Hello again. Another chapter? Up so soon? Why yes, you're welcome. My mumsie just came back from the book store with a pocket sized Wicked since I can't seem to find the copy that we have. It must have up and ran or something. So no more character mistakes! Yay! And thank you to all who corrected my mistakes. I really appreciate it. Well, I won't bother you any longer with my random babblings. On to the story!



Chapter 2

Hated

"You're the real American idol
You're the poor man's Mandy Moore
You're the E True Hollywood Story
About a two face strip mall whore.
I hate you, I hate you
Cause I see through
To what a fake you are
You disgust me, thats why you must be hated
"

Hated (LP Version) by Nikki Cleary

"Elphaba, this is everybody. Everybody, Elphaba." Fiyero had led me to a big round lunch table. I recognized a few of the students (Boq, Avaric, Galinda and three girls whom I assumed to be Galinda's "friends"). There were two other boys who I didn't know. Galinda's friends sneered at me and I heard them whispering about my skin color.

"Really? Are you serious? Are you that prejudice?" I asked one of the girls sardonically. She looked offended and glared at me.

"No, I am not. It's just… your skin is atrocious." I rolled my eyes at her. Even her voice was high pitched and annoying.

"Hmm, I hadn't noticed." I said sarcastically.

"Fae, Calm down." Fiyero sounded tired. I shot him a look.

"I am calm." I muttered. He held my gave for a moment, till I had to look away. I wasn't ready for this. I felt my cheeks burn and I knew they must be turning a darker shade of green. Wonderful.

"Oh, Avaric, honestly!" I heard Galinda laugh obnoxiously and I snorted softly. Fiyero shook his head beside me. I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes. He was watching me. I picked up my fork and began to eat my salad. I swore off meat when I was twelve, after learning about the horrendous things people did to animals. It was despicable.

"You're familiar?" Fiyero looked confused. Oh right, he hadn't seen me since I was eight.

"I'm a vegetarian." I said simply. He nodded, though it looked like he didn't fully understand. Oh my poor innocent, naïve Fiyero.

"This is Crope and Tibbett." Boq said, introducing me to the two other boys. They grinned widely and waved. I could tell they were very… flamboyant. I nodded at them and continued eating my salad.

"And the three girls surrounding Galinda are the misses Milla, Pfannee and Shenshen." Fiyero finished introducing me to everyone, pointing out the girls.

I saw Nessa walk in with the timid girl from earlier. Right, Chelsea. Chelsea was helping my sister walk by balancing her with a hand. Nessa caught my eye and smiled softly. She murmured something to her new friend and they walked over to the table.

"Hello Elphaba." Nessarose said softly.

"Nessa, this is Boq, Crope and Tibbett. You remember Fiyero from the Vinkus?" I introduce her to the three other boys. Though Nessa was five when we left the Vinkus, she nodded.

"Yes. It's a pleasure to see you again Master Fiyero." My sister bowed her head and smiled demurely.

"Um, just Fiyero, thanks. And it's great to see you again too." He shot me a slightly scared look.

"She's very into religion and things." I whispered to him. Nessa sat beside Boq with Chelsea on her other side.

"I'll go get us food." Chelsea murmured, looking scared of us. Nessa just nodded, enthralled in a conversation with Boq. I could see her crush on him already forming .

The rest of lunch was surprisingly uneventful . Avaric, Galinda and the rest of her clones went outside a few minutes into the lunch hour, leaving us in peace. Crope and Tibbett amused us with their silly antics and pranks. Let's just say Chelsea ended up sitting in catsup and Fiyero had more than one potato stuck in his dark hair. We were laughing hysterically by the time the bell rang.

"I don't think I've laughed that much since the Vinkus." I said as Fiyero walked me to my next class. He had it with me, but he insisted on walked me everywhere, even when we didn't have classes together. Don't get me wrong, it was nice, though a little possessive. We headed into the history classroom and Fiyero again led me to a desk in the back. Though I enjoyed sitting in the back, it was actually a bit hard to hear the teachers. Fiyero soon caught my annoyance and we sat towards the middle of the room in a couple classes.

"You won't like this teacher." Fiyero murmured under his breath. I looked at him, confused. It wasn't till a few minutes later when I found out why. Mr. Nikidik walked into the room and set down some papers and a cup of coffee.

"Today we'll mumble mumble mumble about mumble mumble." I had to suppress my annoyance. I couldn't hear a thing he was saying! How was I supposed to learn anything in this class?

By the end of the period, I was pissed at the teacher. I stalked out of the classroom, behind Fiyero.

"Don't say it." I said harshly, cutting him off.

"Fine, I won't." He sighed, but I could tell he was itching to. I told you so. I wouldn't be able to take it. One more thing could send me over the edge. Nothing angered me more than not being able to hear something, especially something important. I could already tell I'd be failing that class. And I never failed.

I had a free period for my next class (something Fiyero had with me) and after that I had Chior (something he did not). I didn't know why I had bothered to join Chior. I think Frex had something to do with it. A part of me, though I wouldn't admit it, wanted to be accepted by him. The only thing he praised about me was my voice.

I was lead to a table in the back of an immensely large library. I gazed around in awe. There must have been thousands and thousands of books in here. I could already tell where I'd be spending most of my time. Yero saw my grin and smirked.

"So, you have a thing for books?" He asked casually. I rolled my eyes.

"No, I was admiring the ceiling tiles. Amazing." My voice was leaved heavily with sarcasm and the beautiful prince in front of me chuckled.

"Glad you find me amusing." I muttered, collapsing into one of the chairs at the table. Boq came running in, hiding behind the table.

"Save me!" He whispered urgently. I exchanged look with Fiyero. He shrugged and I took out an Algebra II book, deciding to start on homework.

"Boq? Oh Boq?!" I heard a sweet voice that was unmistakably Nessa's. I choked on a laugh, looking at Boq incredulously.

"You're hiding from my sister?" I snorted, entirely amused. Oh, this was gold.

"Shut up!" He hissed, sinking lower. I shrugged and went back to working.

"Elphaba? Oh, Elphaba, have you seen Boq? I've been looking for him everywhere." She sighed, looking around the library.

"No, sorry Nessa. Why don't you try the courtyard?" I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. She nodded at Chelsea, who stood obediently behind her. They left and Boq sighed in relief, standing and then sinking into a chair beside Fiyero.

"She's been after me ever since lunch." He breathed tiredly. I smiled sympathetically.

"Yes, she can be a bit much. But hurt my sister and I'll break your face." I said simply, glaring at him a bit. His face paled dramatically.

"Relax, Boq." Yero sighed. He knew I wouldn't break Boq's face. Maybe his nose, but I wasn't that violent. Boq just grumbled under his breath.

I managed to finished my math homework and get started on history before a bell signaled the end of the period.

"What do you have next, Elphie?" Boq asked. I stopped in my tracks and growled.

"Do not call me Elphie." I hissed at him. Fiyero shook his head. We had been through this conversation when I was five. I was a very terrifying child. Boq nodded, his eyes wide in fear.

"I have Chior next." I finally said when the three of us were halfway to my classroom.

"Really? Galinda has that too." My expression, I'm sure, went dark. Great, an hour with the bubbling blonde. Loads of fun. I saw a glazed look go over Boq's eyes. He had it bad for the girl.

There were only a handful students in the chior. It really wasn't all that great. It was a clump of about fifteen girls. We were divided into three sections. Soprano and alto being about equal in size, and mezzo soprano slightly smaller and in the middle. It was an all girls chior and I was placed in the top row of the soprano section, next to Galinda. As if my day couldn't get any worse, we were assigned to work together on a solo. We would be working on it for a month, perfecting and tweaking the song, before performing it for the school's annual OzDust Ball.

Galinda seemed as happy about it as I was. We glared at each other for half the period, not saying a word. Of course she wouldn't want to work with "the artichoke". What would her friends think? Wait till Fiyero heard of this, he'd get a laugh. Boq would probably faint with delight.

"Girls! Is there a problem?" The choir teacher screeched. I blushed and shook my head in sync with Galinda.

"Good. Now get to work." The teacher, Ms. Romlin, went back to knitting a scarf.

"Wait! Ms. Romlin!" Galinda cried, standing. I could now fully see how short the blonde was. I wondered if she was so bubbly and short because she drank coffee all the time. Though I doubted it, since I was a tall string bean and I drank coffee day and night.

"Yes?" Ms. Romlin said, resigned.

"I can't work with… with her! She's green!" Again with the skin tone thing. Can't people just get over it? I mean honestly, it's just a skin color.

"Galinda, would you like to take your problem to Principle Morrible?" Ms. Romlin snapped. Galinda's eyes went wide and she shook her head no, mute with shock.

"No? Good. Now I suggest you get working."

Galinda sighed in frustration and turned to me.

"Lets get this strait. Just because I'm working with you doesn't mean I'm your friend." She snapped. I snorted and rolled me eyes.

"Why would I want to be friends with you? I can't stand you. Everything about you is detestable. Your voice, your attitude, your love of pink. I hate it, all of it." I remarked snidely. She deplored of me loudly.

"Since neither of us want to be doing this, let's just get it over with." I said, picking up with sheet music for the song. It was Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Great, I'm singing about rainbows with the sunshine queen herself.

"I'll take the harmony, you can do the melody." Galinda sniffed, acting uppity. She said it spitefully, as if taking the melody was in insult.

We practiced together. Her voice was high pitched, sounding very closely to nails scratching a blackboard, while my voice hit the notes powerfully. When we finished, Ms. Romlin was looking at us with tears in her eyes.

"Beautiful girls, just beautiful!" She cried, clapping. Right. I had no idea how I'd be able to stand with month if I had to work with Galinda. My own funeral would surely be soon.


Ah, another chapter over with. I'll try and post the next one tomorrow before I leave for Houston, but I can't make promises. Reviews are loved and appreciated and polished! Please, I'd love suggestions or constructive criticism. As long as it's not like totally rude and evil and... Wicked (heehee, sorry, had to add that). Ta ta for now!