"Elphie! Shall I tell you a story?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

With a short sigh, Galinda leaped off Elphaba's bed and sat at her dressing table – which resembled the tangled chaos one might find in an old antique shop, except with makeup. She touched up her already perfect complexion, delicately powdering her button nose and cheeks, which were slightly flushed in annoyance at her friend's lack of enthusiasm.

However, Elphaba had a perfectly good reason to be half-hearted. She was stuck in bed, the covers pulled right up to her chin, with a stinking cold. The harsh winter weather had always affected her like this, ever since she was a very little girl. Due to the fact that her mother had little to no motherly feeling towards her as a child, and her father had wanted absolutely nothing to do with her, Elphaba had always had to take care of herself when she was unwell. This usually entailed tucking herself up in bed with a book, and shutting the unkind world out of her head.

Galinda had taken great delight in telling her all about how her 'momsy' had always read fairytale stories to her, while she cuddled up on her lap with her poorly-blanket, and brought her hot milk and honey to drink whenever she was sick. Her 'popsicle' always left work early to come straight home to visit 'his little angel girl' and showered her with presents.

At first Elphaba had found these little anecdotes quite pleasing to listen to, but after enduring what had surely felt like several hours, she had had enough. The painful memories of her childhood were too much for her, and everything always seems a hundred times worse when you're ill.

"I still don't see why you don't want to hear about the magical box daddy bought me one time."

"You've already told me about the magical box, this morning." Elphaba replied in a perturbed tone of voice, closing her eyes and frowning.

Galinda took to fiddling with the handles on the sides of her dressing-room stool upon which she was sat, lifting them up and letting them fall down again with a satisfying clack noise. Elphaba made no attempts to protest to this, just let out a long, heavy sigh.

The two girls could now call themselves friends; however they still had such steep differences in character that they frequently found themselves arguing. Elphaba usually had the upper hand, as she always threatened to turn Galinda into a frog (which in truth she hadn't yet learnt how to do, but the threat alone was enough) and this usually resulted in Galinda throwing herself face-down on her bed and filling the room with dramatic sobs, which she faked.

Despite their sometimes prickly relationship, they were very close. Ever since Galinda had joined Elphaba in her dancing at the Ozdust Ball in the summer, ever since she had taken her hand so as to lead her away from the taunting of the Shiz students, the two girls had a connection with each other so strong, no amount of trivial arguing or boastful stories could break it. "Closer than sisters" as the saying goes.

Once Galinda was sure Elphaba had fallen asleep, she sat gently down next to her on the bed, and held her green hand in hers,

"I'll always be here, Elphie, no matter what," she whispered softly, "I'll look after you, my beautiful green friend."

Galinda leant down to kiss Elphaba on her cold forehead.

A gentle smile lightened the corners of the green girl's mouth; she had been listening to every word.