Fiyero sat down, for once overwhelmed by the frivolity. Just a second and he would be apart of it again.

Something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He looked to his left and was surprised to see Galinda's roommate at the other end of the couch.

Funny, he hadn't noticed anyone when he had come over.

But she was green! How did he miss that? How could he? On the other hand, he had been so intent on escaping...

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. What would he say to her? He started to speak again but thought better of it. She was buried in that book, would he be disturbing her? And then he was about to make a comment on the party, but no, that would be lame.

"Will you stop that? You look like a fish," she said, not looking up.

"Right," he said, feeling awkward. "You don't think much of me," he said, after a minute.

"What was your first clue?"

"But you don't even know me yet," he protested. Yeah, now that was lame. And he winced.

"I don't have to," she said pointedly. "You're just another damn lemming."

"A...lemon? What?"

"Why don't you just go back to your flock, with the rest of the sheep?"

"Wait...you've lost me. Am I a fish, or a lemon or a sheep?"

"I was sitting here minding my own business. I did not invite you. You are bothering me!"

"Oh." He didn't say anything else but continued to watch her.

She became very irritated. She closed the book with a snap, that was somehow heard over the music and the chatter. "You know, you are very rude, staring at me like that."

"All you've done is insult me since I sat down."

"Gee, I wonder why? I wish you would be like that Shenshen and just ignore me. Atleast I don't have to put up with endless harrassment from her." She reopened the book. A few beats passed and she closed it again. "And it's not lemon. It's lemming. L.E.M.M.I.N.G," she said, spelling it very slowly.

"Oh, yeah. That makes more sense," he said decisively. Another beat. "What's a lemming?"

She sighed and smacked her forehead. She shook her head with exasperated disbelief. But then she said in honeyed tones, "You should be glad that some people can get by on looks alone."

"Thanks," he said, brightening a little. It struck him a moment later that somehow that may have been an insult. "Wait-what?"

Just then Galinda wafted over as if blown by the breeze. She flopped down between them, still managing to do so elegantly. She stuck her head in his lap and her feet in the roommate's. Right on top of her book, with no regard. Now that was rude, Fiyero thought.

"Great, you've attracted more of them," she moaned, glaring up at him.

To this he replied, "It's true. We breed like rabbits."

Her mouth fell opened slightly and she gave him an odd look. "That was...funny." She turned her head slightly in both directions, still focused on him. "Almost...clever, almost." She propped her book up on Galinda's feet and turned her attention back to it. "I think you're a fraud," she said simply.

Fiyero continued to watch her for a few more minutes. Then he shrugged and teased Galinda's hair.

Elphaba tried not smile. Tried not to blush. Tried to affect her normal air of disinterest. But it was rather nice the way he kept looking over at her.