professor Windig’s look of disapproval. “But as you said, my reputation as a good student exceeds me. So I was wondering if you’d be willing to make an exception this time around.”
Professor Windig cocked her head thoughtfully. “Miss Thropp,” she began, “you do realize you are supposed to go through the proper channels of Shiz’s disability department in order to ask for moderations and testing arrangements, yes?”
Elphaba nodded. “I know. But I wasn’t able to reach them before this test. This is a one time thing,” she said quietly. “It won’t happen again.”
Professor Windig sighed. Reaching for a drawer on the right side of her desk, she withdrew a piece of paper from the compartment.
“This,” she said, holding the paper over her head, “is technically in violation of school policy. But you are a good student, and I know you, at least, have a modicum of intellectual integrity. You must not share this with anyone, Miss Thropp. Any information on this test – including the problems and general material it covers – is not to be shared with anyone. And I do mean anyone,” the Professor warned. “That goes for Master Tigelaar and Miss Upland. Am I understood?”
Elphaba nodded enthusiastically. “Yes ma’am.”
“If I find my test answers circling around the student body, Miss Thropp,” Professor Windig continued, “it will not only mean an automatic zero for this test – it will be an automatic zero for the rest of the semester. Am I understood?”
“Yes, Professor,” Elphaba nodded once more. “Thank you. I appreciate you doing this for me.”
Professor Windig sniffed. “Yes, well – as long as this is a one time thing, it can stay between us,” she counseled, handing over the test to Elphaba. “You have thirty-five minutes before the rest of the class comes in. That means you will hand in your test at the class’s halfway mark. Am I understood?”
Elphaba nodded. The professor slid the paper across the desk towards Elphaba.
“Good luck,” Professor Windigs said. “Though I doubt you need it.”
Elphaba’s stomach gurgled in reply as she took her seat in one of the many desks that filled the room. If she could delay seeing Galinda and Fiyero for at least one class, that would be ideal. It would give her the necessary time to talk things over with Nessarose. Besides, she wouldn’t be able to focus on her test if Galinda and Fiyero were in the same classroom as her. She could barely focus on her test as it was.
****
She was sure, after it was all said and done, nobody in all of Oz had taken a chemistry exam that quickly. By the time she had put down her pencil, students were already beginning to enter the exam hall, and almost everyone in attendance was quietly chatting, chuckling and wringing their hands nervously. Elphaba glanced around quickly. Thank Oz, she thought, Fiyero and Galinda aren’t here yet. She allowed herself to let out a sigh of relief. Hastily, she gathered her test papers, bundled them together, and made her way over to Professor Windig’s desk. The Professor, for her part, seemed to be having a lengthy conversation with Avaric about the homework she had assigned to her senior class almost two weeks prior. Avaric might’ve been a TA, but his academic record was anything but pristine.
However, as she approached Professor Windig’s desk, Avaric glanced over to her, a sly smile starting to spread across his face.
“Ah, Miss Elphaba,” he nodded, “always getting special treatment, I see.”
Elphaba’s eyes briefly flickered over to Professor Windig, who had stopped paying attention to Avaric in favor of returning to annotating her textbook.
She gritted her teeth together, trying to restrain herself.
“I’m finished with my test,” she explained evenly. “I’d like to hand it in.”
Avaric’s smile only got bigger.
“Why, of course!” he exclaimed, taking a mock bow. “How foolish of me, to keep Oz’s youngest prodigy waiting! I should just be kicking myself!”
“Avaric,” Elphaba started, taking a deep breath to control herself. “Just let me hand in my test. I’m not dealing with this at nine in the morning.”
“Actually,” Avaric said, shaking his arm, pushing the stubborn fabric away from his wrist so that he could accurately consult his watch. “It’s nine ten in the morning.”
“Professor Windig,” Elphaba called, choosing to ignore Avaric, seeing as their conversation wasn’t heading anywhere. “May I hand in my test now?”
The Professor looked up from her textbook. “Already? Class hasn’t even started yet. You have at least another half hour to continue–”
“I’m sure,” Elphaba interrupted. She was a bit shocked at her own brazenness, and it seems the Professor was, too.
“If you’re sure,” the professor said slowly, gesturing for Elphaba to hand the paper over to her.
Avaric watched the strange interaction with mild amusement.
“Nice to see you’re finally growing a backbone, Thropp,” he teased.
“Avaric,” Professor Windig warned.
“Sorry,” Avaric shrugged. “Just nice to see that with all the melodrama surrounding Elphaba, she still isn’t deterred her from her studies.”
“Avaric,” the professor cut in. “Stop harassing the poor girl. You’re on thin ice already.”
“I mean, look at what happened this morning. Fiyero–”
“That’s quite enough!” Professor Windig snapped. “I’ve had enough of this!”
The room became pin-drop silent. The anxious chatter ceased immediately, and heads turned towards them to better gauge the situation at hand.
“Miss Thropp, you are free to go. Avaric, I have half a mind to report you to Madam Morrible for an academic suspension – don’t fuel the fire.”
Avaric frowned. With a final glare at Elphaba, he sauntered over to the other side of the classroom, clearly sulking.
Elphaba handed her paper over to her professor. “Thank you again for doing this.”
Professor Windig nodded. “Of course. But do remember our agreement. And I will not make exceptions next time.”
“Thank you,” Elphaba repeated quietly, turning to leave. To her surprise, she found Galinda and Fiyero standing in the doorway of their classroom, clearly waiting for her attention.
Galinda looked like she had been crying. Of course, nobody else could probably tell underneath all that makeup, but Elphaba could tell by her glassy eyes and freshly applied mascara that she had only succeeded in composing herself a few minutes earlier. Fiyero looked no better, his jaw set in a firm grimace, anxiously glancing back and forth between them.
“Elphaba,” Galinda said quietly. “Could you come here for a second?”
All eyes were on them as Elphaba made her way over to the doorway.
She congratulated herself on successfully making it halfway towards the door without magical explosions of any kind before allowing herself to address the onlookers.
“Go back to whatever you were doing!” She stated firmly. “This is not a spectacle.”
Eyes darted away from the doorway, everyone now seemingly immersed in their respective tasks. The chatter started up again, tentatively, with half of the students laughing awkwardly, consciously aware that it was in Professor Windig’s best interest to start the class immediately after the chaos had subsided. Professor Windig said nothing, but bent down to continue annotating in her book.
“Elphaba,” Galinda started when she had reached them. “Let me explain. I–”
Elphaba held up her hand. “Don’t. I just–I need some time alone, okay? I just want to be alone right now.”
Galinda said nothing, but Elphaba could tell that her eyes were beginning to well up with tears.
“I have to go,” Elphaba said quietly. “I’ve already taken the test.”
Galinda looked on silently, though it was clear to Elphaba that her friend felt betrayed by her actions.
“But why–” Galinda started, but was swiftly cut off by Professor Windig’s rallying cry of “take your seats, ladies and gentlemen! We will begin the exam shortly.”
“We’ll talk later,” Elphaba promised, though she felt her stomach churning at the thought. “I think we both need some time alone. Good luck on your exams, both of you,” she said, looking towards Fiyero, nodding her head in silent acknowledgement.
“Elphaba–” Fiyero started, but Elphaba ignored him, pushing past him.
Chemistry exam, check, Elphaba though, mentally running through her checklist. Her next objective was to find Nessarose.
****
Nessa was sitting by the fountain by the Quad, quietly chatting with Boq, Tibbett, and Crope. The latter were in deep conversation and hadn’t noticed her approaching, but Nessa had inclined her head back towards Elphaba as she made her way over to the fountain.
“Boq, why don’t you take the boys to the library? I’m sure you could brush up on your chemistry.” Nessa said, turning back to the group and laying her hand on top of Boq’s while flashing him a sickly sweet grin.
Boq coughed. “Well, that was the idea with studying in the library this morning,” he began, but froze when he saw Elphaba. Blushing profusely, he started rambling in agreement. “You know what! That’s a fantastic idea! Let’s go, now.”
Crope and Tibbett looked at him, then looked at each other, then at Nessa, then back to Boq mouthing what the fuck, dude? Boq cringed, and none too subtly jerked his thumb back towards Elphaba’s general location. Tibbett and Croppe visibly paled.
“Bye, Nessa! It was great talking to you!” Croppe commented hastily, as Tibbett nodded his head in agreement.
“Yeah, it was fun, we totally see what Boq sees in you or something – come on, Boq, let’s go,” Tibbett urged, all but manhandling Boq towards the library.
“Bye Nessie – Ow!” Boq exclaimed, trying to push Tibbett off of his arm. The three ambled away in a strange configuration of half-human tug-of-war, half-protesting munchkin.
“‘Nessie’?” Elphaba commented when the trio were out of hearing range.
“Well, hello to you, too,” Nessarose greeted, turning her wheelchair around in order to look at Elphaba properly.
Elphaba sighed, and Nessa waved her over. Elphaba sat down on the stone ledge of the fountain gingerly, cringing when she realized the stone was a bit damp.
“So. You’ve had an eventful morning,” Nessa began, toying with a stray piece of link that rested on her skirt before looking up at Elphaba. “You want to talk about it?”
Elphaba rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you know all about it. I think half the student body does at this point, too.”
“Well, I don’t know about half the student body…” Nessarose said thoughtfully. “More like a third.”
“Oh, great. That’s as many students who aren't attracted to Galinda,” Elphaba muttered.
Nessarose looked at her quizzically. Elphaba sighed.
“Forget it. Look, I don’t really know what happened. All I know is that I was supposed to study for my exam, and then your boyfriend,” Nessarose rolled her eyes at Elphaba’s over-emphasis of the word, “and the rest of Fiyero’s entourage were gossiping about my sexuality and how I, quote-on-quote, ‘had shiz’s socialites right where I wanted them.’”
“Well, they’re not completely wrong,” Nessa mused.
“What?”
Nessa held Elphaba’s gaze. “You can’t be that oblivious, can you?”
Elphaba blinked. “Nessa, what in Oz’s name are you implying–”
Nessarose cut her off. “I’m implying that they like you, Elphaba Thropp. They love you. Not as friends. Trust me.”
Elphaba matched Nessa’s steely gaze for two moments before looking away.
“Well,” Elphaba said, letting out a long exhale. “I guess that explains the kiss.”
Nessa just looked at her in disbelief. “They kissed you?”
“Galinda,” Elphaba corrected. “Galinda kissed me. Fiyero was just around. Galinda tried siccing him on me.”
Nessa started laughing uproariously. “You have to be kidding me. You didn’t realize they were into you?”
“Well, I did when she kissed me!” Elphaba said defensively, rising from the fountain so that she could pace back and forth on the cobblestone path in front of them.
Nessarose wiped a tear from her eye. “Ozdamit,” she giggled. “You really are hopeless.”
“Thanks,” Elphaba deadpanned. “This is just the type of pep-talk I was hoping for.”
Nessarose took a deep breath in order to regain her composure. “And what else happened, dear sister?”
“...I may have taken my potions exam forty-five minutes early to avoid seeing them,” Elphaba confessed. Nessarose said nothing, but narrowed her eyes in a mixture of shock and disbelief.
“It…probably wasn’t my proudest moment,” Elphaba confessed.
“No,” Nessarose agreed. “It really wasn’t.”
They were both silent for a moment. Elphaba trained her gaze towards the fountain, watching the little droplets of water flow from the spigot all the way down into the basin.
“What do you want to do about it?” Nessarose said quietly.
Elphaba looked at her. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Nessarose rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean, Fabala,” she pressed. “Are you going to accept, or decline?”
Elphaba sighed. “I don’t know. I thought for such a long time that I wouldn’t be interested in anyone…” she sighed, wringing her hands nervously. “But now they’re both interested in me, but I don’t know how to choose between them. I don’t think I realistically can. I love them so much, but in entirely different ways.” Elphaba sat back down on the ledge of the fountain, her feet starting to ache from the amount of pacing she was doing.
Nessarose hummed thoughtfully, rolling towards Elphaba until she was perpendicular to the fountain. Hastily, she stretched out her hand so that she could play with the falling streams of water.
“I don’t think they’re expecting you to choose,” Nessa said quietly. “I think they both want you in the same way you want them.”
Elphaba trained her gaze upon Nessarose’s hand. It was easier than making direct eye contact.
“It would be unconventional. Detrimental, even. I don’t know if they would even go for it,” Elphaba commented succinctly.
Nessa playfully wiggled her fingers in the water. “Fiyero would.” She said assuredly.
Elphaba covered her face with her hands and groaned. “Yes – he would. But I don’t know if Galinda would. She’s – I don’t know if she could risking losing her popularity.” She allowed herself a glimmer of a smile. “She couldn’t live without it, you know.”
“Well, to be fair, she was the one who kissed you,” Nessa pointed out. “And Galinda doesn’t seem like the type of person to cheat. So I think there’s another explanation."
“She could’ve broken up with Fiyero before she kissed me,” Elphaba mused. Nessa just shook her head.
“You already said that Galinda tried sicc’ing Fiyero on you – don’t tell me how, I don’t want to know,” Nessa started, shivering at the ideas coursing through her brain. Elphaba frowned disapprovingly.
“But let me ask you this: if Fiyero and Galinda broke up, why would Fiyero help Galinda – or even be nearby, for that matter – if he’s also attracted to you? It would be self-defeating. And Fiyero is nice, but he has enough self-preservation to not be a cuck.”
Elphaba cringed. “Please don’t call him that. It’s gross.”
Nessa shrugged, lifting her hand out of the water. “It’s true.”
Elphaba sighed. “Do you think I should go for it? I mean, I’m putting everything we have on the line….”
Nessarose just stared at her. “No, I don’t think you should go for it – I’ve spent the last forty-five minutes counseling you on what to do, but really,” she paused, pointing to her chest with over-exaggerated flair, “deep down, in the eeny weeny crevices of my heart– I am vehemently against the idea.” She shook her head ruefully. “Fabala, I love you, but really? You’re smarter than that.”
Elphaba massaged the back of her neck with her hand.
“I know it’s difficult,” Nessarose admitted, putting her hand on Elphaba’s shoulder. “But it would be good for you. For all of you.”
Elphaba cringed.
“What?” Nessa teased. “Was that too cheesy?”
Elphaba shook her head, plucking at the wet fabric that had gathered by her shoulder. “No. But your hand was wet, and now my sweater is wet, too.”
Nessa shrugged. “Sorry. I don’t charge these sessions for free, you know. Consider that to be your payment.”
Elphaba rolled her eyes, smiling. Nessarose chuckled.
“By the way, aren’t you late for class?” Elphaba questioned, narrowing her eyes. “You should be focusing on your studies, not on my pathetic love triangle.”
Nessarose deadpanned. “My class was canceled, and I don’t have potions till noon. I’m in the same class as Boq, Croppe, and Tibbett. By the way, help your sister out – what was on the potions test, exactly?”
Elphaba smiled but shook her head. “Can’t say under penalty of failing the whole semester. Sorry.” She held up two fingers. “Academic’s honor.”
Nessarose tsked. “‘Academic honor’ my ass. You wouldn’t have shared the info with me anyways, but at least you have a reasonable excuse.”
“Nessa!” Elphaba laughed. “What would father say if he knew you were using such vulgar language?”
Nessa grinned, poking Elphaba in the shoulder. “Then I’ll have to make sure he doesn’t find out.”
Elpbaba snorted. “Good luck.” Nessarose shrugged, then let out a long sigh.
“I must go, dear sister, or you’ll never do anything. You are stalling,” she pointed out, beginning to wheel herself away from the fountain.”
“Nessa!” Elphaba called out anxiously, rising from her perch on the fountain. “Where are you going?”
“It’s called ‘strategic retreat’,” Nessa threw over her shoulder. “Designed especially for you to start moving along. Plus I have to go study. Stop overthinking and go kiss her already.”
Elphaba blew out a big huff of air as she watched Nessa retreat towards the library. She sat back down on the stone ledge, trying to recollect her thoughts.
Yes. She did like both of them. She swallowed instinctively. Oh, Oz. Nessa was right. They probably were interested in her, too.
There was just so much at risk. She closed her eyes and tried to sort out her thoughts, enjoying the light, fall breeze and the twinkling of the fountain behind her.
She must have dozed off for a few minutes, because the next thing she knew she opened her eyes to see a very pale Galinda Upland making her way towards her.
Elphaba rose to greet her.
“I talked with Nessa,” she said by way of greeting once Galinda had reached her.
“I saw,” Galinda said quietly. Elphaba took a deep breath, mentally fortifying herself.
“I’m sorry,” Galinda said softly. “I – I shouldn’t have sprang that up on you so early in the morning. Especially after you said you weren’t feeling well.”
Elphaba snorted. “Hope I don’t give you my cold,” she said nonchalantly, gesturing for Galinda to join her on the fountain’s ledge. Galinda didn’t say anything, but sat down demurely beside her.
“Somehow, I think I’ll manage,” Galinda said when she had gotten comfortable.
Elphaba smiled for a fraction of a second.
“You and Fiyero,” Elphaba started, “are you…still a thing?”
Galinda nodded. “Yes. We both love each other.”
Elphaba narrowed her eyes. “But you also love me.”
“We love you,” Galinda corrected. “We had been talking about approaching you for a while. We both agreed that it would be best if I approached you first so that you wouldn’t feel overwhelmed.” She let out a soft chuckle. “Obviously it didn’t go according to plan.”
Elphaba’s gaze met Galinda’s. “When did you decide this?”
Galinda sighed, shifting so that her legs would cross at the ankle.
“About a month ago,” she confessed. “We both openly admitted that we loved you, and that both of us wanted to pursue you. And that if you were willing, there was room for a third in our relationship.”
Elphaba looked at Galinda sharply. “You’re messing with me.”
Galinda met her steely gaze. “I’m not. I’m a hundred percent serious. We were considering talking to you together, but we didn’t want to scare you off. So I’m representing both of us.”
Elphaba paused, momentarily lost for words.
“You don’t have to say yes,” Galinda started, mistaking Elphaba’s silence for ambivalence, or Oz forbid, something worse. “But we thought we’d try.”
“Galinda,” Elphaba started. “I don’t – I think –”
Elphaba watched as Galinda pulled back slightly, preparing herself for the worst. Elphaba sighed and closed her eyes in an effort to organize her thoughts.
“I want this,” she said quietly, opening her eyes to be met with Galinda practically sitting on her lap. Galinda giggled, although she was tearing up, and wrapped her hands around Elphaba’s neck.
“Galinda,” Elphaba murmured, almost reverently. She couldn’t believe it.
“I want you,” she continued while Galinda held on for dear life. “And Fiyero,” she confessed. “I just wasn’t cognizant of it until I heard Boq, Crope, and Tibbett gossiping about us in the library and –”
“Elphie,” Galinda whispered into Elphaba’s shoulder. “Put your hands around my back.”
Elphaba cringed. “Right! Sorry! I’ll – I’ll do that,” she murmured, wrapping her hands around Galinda’s back. Galinda said nothing, but squeezed her shoulder as a silent thank you, and snuggled deeper into her embrace.
“I don’t know. When I was a child, marriage seemed horrible to me. General romance did, too.” Elphaba shrugged, or tried to shrug as best she could with Galinda acting as her personal koala bear.
“And then, you know, there was the whole green thing. So between both factors, I’d never really considered romance. It was just another one of those things I wasn’t privy to.”
Galinda said nothing, but hugged Elphaba harder, drawing soothing patterns on Elphaba’s shoulder. Elphaba sighed, and allowed herself to relax into Galinda’s embrace.
“So…I don’t know. I know I love you both, but that’s about it. I guess it’s just complicated.”
Galinda drew herself up suddenly, looking at Elphaba.
“You know, it sounds like you’re on the asexual spectrum,” Galinda said slowly. “Fiyero would know more about that, though. He said I was also somewhat asexual.”
Elphaba just blinked at her. “Oh. That's -- hm. I wouldn’t have expected that.”
Galinda giggled. “I wasn’t expecting it, either,” she confessed. “And then one day Fiyero says, ‘Glin,’” Galinda said, trying to lower her voice an octave in order to imitate Fiyero, but failed miserably. “‘I think you’re asexual. There’s no shame in that, I just think you should know.’”
Elphaba snorted. “And what did you say?”
Galinda blushed. “You’ll be privy to that at a later date,” she teased. Elphaba threw her head back and laughed.
“It was that bad?” Elphaba asked in between giggles.
“Elphaba Thropp!” Galinda wagged her finger in mock anger. “Some decorum, please,”
Elphaba just laughed harder. “I’m never letting you live that down. I’ll ask Fiyero what you said later.”
Galinda gaped at her, playfully smacking her on the arm. “Elphie,” she begged. “You wouldn’t,” she said, trying her best to contain her laughter but soon joined her, and thirty seconds later they were laughing so hard they could barely breathe.
“Oz,” Galinda breathed after they had stopped. “I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a long time.”
Elphaba smiled, letting out a breathless giggle. “Would it be a bad time to tell you that I don’t think I’ve ever laughed that hard in my life?”
“Oh, Elphie,” Galinda breathed, taking Elphaba’s hand in hers. Elphaba squeezed back in silent recognition. “What are we going to do with you?”
“You could kiss me again,” Elphaba suggested, surprised at her own boldness. “If you’d want to, that is.”
Galinda snorted. “How perfectly scandalacious,” she tittered, batting her eyelashes. “Come here. Let me give you a proper kiss this time.”
Elphaba feels something shift pleasantly inside of her, a feeling she hasn’t felt many times before. Something that makes her euphoric and giddy and terrified all at once.
And she realizes it when Glinda pauses to shift a stray hair out of her face, and gently cups her face and leans in for a kiss. It's love.
Something blossoms deep within her chest, in the little crevices of her heart, and twisting it's way up until there's nothing left for her to say but an “I love you.”
Love is a single heartbeat followed by this warm, fast blooming feeling of domesticity. She envisions it as Galinda kisses her, that these things that bloom in her heart are flowers; Poppies, Marigolds, the Morning Glories that continuously bespeckle Shiz’s manicured lawns.
When they break apart again, Elphaba can’t help but look at Galinda.
“I think I love you,” Elphaba confesses, and Galinda throws her head back and laughs.
“After that, I’d hope so,” she says, pushing one of Elphaba’s micro braids out of her face. Elphaba can’t help but smile at her – resolute and sure.
“I feel like I’m going to throw up and laugh at the same time,” Elphaba confesses.
Galinda nods understandably. “It’s the nerves. It happens to everyone. Oh! By the way, before I forget – Fifi would like to have his turn with you next, if you’d be so obliging.”
“Fifi?” Elphaba teases. “That’s new.”
“You know exactly who I’m talking about,” Galinda grumbles, but there’s no real menace behind it.
“C’mon,” Elphaba says, tapping Galinda’s thigh. “Where’s our knight in shining armour positioned this time?”
“Prince in shining armor,” Galinda corrects. “And he’s by the library. Oh, dear,” Galinda says, eyes wide with realization. “He’s probably grilling Croppe, Tibbett, and Boq about this morning.”
“Never thought he’d be by the library. And they can wait,” Elphaba says, leaning in to kiss Galinda’s cheek. “They can wait, my sweet.”
“Elphiiee,” Galinda says, dragging Elphaba into a standing position. “I told him I’d come find him as soon as I knew your answer. Come on!”
Elphaba laughed, letting herself be man hauled to the library by her new girlfriend to tell their boyfriend the great news, all the while thinking that maybe, just maybe, all three of them were inseparable after all.