I wake up relieved but apprehensive. I get up slowly and tiptoe downstairs trying my hardest not to wake up Frex. The house was dark with the sun only just peeking over the horizon. I started making breakfast for Nessa, Frex and I and couldn't help but think that today was only going to be an all too familiar day of humiliation. Shiz. I shuddered.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, at least I would be away from here, from Frex.
"Eeeeek" squealed Nessarose, my younger sister. She wheeled in the kitchen and exclaimed "Today is the day Elphie, you must be excited. We are going to Shiz University the most fantasticolocious university around"
While I was happy for Nessa my face fell when I realised Nessa had woken Frex up.
"ELPHABA! You better have my breakfast ready" said Frex angrily as he stormed into the kitchen. "Don't just stand there, be useful. Take Nessa's luggage to the carriage that is waiting, and then make sure to sweep the floor in Nessa's bedroom so that it is spotless while she's gone" Frex ordered.
"Yes Father," I replied. I took Nessa's luggage to the door and proceeded to sweep her room mechanically. I couldn't be bothered to fight with him today because I was too focused on Shiz. Every thought I had was being somehow related to Shiz. My curiosity and fear of Shiz was messing with me like a little child who wants all the answers in the world and wants them now. I was becoming impatient to leave but at the same time scared to arrive.
"ELPHABA!" Frex boomed, "Get over here right now! We're leaving." I rushed over, jumped into the carriage and we were off.
* * *
Soon enough we arrived at Shiz University. The university had many grand buildings made out of stone with two tall towers looming over the place. We got out of the carriage and I took our luggage over to where Nessa was when I saw Frex give Nessa these beautiful slippers.
"Oh wow. They are the most prettified shoes I've ever seen! Thankyou Dad!" exclaimed Nessa.
"Now Nessa" Frex began warmly, "I hope you take good care of yourself here and if you ever want to leave just send a messenger and I will come to escort you home myself."
"Oh Dad, you know that you won't have to do that," said Nessa.
Frex then turned to face me and said "Take good care of Nessa or I will take you back home the minute I hear something has happened to Nessa. Understood?"
"Yes Father I will look after her" I replied.
Then Frex hugged Nessa and said "Bye Nessa"
Nessa replied "Bye Dad" as she waved goodbye.
Frex got back into the carriage waving and smiling at Nessa and then sending a glare just for me. I smiled at the disappearing carriage knowing that I wouldn't have to see him or put up with him for three years.
Nessa and I entered the hall full of other first year Ozian students. The hall was made in an old Medieval style with a ceiling towering above them with elaborate chandeliers hanging down. Along the walls there were statues of great people of Oz including one of the wizard as well as elaborate stained glass windows.
"Oh my goodness," exclaimed Nessa, "what a stunning hall- it's perfect. Don't you think Elphie?" I shrugged, I doubted that after I left here I would even care what the buildings looked like, however I did admire medieval architecture and silently approved.
I turned to focus on the long tables of students in front of me; some turned and looked at me, their eyes widening with horror and disbelief, others in curiosity after laying eyes on my green skin for the first time
My whole body froze.
They whispered amongst themselves, gossiping, scheming, and deciding what to do first. One girl stood up with a smirk on her face. She had long blond hair, a sort of pig shaped nose as in it was all squashed up, cold, confident blue eyes, a square jaw and lips covered in some hideous red ointment so that it looked like she had just kissed a wet painting. I snorted hiding my apprehension.
She strode confidently across the hall towards me and the whole room seemed to go quiet as if the hall itself was forbidding the air from creating noise.
"Can seasickness actually last for more than a few days?" blondie directed at me with contempt in her voice.
"I don't know," I answered sweetly, "but when I walked in this room I became sick as soon as I laid eyes on you, and may I ask, what is up with your face?"
Offended, blondie retorted "Well at least I can fix mine with spells from a wizard if I wanted, but you, you're stuck with that look, forever."
"Yeah I suppose you're right. As long as we're both at Shiz I reckon that I will always be sick from seeing you around and knowing that you could well be behind the next corner-"
"I don't think we'll see each other that often" blondie interrupted.
"Well it's a possibility" I said smiling, "and do you really think a spell can fix your looks. You're being a tad optimistic you know."
With that she gasped and stormed off right on back to her table of friends who were all quick to reassure her how pretty she was.
"Cmon Nessa" I said wheeling her away whilst shaking.
Nessa sensed my uneasiness and went on to say "I'm sure she didn't mean what she said. But whether she did or not, you had no excuse to be that disrespectful to her."
Maybe I was a bit harsh but what was I meant to do, let her trample all over me? As if I would have let blondie do that.
"Nessa- what table do you want to sit at?" I asked diverting the conversation.
"Oh, how about the table where that girl all in pink is" Nessa decided, "She looks just lovely."
I wheeled Nessa over there where she immediately struck up a conversation with someone.
I looked around, now I needed a table to sit at. I saw a table on the side with only two people at and decided that it was my safest option. There was a rather lanky guy with short brown hair looking uncomfortable and a girl reading who had long flaming red hair.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" I forced myself to ask.
The girl looked up, "Not at all" she replied and continued to say "I'm Aarylyn Gerto and this one next to me is Ianthe Rresbid" slapping him on the back to look at me, "and you are?"
"Elphaba, Elphaba Thropp and that girl in the wheelchair over there is my sister Nessarose," I answered.
"You know, that girl who insulted you is called Raina Fralet. She already looks to be quite popular here but so does that Galinda girl," Aarylyn said.
"Who?"
"Galinda Upland. That girl dressed all in pink over there." Aarylyn replied pointing behind me.
I turned to see a girl with curly blond hair in a ridiculous pink outfit giggling with Nessarose sitting next to her.
"Yep I see her," I said, not thinking much of her.
I noted that in about five minutes tables of friends had already been established and that my table was going to be the bottom of the social hierarchy. Great start I thought sarcastically.
