Elphaba experienced the stirring, this time, with her sister. Nessa was ecstatic, and naturally, Elphaba was happy for her.
"I'm going to the party tonight!" Nessa gushed. Elphaba knelt at her side as Nessa explained that one of their classmates had been too afraid to speak to Nessa without encouragement from…
"Galinda?" Elphaba nearly spat as her stomach twisted.
"Don't say another word against her, Elphaba. I'm about to have the best night of my life, and all because of Galinda."
Typical of the stirring feeling, Elphaba's uneasiness was difficult to place. Jealousy that Nessa had been invited to the party and Elphaba hadn't? Skepticism that Galinda possessed ulterior motives? Unwillingness to admit that Galinda was capable of doing something good?
Elphaba sat on a bench in the courtyard of her dormitory, alone, to ponder her possible envy, skepticism, and denial. It was no wonder a scowl twisted her features when Galinda found her.
She rounded the building giggling, flanked by two female classmates who laughed in time with everything Galinda said.
"I couldn't possibly, girls," Galinda was laughing and holding a large round box, "it isn't like me to—Elphaba!"
As if on cue, Galinda's cohorts scurried away, giggling obnoxiously as they did.
"Galinda, Nessa and I were just talking about you…"
"Oh, and I was just talking about you!" Galinda beamed. "I thought you might like to wear this to the party tonight."
She thrust a dark-colored, pointed, hat into the green girl's arms, startling her and causing her to take a step back.
"But I wasn't invited to the party," said Elphaba.
"Oh, nonsense, Elphie!"
The pet name was sickening.
"You must come!" Galinda bubbled as she swatted Elphaba's shoulder amicably, "And you must wear this! Now, I don't know what you're doing out here, but I must finish beautifying myself for Fiyero."
Fiyero, Elphaba thought, Galinda's equally shallow, equally attractive beau, who was almost as sickening as Galinda. Nevertheless, Galinda had done something nice for Nessa, and had given Elphaba a gift, and the least Elphaba could do was give Galinda something in return.
*
Elphaba's insides turned in on themselves when Galinda touched her shoulder.
"May I join you?" Galinda wondered. Her voice wasn't nearly as high in pitch or as airy as it usually was.
Elphaba made no movement to walk away from Galinda, and allowed her to stand beside her.
"Thank you," Galinda said after a few moments of silence, "for convincing Madame Morrible to include me in her sorcery lessons."
Elphaba nodded, and adjusted the brim of her hat. Galinda squirmed, and glanced around at her friends, who were struggling to contain their laughter.
"Elphaba, would you…" Galinda began, "…would you dance with me?"
"I--"
"Please?" Galinda's eyes widened and her cerulean irises sparkled, "just for a little?"
Despite the ache in Elphaba's abdomen, she found herself following Galinda to the dance floor, where they stood clumsily beside each other before Galinda led and Elphaba followed. They danced around each other, never touching but maintaining constant eye contact until the churning in Elphaba's stomach became too painful and too good to be true, all at once.
"Thank you." Galinda whispered when the music ended and the lights brightened. She held Elphaba's hand and squeezed it, before letting go and gliding to the place her friends and Fiyero stood staring.
"Really, girls, she isn't bad at all." Elphaba overheard Galinda say in hushed tones, "We've sorely misjudged her, and as the most popular girls in school we must set an example that it is unacceptable to ostracize one for a difference one cannot help."