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The blankets surrounding Elphaba were soft and warm. They cocooned her into a safety net she always wanted. But never seem to have.
Did anyone in the world even care for her? Her father didn't. She had no friends. Her mother was dead. The only person who possibly had a chance of caring whether she was dead or alive was her sister. And she loved her for that. Even if she knew her sister would only care because she would have to learn to do things for herself.
Another hate note today. Another snide remark. She didn't know how much longer she could take this. She should just let them roll off her. What did it matter that they couldn't accept her? She had green skin, green as a cabbage, but what did that matter? But it mattered to her. It mattered to her that no one would accept her the way she was. No matter how hard she tried to earn their respect. No matter how much she studied to be at the top of her class. No matter how much she tried and tried and tried. No matter how much she tried their scorn hurt her.
The door to her dorm swung open without warning. She raced to dry her tears as fast as she could without being seen. Her roommate flounced in with her perfect blonde curls and her usual "Ugg" towards Elphaba. She didn't even look at her, and she was already disgusted by her presence.
Galinda was in the bathroom already touching up her makeup when she heard something from outside the door. It sounded like crying, but she didn't know who else would be in her dorm but Elphaba.
She set down her mascara and slowly creaked open the door to peek through. Elphaba was the only one in the room, just as she had suspected. Galinda was about to slam the door back into place, mad at herself for wasting her own time, when she saw that Elphaba was the one crying.
She didn't even know the witch had emotions. She had dumped on her so many times for that very fact. How could someone like her…someone so unhuman have emotions?
"Are you okay?" Galinda hated to see anyone in pain. She stayed in her bathroom doorway trust in case however. She didn't trust herself to get too close to the crying girl on the bed.
"I'm fine just go away and leave me alone all right!" Elphaba screamed at her. Why did Elphaba have to be cursed with such a roommate? The beautiful, perfect popular girl that everyone loved. Her little cute features and her perfect attire. How could anyone not love her? Meanwhile how could anyone love Elphaba?
"No you're not." All at once Galinda replayed every mean thing she had ever said to or about Elphaba. Every time she had sat by and let other people do it, or even encouraged them. Sweet Oz she had been stupid.
She walked over carefully to Elphaba, careful not to frighten her or even make the weeping girl run away. She had never seen her roommate cry before. She had always appeared as such a strong wall. An emotionless face. An easy target without any consequence.
Galinda didn't ask what was wrong. She was fairly sure she already knew the answer. Elphaba was glad for that fact. Speaking made holding in what tears she could even that much harder.
Galinda sat next to her on the old Shiz mattress, She wrapped her arm around her back and pulled her close, like she had done to so many of her friends before whenever they found something to cry over. Another breakup. Another failed test. A broken nail.
This was the first time Galinda really found herself deeply truly caring about taking away the pain. Not for her own reasons like she wanted to leave, or get back to doing fun things. But to take away the pain for Elphaba's own sake. Simply to make her feel better. To see her smile.
She had never seen Elphaba ever really smile. Not genuinely.
"You'll be okay." She rubbed her back.
"Oz! I said leave me alone! For once in your life do something useful!" Elphaba shoved her away. She couldn't take the feeling of Galinda's arm around her, especially when she knew she would only turn around and make it some sort of new spectacle the school could laugh about.
Galinda shrank away from the green girl, hurt by her words. She guessed she deserved it. She had put her through the same so many times over. And for much worse reasons.
"Okay, feel better." She got up off the bed and left the dorm. She wandered around the halls aimlessly, her thoughts never straying from the sweet girl back in her room. She was the reason she was crying. It was Galinda's fault. She knew others may have had a hand in it, but Galinda couldn't shake her gilt either way.
How many times had her parents said to never be the bully? And she had been the bully. She had done everything she could to disassociate herself with Elphaba. Anything to not be the lone friend of the school freak.
"Hey Pookie what's wrong?" One of Galinda's friends stopped her in the lobby.
"Nothing. I'm fine, just thinking."
"Uhh why would you do that? I'm off. See you later." The girls strutted back off to her dorm. For the first time, Galinda saw her. Really saw her. With big flouncy skirts and doctored makeup. She knew she spent hours on it every morning. She knew because she did the same thing too.
The whole thing seemed pointless.
After wandering for a few hours, Galinda made her way back to the dorm. The sun was down, and she needed to go to bed. She had never felt so exhausted in her life.
Elphaba was still sitting there on the bed in the same place Galinda had left her. But there were no signs of the breakdown she had had before. Her eyes were back to their deep calculating obsidian. She had another book unfolded in her lap and her hair fell around her face in a curtain.
Galinda tried not to stop and stare and the girl. Her soft outline in her thin nightgown, and her silky hair, that she had the urge to run her hands through.
A month passed, and Galinda did not utter a word against the green girl. She would hush people when the tried and she could see the way it was affecting her reputation. People whispered behind her back, and she wasn't invited out as much as she had been before.
But she honestly didn't care.
After a long night of partying—she never said she wasn't ever invited out she still had a date every weekend—she paused outside her dorm room door.
Elphaba should have been asleep by now, she always went to bed at 9:00 sharp, but muffled noises sounded on the other side. She creaked open the door.
Sure enough, Elphaba was sitting on her bed, crying into a book. This was the second time Galinda had seen the strong girl be reduced to this.
Elphaba raced to dry her tears. They had grown to tolerate each other over the past month. Elphaba no longer scorned Galinda's presence, though she wasn't at the point of accepting Galinda's attempts at friendship.
"Hey. What's up?" Galinda sat next to her, but this time she didn't put her arm around her. Elphaba had made clear the last time she was not a fan of physical contact. Or emotional contact for that matter.
"It's nothing okay." Galinda's stomach tied a knot. She had tried to make amends with the girl for so long, but nothing seemed to work. Why wouldn't she let her in?
"Okay." Galinda didn't get up. She just sat there. Elphaba was so much taller than her, so much smarter, all over stronger than her. How could she be the one who was always hurting? She hated it.
Galinda ran her hands through Elphaba's soft soft black locks. She had never felt anything so wonderful. Elphaba shivered under her touch. She pulled the curtain aside and let her lips brush Elphaba's temple. It was something her mother had always done to her when she was little, but the effect was so much different.
Her lips felt like they had been lit on fire and doused in ice water at the same time.
She pulled away starting at the green girl, who was staring right back at her. And then. She just leaned in one more time. She could feel nothing but their lips on each other's, soft and loving. She poured a part of herself into her roommate, a part of herself she hadn't even know was there. Elphaba's hand ran through her hair, knotting and tying themselves into her curls. Touch me. Kiss me.
The pulled away gasping.
What had they just done? "Glin—"
She was already out of the room. She had to stop running away from her problems. This could be the biggest problem she would ever have to face. She leaned her back against the door to their dorm.
"Hey sweetie-kins." Fiyero, her boyfriends, sauntered up to her. "What you doing out here? Cabbage having a meltdown?" Galinda gave him a look, but she couldn't put her energy into it. He mumbled an apology halfheartedly.
Why did he have to be here now?
"I was just coming to get you. Think we could go out to the diner? Then maybe back to my place afterwards…" Fiyero continued when Galinda failed to speak.
She thought fast, "Maybe not tonight. I have a big exam in the morning and I really should be studying." She tried to slip past him but he stepped in her way.
"Since when-"
She cut him off, "Please Fiyero." She never used his real name, always some weird new pet name of the day. He knew how to take a hint and he backed off.
"Okay I'll see you later." He walked back the way he came, slightly dejected. He would just find some other girl to spend the night with.
Galinda stood there quietly for a long while, fluffing with her skirts and thinking. Should she go back in? Tell Elphaba it was all a mistake? A onetime thing? Maybe yell at her and tell her she forced herself upon her?
Galinda knew she wouldn't have the guts to say any of it. She always found some way to have people do the breakups for her because she was too chicken to do them herself. And besides, when she looked down, she knew she did want any of it to be true.
But she wouldn't let herself admit that.
Elphaba peaked her head out of the door. "Oh I thought you were gone." Galinda froze. How could she be so casual? "Haven't told your little "friendsies" yet have you?" She bit sarcastically.
She thought she was going to go spread rumors about them now? "No—I—um" Elphaba cackled.
Galinda couldn't deal with this. She turned on her heal and ran toward the door. She didn't see the look of disappointment on Elphaba's face as she did so.
Elphaba turned back into her room. She didn't feel like going to the library. Not anymore. She sounded truly crazy, she thought to herself. A girl, moreover a girl like her, falling in love…No.
Love was for ninnies. Love was for people who had nothing to do all day but sit around and socialize. Love didn't exist. And especially for two girls. If Elphaba could even be counted as a girl, horrible as she was.
Elphaba put a finger to her lips. They were still tingling. She willed her nerves to stop it, but it didn't work.
Try as she might, she couldn't finish more than a paragraph in her book for the next three hours.
"Galinda!" Elphaba called through the hallway. Giggles ran through the crowd.
No. No. No. Galinda thought. She put her head down as far as she could and started to walk away as swiftly as she could. She wanted nothing more than to forget the night before, but it looked like Elphaba had other plans in mind. But did she have to do it here?
Elphaba sighed as she saw her run away. Maybe she had imagined it.
When she got back to her dorm after hours in the library—still not studying the way she used to-her roommate was already there. Waiting for her.
Galinda had her arms crossed and her foot tapping. Elphaba was already done ith the conversation before it started.
"Hey" She said weakly.
"Seriously! I try to be your friend and that is how you repay me! You made me a laughing stock!"
"I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? I guess you should have thought of that before!" Galinda had been through a long day of teasing. She had kept their secret. She had told no one about that kiss that still plagued her mind. But after Elphaba's little stunt, she had been at the butt of one too many jokes.
Just like Elphaba was every day.
"I'm sorry." Elphaba had already lost her one friend. She had already lost her one friend. Perhaps it was meant to be. Perhaps she wasn't meant to have friends. She definitely wasn't meant to have anyone be any more than a friend. That the universe had made clear to her.
"You think you can just force me to kiss you and everything will be alright? You think that we'll ride off into the sunset like a happy little pair of princesses? Well wake up! Girls don't date girls you freak! Are you that desperate? Are you really that desperate? Even if you weren't a girl why in the world would anyone ever date you?"
Elphaba sat there on the edge of her bed. She could normally hold herself strong during these assaults. Her father had started her on them when she was young enough. Her classmates had continued it. She couldn't even remember a time when her presence wasn't scorned.
"I'm sorry!" She screamed. She let all her anger. All her torture roll out. It wasn't her fault she was born like this. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't her fault.
"That's not—" Elphaba was up out of her bed before Galinda could finish her sentence. Without even thinking she brought her hand up and drew it across her face in one satisfying slap.
She didn't give her time to recover from the shock before Elphaba was pulling Galinda in for another kiss. She fought. She kicked and bit Elphaba's lip, but she held her close. And soon she stopped fighting. She stopped fighting and stood there. She let Elphaba kiss her. Let the pain be sucked out of her for just one moment. Her felt something wet roll down her cheek, but she wasn't sure if it was her own tears or Elphaba's.
"Shh shh shh." Elphaba pulled away, but would let her out of her grasp.
Galinda stood there, ponding on Elphaba's chest. "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you." Her chant went on and on. She could put her heart in it. She shouldn't be feeling this way. But she couldn't stop. She couldn't stop the ache in her chest whenever she saw her. She couldn't stop the longing to be next to her and so far from her all at the same time. She couldn't. She couldn't stop.
"I know. I know. It's okay." Elphaba rubbed her back, while Galinda sobbed into her dress. They stood there for a long time, until finally Galinda fell asleep standing up in her arms.
Elphaba picked her up and laid her down in her bed. She watched her the entire night through, fearful of when she might wake up. She knew what might happen.
The girl would wake up. Realize the monster across from the room from her. And she would open the window… or run into the bathroom. And Elphaba wouldn't be able to stop her. It had all happened before.
All that long time ago. And she hated herself for it.
She would never let herself love again she told herself. She was near a cannibal She didn't deserve happiness. But the girl with the tear stained eyes and the golden curls, the lips so perfectly pink and a soul that was more beautiful than anything Elphaba could have ever imagined possible… She had torn that down.
"Good morning." Elphaba whispered form her bed when she saw Galinda stir at her alarm clock.
"Merr" Elphaba laughed. She hadn't laughed like that in a long time.
"Come here." Galinda waved her hand, still half drunk from sleep.
"What?"
"Come here!" Elphaba obeyed.
Galinda reached her hand up and patted Elphaba's face like a dog. "You're green Elphie!" But she wasn't mean. It was an observation, one no one could get around. "I like it." She brought her nose up to Elphaba's but she pulled away.
She couldn't let this go too fast. "Glin why don't you just get ready for class?"
"Ugg" But she did anyways. While she was in the bathroom, preppy every last this to perfection, Elphaba just quick changed into a fresh frock, identical to all the others.
But Galinda didn't come charging out of the bathroom like she normally did, ready for her morning cup of coffee. Elphaba tried to keep herself calm, but sitting there waiting for her was too much for her to handle very long. She was about to go up and knock on the door when Galinda peaked head out of the door. So different from her first waking silliness.
She sat down on her bed facing Elphaba at the small desk. "You ready to go to class—" Elphaba tried to make herself busy by packing up her books for the day. Galinda didn't know how she could carry all of those.
"Are we…" Oz she had never had to do this before. "Are we… together?"
"We are in the same space in relative to the uni—"
"Stop. You know what I mean." Could they please just pass this awkwardness? Galinda didn't even know what she wanted. She wanted Elphaba. She wanted to be able to call her hers and hold her and kiss her and show her off to the world. But she saw what kind of pain Elphaba was put through, pain she wanted to stop but knew she couldn't. And she didn't want to be at the butt of that pain. She didn't. And she felt horrible for even thinking it.
"I don't know what would have given you that impression. I have no time for relationships."
Galinda's stomach felt like lead. Every man on this campus would go out with her. She wasn't being vain, she just knew it to be true. But the one person who might mean something…wouldn't.
"Okay." It was probably for the best. What would her parents have said? She started to walk out of the room for her next class, dejection written all over her face.
"Wait. Galinda." Elphaba grabbed her arm. She looked at her with hopeful eyes. "Unless…do you think we could make it work?"
"Yes. I really think we could." She smiled. She was going to put effort into this relationship. She never had before, but this time she wanted to. She wanted to make Elphaba happy. To show her she wasn't alone in the world. That she could trust her.
That morning Elphaba walked Galinda to her first class. The stares the got were nearly unbearable. Elphaba was used to them, but she didn't like that Galinda now how to deal with them. Was she just hurting her? Was this really far to put Galinda under?
"Here." Elphaba handed the books off to Galinda. They were only halfway to the lecture hall. She took them with a confused look.
"Uh—" Elphaba was already gone. Galinda resisted the urge to physically scratch her head.
Elphaba didn't come back to the dorm until long after dark that night. Her clothes were soaking wet from the rain, and she hoped her books hadn't been damaged.
People around school had been whispering about them all day. They always thought they were so clever. That she couldn't hear them, but they were just idiots. She was right there. Five feet away.
The running story was that Galinda and Fiyero had talked her into doing a threesome with them as a joke and now she just followed them around like a hurt puppy. She was just glad that Galinda had avoided the bad parts of the story.
She couldn't bear to see her be thrown into that cold water that quickly. Even know though, some of the stories weren't in the blonde's favor.
"Hey." Galinda sat at her desk with one of Elphaba's favorite books. She wanted to be able to talk to her about things she liked. She didn't know much about science or Animals or politics, but she was going to try.
It also didn't escape her observations that she had been avoiding her for the day. But she tried to play it off. Perhaps she had just suddenly remembered something that morning.
"Hey." Elphaba responded as she peeled off her wet rain coat. Her clothes stuck to her skin, showing every last curve and detail. Galinda tried to stop the stirring in her stomach.
She walked over to her and started to rub her arms up and down to arm them up. She could see the small goosebumps raising on her skin, and besides she didn't mind having an excuse to be so close to her.
"How was your day?" Galinda tried flirting, an art she had mastered under most circumstances, but for some reason, she found it a little bit harder than usual. Her nerves usually weren't this tied up.
"Good. How was yours?" Elphaba hadn't caught on yet.
"How about a walk? We should go to that diner downtown?"
"Galinda it is raining." She finally caught on. She was trying, but she had never been so good at this.
"And you're already wet so I don't see what your issue is."
"Maybe I just don't want to get more wet."
"Ohh realllly…" Galinda batted her eyes suggestively.
This was all too much. Elphaba backed away from her touch. Galinda frowned. "I didn't mean to—"
"No Glin, really. It's okay. It's just…" Elphaba searched for the right words.
"Too fast?"
"Yeah."
How did Galinda know this was going to happen? Was this not the reason she spaced herself away from any real relationships? The moment she found someone. Someone she truly was interested in. Truly had feelings for. They would reject her. And there was nothing she could do about it.
"I'm sorry." Elphaba said weakly. Galinda had already walked over to the other side of the room, putting as much space between them as she could.
"It's not your fault. Guess we just thought different things about this."
"Oh." Elphaba was shocked. She…Galinda… was that what she wanted? Elphaba cared for her but… she couldn't. Not yet. Was that all this was to Galinda? Just some weird sex thing? Elphaba felt used. "Sorry, sex really just isn't what I'm here for I guess."
"What!" Galinda whipped her head around. "Sex! You think this is about sex!" Both of their cheeks turned cherry.
"No—I—uh—um—I" Elphaba stuttered.
Galinda started to laugh. She wasn't sure why she was laughing. She had been in relationships before when that was the case, but this time… the thought that there was to be no connection seemed ridiculous to her. Elphaba wasn't sure what to do. She only stood there in her sopping clothes, hoping her cheeks weren't as red as they felt.
"Ugg" Galinda groaned into her pillows, still laughing.
"I'm sorry. You said—I thought—I can't—I—I—I love you."
That snapped Galinda out of her laughing fit real quick. She sat there, shock still staring at Elphaba for what seemed a long while. No one had ever said that to her. No matter how many boyfriends she ever had, none of them had ever crossed that line. Past the point of no return.
Galinda took her hand and grasped it. She couldn't say it back. She knew she was supposed to. That was how things we supposed to go. The boy says I love and the girl says I love you too. But then, nothing was really how it was supposed to go in this relationship.
"How about a walk?"
Elphaba let out a breath of relief, and nodded her head. This beautiful creature, actually wanted to spend time with her.
They walked around the entire campus hand in hand. Elphaba was shy at first, even trying to pull away. She didn't like the stares and gaping, but when Galinda pulled her close and kissed her in front of her great group of friends, her spirits soared. She didn't need to be ashamed of anything for once in her life and she felt freer than a great bird. She could have flown.
The boys cat called, and the girls laughed, like they were just some freak show. But Galinda kept on kissing her. Running her hands along her waist and through her hair, softly caresses her cheeks.
"Glin! What in Oz are you doing!" Fiyero stormed up to them. At last Galinda pulled away from her, her eyes filling with sadness and regret.
"Yero—"
"Lurline Glin! You're going give people the wrong idea!"
Elphaba tried to back away, but Galinda pulled her back in. "This isn't the wrong idea."
"Glin stop playing around! We got the joke!" He seemed to be started to believe her, and that made him push the idea away even more.
"It's not a joke. Come on Elphie." Galinda started pulling her away from the scene. The cat calls and giggling started to morph into words of scorn.
They reached the edge of the campus, and sat down under a tree, staring out onto the lake before either of them spoke another word. "Are you okay?" Elphaba asked.
"Are you?" Galinda squinted in the sun.
"Yeah. I just know…" Elphaba trailed off.
"I know I was friends with them before, at least I thought I was, but I'm okay really." Galinda reached up and pulled a piece of Elphaba's hair behind her ear.
"Are you sure?" She wanted this relationship, but she couldn't stand the idea of having to out Galinda through anything she couldn't handle, or shouldn't have to handle, in order for it to work.
"I am. If they can't deal with it then Lurline for them." Elphaba giggled. She almost never giggled. Galinda loved the sound.
"Come here." Elphaba grabbed Galinda's waist and pulled her onto her lap. Her fingers found her stomach and she qingled them in the most menacing fashion she could. Galinda started laughing uncontrollably, struggling for breath.
"Mercy! Mercy!"
"Nuh uh uh."
"Please! Please—I'm—ha ha—begging you!"
"Wel if you insist." Elphaba let her fingers stop their attack, and Galinda raced to catch her breath.
"Not nice."
"Who ever said I was nice. I'm downright wicked." She joked.
Galinda wrapped her arms around her lover's neck, leaning in for a kiss. "I highly doubt anyone could ever find you wicked."
"Mmmm we'll see about that."
They watched the sunset that night, pinks and purples dancing across the sky. Holding and kissing and talking for hours, Galinda realized that Elphaba was right. This was all so fast. But Galinda couldn't help herself she needed this. She needed her. She didn't know what had stopped her from seeing it before.
But she did. She just didn't want to admit it.
She had been scared. Scared of how her friends would react. How her family would find out. She didn't know why she suddenly wasn't anymore, but she was glad all the same.
"Come home with me." She said plainly one day a few months later in the campus diner.
"I hate to break it to you sweeting, but we live in the same place. I was going there anyways." Elphaba started to gather up their plates. The initial shock of their relationship had worn off a while ago, but rumors about them still floated past their ears every once in a while.
Elphaba was bewitching her with a love potion, because she was so desperate for human contact.
Galinda was only doing this for publicity for her family's new line of shampoo. Even girls will fall for you it smells so nice.
Galinda still learned to ignore them. But she was getting sick of hearing them.
Galinda shook her head. "No. Lurlinemas break is coming up. I want you to come back to the Uplands with me."
"Do you really think that's wise? I mean your parents—"
"Already know. I wrote a letter a few weeks ago."
The news shocked Elphaba. Sure they hadn't exactly hid their relationship around campus, but to bring her to the Uplands… "Elphie, listen to me." Galinda reached up and grabbed Elphaba's shoulders, forcing her to look her in the eye, "I want you to meet my family. They will love you. I promise."
Elphaba did want to meet her girlfriend's family, so even though she wasn't sure that Galinda's predictions would come true she nodded her head and sent a letter to her father that evening saying she had to stay on campus for break.
Soon enough the two sat side by side in a train car headed for the Upper Uplands. Elphaba had never visited anywhere outside Munchkin land, but with Galinda at her side she knew she would be okay.
They sat together reading a book. Galinda took nearly twice as long per page then Elphaba, but she couldn't care. The extra time gave her short break for admiring the girl in front of her, face scrunched up in concentration, blonde ringlets falling around her face.
"Are you sure I'm not too slow?" Galinda said after finally finishing the page.
"Of course not." This had been her standard response over the past ten times Galinda has asked the question.
"Okay." Galinda bent her head back down into the book. Elphaba had started to wear off on her. She had taken a passion towards reading, a thing she had never had an interest in before, too busy with parties and meaningless boyfriends.
Elphaba soon gave up on reading—she had nearly memorized the book anyways—and suited herself to staring alternatively out the window at the emerald countryside and the girl beside her, brighter than the clearest diamond.
"Darling!"
"Momsies! Popsicle!" Galinda charged at her parents, dragged Elphaba, banging with the baggage, along with her.
"Mwah mwah" Galinda kissed the sides of her little brother's cheeks. All three of them together, Elphaba knew where the stunning girl got her looks from. Though none of them were near as gorgeous as Galinda, they all had the same sparkling river eyes and golden hair.
"So where's your little friend dear?" Her father asked.
"Right here." Elphaba waved her hand shyly. She had been standing right next to Galinda and they hadn't even noticed or acknowledged her yet.
They seemed taken aback by her emerald skin, but they covered their shocked faces well. Except for little Devin. "You're green." He pointed, but for once someone pointing out her skin didn't seem to be done in a mean way.
Still Galinda came to her aid right away, "Yes, this is my emerald beauty." Galinda pulled her in from the side, holding her close. Elphaba blushed at such a public show.
"Honey now don't make a scene." How could Elphaba not make a scene? She could just be sitting there and people take notice of her. Already a few people had stopped her stare at her.
"I don't care how many people watch!" Elphaba loved watching this outgoing side of Galinda.
"Why don't we get in the carriage?" Galinda's dad ushered them off of the train platform.
"So how was the semester?" Her parents tried to make small talk as they rumbled down the city streets. Galinda hadn't not seen the say they reacted to Elphaba, and how they distinctly stayed away from using the word "girlfriend". She sat next to her holding her hand.
"Great. I think I did pretty good. What about you Elphie?" She tried to get her involved in the conversation.
Elphaba started to ramble on about lectures and classes. Galinda spaced out for the most of it. She hadn't expected her parents to accept them with open arms, but still the air of tension made her uncomfortable.
"Psst." Devin side punched Galinda. Their parents and Elphaba were deep in an awkward skirting around political issues match. "Where's Pfannee?" He whispered like it could be the biggest secret in the world.
She had brought Pfannee on her last trip back home, and he had loved her. She brought him everywhere, buying him treats and nearly everything he set his eye on.
Sadly, Pfannee and Galinda had not been on speaking terms for a while now. "She couldn't make it." Galinda whispered back, playing into his espionage phase.
"Did you find that lecture interesting?" Her mother questioned her, shaking her out of her little conversation. Elphaba noticed she had no idea what they ahd been talking about.
"Oh yeah, it was great." Elphaba laughed. Galinda elbowed her, through her frock. Her parents just gave them weird looks.
"Elphaba, why do I not take you over to the guest rooms?" Regis, Galinda's dad, offered when they reached the mansion in the country of the Upper Uplands. Great wide fields with farms scattered the landscape. Elphaba had never seen such a beautiful landscape.
"Oh thank you." Elphaba picked up her bags.
"I'll come see you as soon as I throw this stuff in my room!" Galinda called
"K!"
The bedroom was as lavish as any she would expect from such a house. The floors and mattress were softer than a dove's feather and the walls were budding with intricate paintings.
"Thank you so much for allowing me to stay here." Elphaba said as she placed her suitcase on the bed.
Regis looked at her sternly, "I must know girl… has this…relationship you have with my daughter…has it taken to an unnatural course?"
Elphaba was shocked, and slightly hurt. What had she ever done to make anything appear that way? "No. Nothing—"
"You have not taken to...touching…or kissing?"
Elphaba blushed, but she wasn't sure if it was from anger or embarrassment at such a personal topic. "I—I mean" She stuttered. He was Galinda's father. She guessed he had the right to know. "I-We—we have kissed sir, but I promise, nothing inappropriate has occurred between us."
"Kissed? Kissed! Nothing inappropriate." Elphaba pleaded silently that he would lower his voice. "You think that you—a green muckish woman—is an appropriate partner for my daughter?"
"I love her!"
He sighed, he knew he was getting nowhere. "You are a confused and darkened soul, but I warn you…any inkling past a friendship, and you will be shipped out of my house and charged legally."
He stormed out of the room, letting Elphaba alone.
She didn't go to dinner that night, and for some reason Galinda didn't come to see her like she had promised. She knew that was probably for the best. She couldn't stand to tell her what had happened.
Galinda had always talked so lovingly of her family. She didn't want to ruin that.
Perhaps it was better should she just leave for Muchkinland the next morning. Tell Galinda she couldn't do this anymore.
But she knew she wouldn't have the guts to do such a thing. She wouldn't be able to see the hurt in her eyes or the confused look she got when she couldn't figure out what was wrong.
She sat on the bed, unwilling to unpack, knowing she might have to leave that very night.
A knock came on the door. "Hey you coming to dinner?" Galinda peeked her head in through the door. She had changed into a dress Elphaba had never seen before—probably something she had left here—that made her eyes sparkle.
"No I'm not really hungry. I'll be okay."
"What's wrong?" Galinda came to sit next to her on the bed. Was this how they solved all there problems? On the edge of a mattress?
"I think I may just have gotten a little motion sickness in the carriage. I'll be fine." It was a convenient lie. Her stomach had already started twisting.
Galinda bought it. "I'm sorry. Here, why don't you lay down?" Elphaba didn't have the strength to protest and Galinda gently pushed her back onto the bed. "Do you want me to stay, or do you want to be alone?"
"I think I'm just going to take a quick nap. You should go catch up with your family." Galinda seemed a touch hurt by the offer, but she took the advice all the same.
"Okay, come find me if you start to feel better, I want to show you something." She pulled the door shut softly behind her, leaving the girl alone again.
She thought on Regis's words. Was their relationship wrong? How could anything be wrong when they made each other so happy? They weren't hurting anyone. But then, was Elphaba making Galinda happy? Did she truly want to be with her?
No. She wouldn't have invited Elphaba here if she didn't want to. Right?
Elphaba made the decision. She was going to leave in the morning. She wouldn't allow herself to say goodbye to Galinda. Any conversation with her she knew would weaken her resolve, and she had to do this. She wouldn't be the one to drive a wedge between Galinda and her family.
Galinda had only been with her for a short while. Her life had even been better before they started dating. This was the right thing to do Elphaba told herself.
She laid down with a new mission in her head. She was going to make sure everything turned out right for everyone.
It didn't matter what happened to her. Muchkinland. A new roommate in Shiz. She would be okay. So long as Galinda was happy.
Elphaba trudged up the Upland's long drive way, dragging her suitcase along behind her.
She had told the Uplands that morning that she was taking off. She told them her father had sent word that she was needed in Munchkinland immediately. No such word had been sent, but they didn't question her. Neither of them seemed to be to upset about her disappearance.
She was going to meet a cab a few miles down the road in the village.
The sun had yet to rise fully, cloaking her in semi-darkness. She hoped Galinda would still be asleep. She wanted to be long gone by the time she realized she had left.
She knew she would have to face her when they got back to Shiz, but for now Elphaba want to be able to have time to formulate whatever lie she could about why she left.
She had yet to cry over the breakup. She had promised herself she wouldn't. So much of their relationship had grown out of Elphaba's weakness, and Galinda being able to build her back up.
She wouldn't have anyone to prop her up again this time. She would have to learn to stay together.
She sat on the porch of a convenience store where she had gotten a bagel, waiting for her carriage. The store man hadn't looked shocked at her skin when she walked into the store. It was one small miracle that made the day the tiniest bit bearable.
Hooves came pounding down the dusty dirt road. Elphaba got up and collected her bags, assuming it was her carriage. But as the figure got closer she could see no buggy attached to the beast. It was just a lone rider.
Elphaba started to sit back down with her bagel, but then noticed the blonde curls bouncing on top the horse.
No.
No.
No. No. No. No no no no no no.
She had been so careful. But what was she to do now? She couldn't hide. Galinda had already seen her, and even if she could run, green skin was not very easy to disguise.
"Elphie!" Her voice came over the roar of hooves.
Elphaba panicked and froze, but at the last second started charging away from the scene. Perhaps if she could run fast enough Galinda wouldn't catch her, and she would wait until break was over.
But she had no such luck. Galinda had always been a faster runner than her.
Her legs burned, and still Galinda managed to wrap her arm around Elphaba's, yanking her to a stop. Elphaba fought and struggled, trying to get out of her grasp, but she knew it was useless. She wasn't going anywhere. But she had to make Galinda understand.
"Galinda. Let me go. I have to go." The carriage had already turned around the corner, rolling lazily towards them.
"Elphie, Elphie what's wrong? Please. Please, just tell me." Galinda nearly shook Elphaba. What had she done wrong?
"Galinda we're over I have to go. Just let me go." She felt like she was ripping her own heart out, but when she saw Galinda's face the pain only grew.
"Did I-Did I do something?"
Elphaba knew she was going to ask this question, and that was the biggest reason she wanted to avoid this conversation. "No. I just- I just can't love you anymore. Please the carriage is here a have to go."
Galinda let go of Elphaba's arm, shocked at her words. Just yesterday they had smuggled on the train, Elphaba laughing and whispered words of admiration in her ear. How could someone's heart change so fast?
Elphaba bored the carriage, much to the relief of an impatient driver, and speeded off towards the train station. She couldn't bear to look out the window to see Galinda staring off after her.
Galinda didn't bother following her either.