The celebrations were still in full swing the next day when Glinda dragged herself out of the Palace. She had picked out the first dress her hands touched in her closet and she hadn't even bothered to do her make-up or brush her hair properly. Truthfully, she would rather stay in here, but she knew no good would come of staying cooped up in her bedroom all day; she had to get out and do things. Hopefully that would take mind off Elphie.
She was browsing through a dress salon just before lunch-an act that on any other occasion would see her heading home with a trail of shopping bags. But today she was just bored. In fact she was so absorbed in her own feelings that as she walked out of the store (empty-handed of course) she collided with somebody who was turning the corner.
"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry," she said brushing the curls out of her eyes so she could she who she had unexpectedly bumped into was.
It was a man, only a few years older than she was. He had dark blue eyes, tanned skin and dark hair that was styled just so. A wave of déjà vu washed over Glinda; she couldn't help think this man was strangely familiar.
"No it's alright," the man said. He looked up at the good witch. "It's nice to see you again...Galinda."
And that was it. Glinda knew the only people who would call her by her old name would be people who hadn't seen her since she changed her name. She knew who this person was.
"Nikko?" she asked, everything suddenly making sense now. "Nikko Chuffrey? Is that really you?"
"Indeed it is, your goodness," he said, grinning and giving her a mock bow.
"Please Nikko," she said. "We may not have seen each other for years, but I don't want that to change anything. Just call me Glinda."
"Alright. Glinda it is," Nikko chuckled. "I like it more than your old name. It rolls off your tongue."
For the first time in forty-eight hours, Glinda smiled. Nikko had always been able to make her laugh, for as long as they had known each other. Which was a long time; Glinda's family and Nikko's family had been neighbours, and as they were both high-ranking Gillikinese families they spent a lot of time with each other.
Nikko's was the eldest son of Lord Quelala Chuffrey and his wife Lady Gayelette. Lord Chuffrey was a Paltos baronet and the family had had stacks of money for generations. But after finishing school, Nikko headed to a different university while Glinda attended Shiz. They hadn't seen each other since then.
"So, what brings you to the Emerald City, Mister Chuffrey?" asked Glinda. She knew Nikko had wanted to visit the Emerald City his entire life, but his father had always insisted he stayed in Gilliken until her came of age.
"We have been a week of holiday in celebration of the death of the Wicked Witch of the West," Nikko said. "So I thought I come down and spend some time in this hoi polloi. I'm going to see WIZOMANIA! tomorrow night."
"Oh," was all Glinda could manage to say, her heart sinking. Her expression faltered and she looked down. She just happened to be wearing a black dress. She saw it as Elphaba's favourite colour, rather than a symbol of the fact she was still grieving for the loss of her best friend. Nobody was sad about Elphaba's demise. Nikko had proved that. After all, no one mourned the wicked.
"Glinda," Nikko asked softly. "Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine," Glinda said softly. She lifted her face up, but her eyes were welling up with tears.
"Are you sure?"
Glinda nodded, but she wasn't very convincing. But now tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Glinda..." Nikko began cautiously. "Don't tell me you're sad the Witch is dead."
"Why would you ask that?"
"Well, you started acting funny ever since I mentioned her," Nikko said. "Plus, there are rumours going around that you two were friends."
"Yes?" Glinda said simply, phrasing the word as a question.
"And?" Nikko pressed.
"Nikko?" Glinda said, her voice barely a whisper. She raised her head and looked at him with the most serious expression she could muster. "Can you keep a secret?"
Okay, again just so all my readers (I love you) are on the same page, Nikko Chuffrey is meant to be the Lord Chuffrey from the books. But it seemed logical that his father was a lord too, and since he is crucial to the story, I figured he needed a name.
