Friends?
Boq couldn't quite fight down the sense of guilt he had. Galinda had actually kissed him! But at what expense? Elphaba had been utterly humiliated by the whole thing. Pfannee's letter had cemented Elphaba as an outcast, And Galinda's reaction hadn't helped things at all- she had acted as if Elphaba's arrival for a visit was the most horribly embarrassing event that could exist. Almost as if she were ashamed someone could think they were friends...
He pushed the less-than-shining assessment to the back of his mind.
He knew he wasn't supposed to actually be in the upstairs of the house the girls were living in. Ama Clutch had been very clear in telling him and Avaric that the bedrooms were off-limits. He tried to remember what room Galinda had said Elphaba was staying in. He knocked. "Miss Elphie?"
"I don't want to talk to anyone." A voice called from inside.
"Miss Elphie, it's just me, Boq." He pleaded with her. "I promise I'm not going to embarrass you anymore than you've already been. I just want to apologyze for any discomfort I've caused you."
"You can do that from out there. Why should I open the door?"
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Fine. I apologyze for forcing you to take this trip with me. If I hadn't selfishly begged you to come, the whole mess never would have happened- Elphie that didn't work. I won't feel any better if I can't look you in the eye as I say it."
He heard a humph and then light footsteps to the door. She opened it a moment later. She wore her dark purple bathrobe over a nightdress. Her hair was loose around her shoulders. "Miss Elphaba I hardly took you for one to retreat from society and mope around in a bathrobe."
She glared at him. "I'll wear what I please, you'll have no say in the matter. And I thought I got you to quit calling me 'Miss Elphaba'. That's too formal."
He simply apologized. He didn't tell her that he had only called her that because 'Elphie' didn't seem quite fitting. That was a name more appropriate for a schoolmate, a male friend. He couldn't quite ignore the fact that with her hair loose and in the thin nightgown that Elphaba was female. He prayed his face didn't show it.
"So you had something to tell me?" She prompted him.
He swallowed- why was it so difficult to talk to her now? It was just Elphaba, not Galinda or.. or... "I'm sorry for any embarrassment I might have caused you."
"Apology accepted. You may go," she said. She retreated to her bed.
But he couldn't go. He felt bad still. Everyone else was having some fun, except for her. He told her such.
She simply scoffed at the idea. "Boq, please, I'm fine. This is no different than any other time in my life."
"That doesn't make it OK. Elphaba, no one should be this lonely."
"But I am." She admitted to him. "It's not your fault."
She looked sad then. Just then, he kissed her, not quite sure why he did it. A few moments later, they broke away from each other."I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that."
She blushed- odd seeing that emotion in her! "It's alright, Master Boq. We're friends, aren't we?"