Next chapter…

Thanks a ton to all reviewers. It makes me happy to get reviews! I used a ton of italics in this, just because of the way Galinda talks... I accedentally added this chapter to a different story... oops, sorry if it caused confusion.

Disclaimer: Don't own Wicked.

Elphaba was able to avoid Fiyero for the rest of the day. Though she would never admit it, she was actually a bit scared of Fiyero discovering her 'secret'. She reminded herself strictly whenever those thoughts crossed her mind that it wasn't a secret at all. Everyone knew about it. It's hard to miss green skin.

Unless you've colorblind of course, she thought bitterly. She would have liked it much better if could see color. He would have made jokes and tortured her to no end like everyone else, no doubt. And still, she would have liked it better.

"Ooh, you won't believe this!" Galinda was busy gossiping with her friends during class. "I mean, I believe it. But Fiyero Tiggular is taking me out on a date tonight!" She squealed, causing half of the class to flinch at the sound.

"Oh, that is so perfect!" Shen Shen cried.

"I know." Galinda said smugly. "Isn't it?" A couple of rows down from them Elphaba groaned audibly at the thought of the blonde spending all evening getting ready, probably including her friends in the drawn out process. Besides, what exactly had that been the night before, if not a date? She grit her teeth.

"Well it sounds like someone isn't very excited." Phanee sniffed. Galinda rolled her eyes.

"Oh, the Artichoke wouldn't get excited over anything. I swear it's like she has no emotion." She said, loud enough for he green girl to hear. "I bet she wouldn't even get excited if he asked her out."

"Oh, Oz no, Galinda!" Shen Shen practically shrieked. "Don't even put that picture in my brain!" The blonde giggled at the reaction.

"Please, like that'd happen." She sniffed. "Fiyero has me. Why would he choose anyone of me?"

"Oh, that is so true." Galinda smiled in agreement.

"I have heard rumors about the prince." Phanee said, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"He's not cheating on me is he?" Galinda whispered back with a horrified tone.

"Not at all!"

"Well then spill Phanee!"

"Fine, fine! I've heard that the prince can't see color." The brunette told them. "And so doesn't know about the Artichoke's… deformities." Galinda let out a short laugh.

"That's absurd!" She said. "And even if it's true, I doubt he'd want to socialize with her anyway. I mean, look at her." They all did just that, and all they saw was green.

"Oh true. Even without that hideous color, she's still ugly." All three girls giggled.

"And based on this we can assume- Are you three even listening?" Dr. Dillamond asked mid-lecture, and they stopped their giggles to pretend they were paying attention.


Elphaba retreated to the library, hoping to spend the hours her roommate would be unbearable immersed in books and studying. But as she was walking towards the large wooden doors she noticed a sign. Library closed for re-organization, it read. Furious, she stalked through the halls, not even noticing the multiple people she was pushing past. Closed? Closed? Where could she go for studying or peace or anything, now? The lounge would be filled with people, as would every other place on campus, for that matter. So she decided to read in the nearby forest area until the sun set, indulging in a book with her back against a tall oak.

When the green girl was forced to retreat to her room due to the lack of light, she was relieved not to find a group of giggling girls, but just Galinda. It wasn't much better, but better nonetheless.

"What are you doing in here?" The blonde asked, eyeing her green roommate suspiciously.

"You'll live." Elphaba said simply, already studying. The smaller girl made a sound of disgust and the green girl rolled her eyes.

"Can't you find anywhere else to go?" She asked, heading into the girls' shared bathroom. "Like the library. You seem to spend most of your existence in there." Elphaba clenched her fists and grit her teeth.

"It's closed today." She hissed. "Trust me, I'm about as happy about this as you are." She didn't get a reply, just a very loud sniff from the bathroom. After what could have minutes or hours (neither girl could tell, Elphaba being deep in a book and Galinda being focused on her reflection), there was a knock at the door.

"Get that, Artichoke!" The green girl didn't move an inch. There was another knock, and then another, and the polite knocks turned to pounding.

"Galinda? Are you there?" It was Fiyero's voice. Elphaba sighed. So much for avoiding all communication.

"I'm coming, dearest!" She called sweetly, then lowered her voice. "Get it! I'm in the middle of putting my make-up on." Elphaba continued to sit still.

"I'm in the middle of studying." She replied in a sarcastic manor. Galinda poked her head out from behind the bathroom door.

"Elphaba, will you pretty please get the door for me?" Her voice was a forced, annoyed, sticky sweet tone. The green girl smirked and snickered, but put her textbooks aside to do as she asked. A slightly irritated prince was waiting on the other side.

"Hey Ga- Oh, Hi Elphaba." He said, looking confused for a second, which changed into a look of understanding. "Oh yeah, you said she was your roommate."

"Sadly." Was all the green girl said before returning to her former position scrunched up on the brown patchwork bed. Fiyero seated himself on the opposite frilly pink one and an uncomfortable silence settle over the room, apart from some humming form the bathroom. At least, it was uncomfortable for Fiyero. Elphaba seemed fine.

"Oh, for Lurline's sake, just tell me!" He finally cried, breaking the silence. The girl opposite him looked up in surprise.

"What?"

"Whatever it is that you, and the rest of the school, won't tell me!" Elphaba narrowed her eyes.

"If you don't know, then it's none of your business."

"It can't be that bad, I know it can't." He said, exasperated. "I've already met you, sort of." He did have a point. Most people wouldn't even take the time to meet her because of her appearance. But she would never admit that to him.

"Didn't I say it's none of your business?" She asked, an edge of annoyance showing clearly in her voice.

"Well it seems like everyone else's business but mine!" At this the green girl smiled slightly, but it was a very dry smile.

"I suppose it is, in a sense." She replied. Galinda chose that moment to skip over.

"Okay, I'm-" She noticed the tension in the room, and her eyes narrowed. "Have you been bothering my boyfriend?" Fiyero's eyebrows shot up at the word 'boyfriend' and Elphaba held back a snicker.

"Actually, he was bothering me." She replied icily. Galinda shot a short glare at her roommate and turned to the Winkie.

"Ignore her. The Artichoke can be sohorrible sometimes." Fiyero shook his head in confusion.

"I don't get it. What could I possibly be missing?" Galinda looked confused. He gestured to Elphaba hopelessly, who was now grimacing and glaring so hard at her book that the prince was surprised it didn't burst into flames.

"No one will tell me what's so wrong with her. No one." He pouted like a five-year old. The blonde's confusion only deepened.

"You don't need someone to tell you what's wrong with her. Who would want to be friends with a vegetable?" She said, as if the girl in question was not sitting only a few feet away. Elphaba, as always, did her best to ignore it.

"I'm still-" The Winkie began, but was cut off.

"Unless what Phanee said is true! Fiyero, darling, are you colorblind?" She asked sweetly and he nodded, still confused. She burst into giggles. "That is too funny. No wonder I saw you talking to her before class today!" She continued in fits of laughter while the green girl tried to control her annoyance and the prince sunk further into confusion.

"I don't see how that has to do with this." His brain was frantically trying to piece everything together, to no avail.

"Well you wouldn't, would you?" She giggled, beginning to calm down. Elphaba suddenly stood up.

"If you too lovebirds aren't leaving, I am." She told them, sweeping out the door and closing it behind her with a slam. Fiyero sighed and look down at the girl who was supposedly his girlfriend.

"Galinda, just tell me please?" She sighed.

"It is tempting to keep it a secret form you, but you are my boyfriend after all." The blonde hesitated. "She's green, Fiyero."

"What?"

"Green skin, like the color of artichokes and vegetables and germs." She told him, wrinkling her nose. "It's really horrible. Of course wouldn't know that, so it's not your fault for talking to her."

"Green skin? That's… weird." He said, bewildered.

ReViEw? Please :)