The headshiztress, Madame Morrible, arrived just then, and I ignored my twin. "Madame Morrible? Yes? I'm Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands and I'm very much interested in studying sorcery in your seminar. That's why I came to Shiz—to study sorcery with you," I said. "Yes, well, I don't offer it every semester. I only make exceptions for very talented students." "My twin sister and I are both talented—very talented." I said. "Your twin?" she asked. "Yes, Miss Elphaba Upland of the Upper Uplands is my twin, Madame." I said, evenly. "The two of you are twins?" she asked. "Almost everyone we tell that we're twins says that exact same thing in almost the exact same way, but the answer is yes." I said.
Elphaba smiled softly at Nessarose, and I got angry—Elphaba never smiled at anyone—I knew that—I was her twin. Elphaba smirked evilly at me suddenly and thought, Jealous, Miss Galinda? I scowled and harrumphed and thought, No! Elphaba smirked again and thought, Jealous. 'Sides you're still my twin and you always will be. I nodded and then we both listened to find who our roommates would be. I thought hard, Please don't let me be roommates with Elphaba. Please don't let me be roommates with Elphaba. Elphaba closed her eyes and thought just as hard, Please don't let me be roommates with Galinda. Please don't let me be roommates with Galinda. We kept thinking those two sentences over and over again.
Then Madame Morrible said, "Miss Galinda Upland? Miss Elphaba Upland?" "Yes?" we both said, at the same time. "You two will be rooming..." Madame Morrible began. We both tensed, hoping against hope that she wouldn't say together. "Together," Madame Morrible said. Elphaba and I looked at each other and screamed, "NO!" I groaned and Elphaba said, "Madame, there must have been some mistake. Galinda and I already live with each other and we hate each other." "College roommates learn to get along—sometimes they become best friends." Madame Morrible told us. I looked at Elphaba and shook my head—this was going to be the longest four years of my life. Your life? Elphaba thought-shrieked at me. I have to spend the next four years listening to you and your friends badmouthing me and then watch as you come begging me to tutor you in all your classes. Although watching you beg me for help studying will be entertaining—it's the other reason why I put up with you. The first is you're my twin and I have to and the second is I get to watch you beg me to help you study for tests. I glared at her and thought, You're right. I hate you when you're right. You always hate me, Galinda.
I nodded and I gathered my belongings and turned to go to our new room, when I felt Elphaba's temper flare. I looked around and screamed, "Elphaba! Calm down!" Nothing happened and I felt magic race through me as a smaller explosion occurred near me. I groaned and I watched as Madame Morrible offered Elphaba an opportunity to study in her sorcery seminar. I looked at my twin and sighed, jealous that she'd been chosen and I hadn't been. I was just as talented, but her powers were easier for her to get access to—to use them.
"Oh, Miss Elphaba... MANY YEARS I HAVE WAITED FOR A GIFT LIKE YOURS TO APPEAR. WHY, I PREDICT THE WIZARD COULD MAKE YOU HIS MAGIC GRAND VIZIER. MY DEAR, MY DEAR, I'LL WRITE AT ONCE TO THE WIZARD—TELL HIM OF YOU IN ADVANCE. WITH A TALENTE LIKE YOURS, DEAR, THERE IS A DEFIN-ISH CHANCE IF YOU WORK AS YOU SHOULD, YOU'LL BE MAKING GOOD..."
I looked at my sister, and sneaking off, I dropped our stuff off at our new room and secretly snuck back down to the hallway to watch her reaction—she hated it when I spied on her, but I really didn't ever care.
"DID THAT REALLY JUST HAPPEN? HAVE I ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD? THIS WEIRD QURIK I'VE TRIED TO SUPPRESS OR HIDE IS A TALENT THAT COULD HELP ME MEET THE WIZARD IF I MAKE GOOD, SO I'LL MAKE GOOD... WHEN I MEET THE WIZARD, ONCE I PROVE MY WORTH AND THEN I MEET THE WIZARD, WHAT I'VE WAITED FOR SINCE... SINCE BIRTH! AND WITH ALL HIS WIZARD WISDOM, BY MY LOOKS HE WON'T BE BLINDED! DO YOU THINK THE WIZARD IS DUMB? OR LIKE MUNCHKINS, SO SMALL-MINDED? NO! HE'LL SAY TO ME, 'I SEE WHO YOU TRULY ARE! A GIRL ON WHOM I CAN RELY!' AND THAT'S HOW WE'LL BEGIN—THE WIZARD AND I. ONCE I'M WITH THE WIZARD, MY WHOLE LIFE WILL CHANGE, 'CUZ ONCE YOU'RE WITH THE WIZARD NO ONE THINKS YOU'RE STRANGE. NO FATHER IS NOT PROUD OF YOU! NO SISTER ACTS ASHAMED! AND ALL OF OZ HAS TO LOVE YOU WHEN, BY THE WIZARD, YOU'RE ACCLAIMED. AND THIS GIFT—OR THIS CURSE—I HAVE INSIDE, MAYBE AT LAST I'LL KNOW WHY WHEN WE ARE HAND IN HAND—THE WIZARD AND I. AND ONE DAY, HE'LL SAY TO ME, 'ELPHABA. A GIRL WHO IS SO SUPERIOR. SHOULDN'T A GIRL WHO'S SO GOOD INSIDE HAVE A MATCHING EXTERIOR? AND SINCE FOLKS HERE TO AN ABSURD DEGREE SEEMED FIXATED ON YOUR VERDIGRIS, WOULD IT BE ALL RIGHT BY YOU IF I DEGREENIFY YOU?' AND THOUGH OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO ME. 'ALRIGHT, WHY NOT?' I'LL REPLY. OH, WHAT A PAIR WE'LL BE—THE WIZARD AND I. YES, WHAT A PAIR WE'LL BE—THE WIZARD AND... UNLIMITED, MY FUTURE IS UNLIMITED. AND I'VE JUST HAD A VISION ALMOST LIKE A PROPHECY. I KNOW—IT SOUNDS TRULY CRAZY—AND TRUE, THE VISION'S HAZY, BUT I SWEAR SOMEDAY THERE'LL BE A CELEBRATION THROUGHOUT OZ THAT'S ALL DO WITH ME! AND I'LL STAND THERE WITH THE WIZARD, FEELING THINGS I'VE NEVER FELT! AND THOUGH I'D NEVER SHOW IT, I'D BE SO HAPPY I COULD MELT! AND SO IT WILL BE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE AND I'LL WANT NOTHING ELSE TILL I DIE! HELD IN SUCH HIGH ESTEEM, WHEN PEOPLE SEE ME THEY WILL SCREAM FOR HALF OF OZ'S FAV'RITE TEAM—THE WIZARD AND I!"