Chapter 1

Boq sat in his room, gazing out the window frustratedly. Glinda had gone back to her silly vain self after Elphaba left, and this time, he found it frustratingly annoying. After Doctor Dillamond's death, not only had Glinda and Elphie changed, but also Boq himself, and the only reason he had come to this realization was because the one person who had been a true friend to him had left him.
The entire group had changed after Elphaba's departure, well... all except for Avaric. Fiyero was quiet and moody, Glinda had lost her brain somewhere in the Emerald City (most likely with Elphaba.), Milla was chasing after Boq with sappy doe eyes (a horrifying prospect), Tibbett, obviously scarred by his misadventure at the Philosophy club, was quieter, more withdrawn, while Crope had joined a theater group. But Nessarose was the worst. Not even Nanny could comfort her. She was bitter and self-righteous to an even more astounding degree.
Boq shuddered as he thought about what had happened the previous week, when Glinda had come back without the green girl. Glinda got out of the carriage alone, her face marred with tears.
"Glinda?" asked Boq tentatively, his heart hammering harder than when he had kissed her the previous summer.
"She left. The Wizard wouldn't listen to her, so she left. She refused to get into the carriage. She didn't even cry." Glinda was shaking, tears coursing down her cheeks in black rivers. Boq patted her on the back. It was all he could do, considering he wanted to break down and cry as well, which he honestly didn't understand.
"Glinda? Where is Elphaba?" asked Nessarose's voice behind them. Glinda and Boq both stiffened.
"She stayed in the Emerald City. She said that Shiz was no longer the place for her, Nessa." sobbed Glinda, throwing her arms around Elphaba's cold, pale sister.
"She left me?" asked Nessa incredulously, "But I need her! Who will take care of me?" Nanny coughed.
"We will Nessa." replied Glinda. Boq gave Nessarose a half-hearted, stiff smile. Nessa wrapped her arms around him and kissed him soundly. Boq spluttered. Her mouth was sticky sweet, which made him want to retch, and he couldn't think of anything to do but sort of give her a light push, and walk away from it all. The horrifying ache in his chest when he realized Elphaba was gone, the utter lack of emotion towards the former woman of his dreams, and the disgust towards the self-centered holy Nessarose.
Now, about a week later, he couldn't figure out why it hurt so badly that Elphie was gone. She was rude to him more often than not. Still, he had to admit, he missed her dark humor at a time like this.