Disclaimer: You know the drill; I have no ownership of Wicked, except for the paperback copy of Gregory Maguire's novel on my top shelf

The Things I Notice

My mirror is beautiful, an elaborate circle framed with delicate shimmering flowers, carefully crafted in Quadling Country. The face in the mirror is beautiful, too. You can't say it isn't. My perfect blonde curls throw out light, and my skin is flawless. Adding to this vision of perfection is my dress, an exquisite pearl-pink creation with intricate beading at the neckline. Of course I am beautiful – I am Galinda Upland. No! I'm Glinda, now. Glinda! I am the most sought-after girl at Shiz University. I am every man's dream.

Not his, though.

I used to be. He used to look at me like there was no-one else in the whole of Oz. But things are different, now. There is a girl he looks at like that, but it isn't me.

What does he see in her? Her, with her sharp, bony features and her lank black hair and, most of all, that lurid green skin of hers! What does she have that I don't? She isn't friendly, or charming, or particularly interesting to talk to. She doesn't know how to have fun, and she's as likely to snap some sarcastic comment at you as she is to look at you. I just don't understand it!

And it's certainly not her popularity that's the attraction. Being with her won't bring him any status or anything like that. People will just think he's crazy. I think he's crazy, though of course I'd never tell him.

And honestly, I don't think he will ever actually leave me. It's obvious to me that he has no interest in me anymore, at least not like that, but he hasn't said a thing to me about it. He hasn't even tried to be honest with me. Scared of hurting my feelings, I suppose. Coward.

He must think I'm stupid (which is rich coming from him, don't you think?) They must both think that. How could I not notice how much things have changed? How would it be possible for me to not see them talking together at the end of the corridor, eyes lit up? Of course I'm not stupid! It takes brains to gain this much status and popularity, you know. Not that anyone but me seems to know this. Elphaba, for one, seems to think being popular is easy. But it's not. You have to keep that smile on your face all the time. You have to listen to conversations you aren't even interested in. But I do all that anyway, because I love my world far too much to give it all up. And up until recently, I've loved my life. I've never wanted it any other way.

Now, though, I catch myself being jealous. And not just jealous of any old person. Jealous of Elphaba Thropp, of all people! I spend my whole life trying, and she doesn't even try at all. And yet it's her he stares at. It's her he talks to. Where's the justice in that?

Yes, I think, applying the final touches of my make-up, the face in the mirror is beautiful, but for once, I don't care, because it's not the face he loves.