Disclaimer: No, no, no, and no. Are we convinced that I don't own it yet?
This one was written in a hurry, and I think it shows. Sorry about that! I'm starting the heaviest school load of my life on Monday (whoopee!), so I wanted to get it done and up while I still have time. If I'm not too busy over the next couple of days, I'll polish it up a bit and repost.
When I returned to school on Monday, I was surprised how at ease I felt. Perhaps it was only my relief at being away from Yackle. I found a bench in a quiet corner of the courtyard during lunch and, for once, enjoyed being alone.
"Hey, Elphaba."
Just my luck-it was Fiyero. I returned my attention to my book. "What, you've decided you want to be friends?"
"Nah, not really." He plunked down next to me, letting his backpack fall haphazardly to the ground. He whisked my book from my hands and glanced at the cover. "Please tell me you're not reading this for fun."
I snatched it back with a scowl. "What in Oz do you want?"
"Settle down, Thropp." He took his time, smirking and clearly enjoying himself as he stretched out his legs and got comfortable. Finally, "Any chance you've talked to Galinda lately?"
"I make a point not to," I said through pursed lips, reading and rereading the same sentence as my irritation built.
"Well, would you give her a message when you do?"
I snapped the book shut. "First of all, Your Highness, I'd rather jab needles in my eyes than converse with that disgrace to the human species. Second of all, why can't you give it to her yourself?"
He held up his palms in a gesture of surrender. "Down, girl. Of course I can give it to her myself, but I wish you two would learn to get along; I get sick of hearing her gripe about you."
"Well. You'll have to forgive me if I don't fall all over myself trying to land in her good graces. I'm afraid that the only change that would make Galinda Upland like me can't be done."
He sat up straight and leaned closer to me. "And what change would that be?"
"Please tell me you're not that ignorant."
"Look, Elphaba. You're both girls. Can't you find some sort of girly…stuff to bond over?"
I snorted. "You're joking. I hardly belong to the same species as the silly blondes who make up your fan club."
"You can say that again," he mumbled. My nostrils flared.
"If you're referring to my skin tone, I assure you that my eyes work quite as well as yours do," I snapped.
Fiyero leapt to his feet. "Great Oz, woman! Do you honestly misunderstand everything I say, or are you doing it on purpose?"
"Are you naturally annoying, or are you doing it on purpose?"
He shook his head in awe. "Elphaba Thropp, you are a piece of work."
"And you've been here an awfully long time for someone who doesn't want to be friends. Don't you have class soon?"
"Don't you?"
"Yes, actually, and I'm leaving for it right now."
I marched off in the direction of my history class. It took me a moment to realize that Fiyero was trudging along right behind me.
"Why are you following me?" I walked faster, and he jogged to keep up.
"Because I can never remember how to get to this class. Also, because I enjoy being yelled at for no reason at all."
Crap. He had the same history class as me. I groaned.
"Besides," he went on. "Annoying you is quickly becoming a hobby of mine; it beats studying any day."
"And what would you know about studying?"
"Oy! Fiyero!" A boy I didn't know waved from across the hall. He caught sight of me and did a double take. "Whatchyou doin' with the vegetable, man? Tough luck with that blonde of yours?"
Nothing new there. But it was Fiyero's response that caught my attention: "Dude, quit with the vegetable thing already. Her name is Elphaba."
I froze in my tracks, stunned. Fiyero kept walking. "Come on, Elphaba."
We walked in silence for a moment. Finally, I asked, "Why did you do that?"
He shrugged.
"Well, I um…thank you."
His steps slowed. He met my eyes briefly, and for once his seemed sincere. "I'm not always a jerk, Elphaba." Eyes back on his feet, he scuffed one shoe on the floor. "Just most of the time."
I vowed then and there to try to be civil to Fiyero.
The next two days were relatively peaceful. I'd kept my vow so far, and Fiyero and I were getting along surprisingly well. We didn't talk that much, but we didn't fight either—not until history class on Thursday.
"What? Again?" Fiyero crumpled his freshly graded test into a ball and began rubbing his temples. "Why me?"
I felt a pang of sympathy. "Umm, Fiyero?" I offered as kindly as I could. "I'm sure if you…you know, studied, then you could—"
I jumped as he slapped his palms down on his desk. "Oh, so that's the answer? Really, Elphaba? Really?" He turned a blistering glare on me.
I couldn't understand why he was angry. "Excuse me for trying to help."
"Whatever." He fumed in silence for a moment, then, "Maybe if I studied," he muttered sarcastically.
I squeezed my eyes shut. "You know what?" Screw my vow of civility. "I know it's hard for you to believe, but some of us actually do try. For once in your life, would it kill you?"
He stared at me, disbelief etched into every line of his face. "I don't even—Thropp, you—For once in my life?" he exploded. Several students around us jumped, and Dr. Dillamond looked flustered. "Master Tiggular," he began, but Fiyero ignored him.
"What do you know about my life?"
"Fiyero—"
"You know what? Forget it." He gathered his things to leave, then turned back and met my eyes. "I don't take advice from vegetables." My mouth
popped open, and he stormed from the classroom, leaving Dr. Dillamond and I looking equally bewildered.
What?
It was strange how betrayed I felt after that. For the next week, neither of us spoke a word to the other. I knew that his defending me didn't make us friends, but for him to turn around and repeat the exact same insult he'd defended me from? It didn't make sense, and I brooded on it far more than I should have.
It was starting to get chilly outside—fall was coming early. I loved the fall. I took frequent walks, venturing farther and farther into the woods. One day, I took a different route and came across a small stream, only a quarter mile or so into the forest. It was only a few inches deep, but many large rocks protruded from the trickling water, and on each side was a high, steep bank. A fallen tree stretched across the it, at least 8 feet above the surface. And there, standing quietly on the makeshift bridge, was Fiyero.
Fresh hurt welled up in me at the sight of him. It would serve him right if he fell. Just as the thought formed in my head, a buzz of electricity nipped at my fingers, and a sudden gust of wind stirred the leaves at my feet. A shout pierced the silence, followed by a splash and a dull thud. Then nothing.
No.
Heart pounding in my ears, I made a mad dash for the stream. Fiyero lay sprawled across several small boulders, almost three yards down from where he'd stood. The rock near his head was stained red. He wasn't moving.
There IS an explanation for Fiyero's little explosion, trust me. :) You'll find out soon enough.
Bit of a cliffy there, I guess. ;) Review?
