The New Student at Shiz
Elphaba sat alone at the lunch table, eating a bunch of green grapes. She always sat alone, but that didn't bother her because she was able to block out all the noise and read a book. Elphaba pulled her History book out of her bag, propped it open, and began to read. She didn't notice when someone sat down across from her. She only noticed when the person cleared their throat. Elphaba jumped slightly and looked up, startled. She then found that the new student at Shiz was sitting across from her… She had never spoken to him, but she knew that he was a loner, and that he was a foreign exchange student from London, England. He had white skin and gray eyes, and short, puffy, white and black hair. He wore the same outfit every day: a long-sleeved, white dress shirt with a collar, a sleeve-less, gray vest with buttons, a gray belt, blue and white striped slacks, tall, black boots, and a long-sleeved, gray evening jacket with lapels. "I'm sorry Miss." he said in a quiet voice. "I didn't mean to startle you." "It's alright." Elphaba said quietly, shutting her book and slipping it back into her bag. "I just didn't realize you were here. Nobody ever comes and sits over here." "I can imagine." the stranger replied quietly. Elphaba shifted uncomfortably. She was an outcast, and she knew it. She had emerald green skin and eyes, and long, curly, black hair that she always wore in a long braid down her back. And she always wore a long-sleeved, navy blue turtleneck, a long-sleeved, navy blue jacket with silver buttons, a long, navy blue skirt, tall, brown, lace-up boots, and a navy blue beanie. Elphaba cleared her throat uncomfortably. "I've seen you around," she said quietly. "but I've never caught your name…" The boy extended his left hand and said, "Sweeney Todd." Elphaba extended her right hand, shook Sweeney's hand, and said, "Elphaba Thropp." Sweeney nodded and shook her hand, and then the two pulled their hands back. "Do you choose to be a loner, or are you an outcast too?" Elphaba asked. "Both. I choose to be alone, and people tend to ignore me because of it." Elphaba nodded. "You're from London, aren't you?" Sweeney nodded. "I am." "What's it like?" "Big. Loud. Full of people. But also very beautiful." Elphaba nodded. "Why?' Sweeney asked. Elphaba blushed slightly. "This might sound crazy, coming from someone…. someone like me, but I want to travel the world…" Sweeney smiled, although it looked more like a grimace than a smile. "That's not crazy. Everyone's free to pursue their own dream, no matter what color their skin is." "You really believe that?" Sweeney nodded again. "I do." "Alright then Mr. Todd, what's your dream?" Sweeney chuckled slightly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." "Oh really?" "Really." "Try me." Sweeney shrugged. "Alright Miss Thropp. I'll 'try you'. First, though, you should know a couple things about me." "What?" "Well, for starters, I own a men's barber shop back home in London. And second of all, I was sent to prison for several years for a crime I did not commit. I was released a year ago." "So you dream of revenge." Elphaba said matter-of-factly. Sweeney nodded. "I do." "That's only natural." Elphaba replied. "It is. I want to make London suffer like they made me suffer." "I understand how you feel. One day I plan on getting revenge on everyone who's ever made my life miserable." "How?" "I don't know yet." Elphaba admitted. "But I'm sure an idea will come to me when the time is right. What about you?" Sweeney chuckled darkly. "Something tells me it'd be better if I didn't answer that question!" "Why?" "I may be from London, and London may be known for its well-bred gentlemen, but I'm not one of them." "So? That doesn't matter to me." Sweeney sighed. "Alright. Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you! My plan is this: Luring men into my Barber Shop, slitting their throats, and dumping them down a chute to my basement. And then letting my assistant, Mrs. Lovett, chop up the bodies, cook them into her famous pies, and then sell them to unsuspecting customers." Elphaba gaped at him, slightly revolted. Finally she said, "That's disgusting!" Sweeney shrugged. "I warned you. I told you that you wouldn't want to know." "Why would you do that?" Elphaba asked. "It's a way to get revenge." "That's a horrible way to get revenge! Killing innocent people! And then feeding the remains to innocent people! That's gross!" "Do you have a better idea?" Elphaba opened and closed her mouth several times, but nothing came out. Sweeney gave her a look that said, "There you go." Elphaba glared at him and ate two grapes. They were silent for several minutes. Elphaba ate her grapes, and Sweeney cast his glance calmly around the crowded lunchroom. "See any throats you want to slit?" Elphaba asked after a while. Sweeney looked at her again with a slight smirk on his face. "Several." he replied. "But there's just one thing preventing it." "What's that?" "I don't have my knife." He smirked at Elphaba again, and she rolled her eyes. Sweeney chuckled slightly. "You're an interesting girl, Miss Thropp." "How so Mr. Todd?" Elphaba snapped. "You say you want revenge, but, yet, you don't seem to want to get up and take your revenge." Elphaba glared at him. "I do want revenge!" she snapped. "I just don't think killing innocent people is the way to get it!" Sweeney just shrugged. "Suit yourself." Another silence fell, and then, suddenly, the bell rang. Elphaba packed away her grapes, and then she and Sweeney both stood up. "What class do you have next?" Sweeney asked. "History." Elphaba replied shortly, slinging her bag over her shoulder without looking at him. "May I accompany you?" Sweeney asked. Elphaba looked up at him and glared at him, hatred etched deeply into her face. "No you may not, Mr. Todd." She replied coldly. "People already hate me. I don't need to add hanging out with a cold-blooded murderer to my list of sins." Then with that, Elphaba turned on her heel and stalked out of the lunchroom. Sweeney watched her go in silence. He put his hand in the pocket of his slacks, feeling for the barber's knifed he always carried. He pulled it out and stood there, watching Elphaba disappear into the crowd. Then he whispered under his breath, "Yes, Miss Thropp. There is definitely one throat I want to slit! Yours!"