Ack, this one's a little shorter. Ah well. Next chapter will be the first to deviate from Nessa and Elphaba's povs. Galinda time :)

Nessa found herself glancing toward her ostracized sister throughout her picnic lunch. She knew the only reason why Elphaba had declined the offer to join the girls on the blanket was because of, well, the company involved. To be quite honest, Nessa was guiltily grateful. She missed her sister's company, but things were so incredibly awkward when Elphaba was present among the other girls. Well, when Elphaba was present among any group of people really.

Something soft and cold bounced off of Nessa's cheek making her jump and look down to find a grape escaping from her lap.

"Nessarose! Wake up!"

"What?" Nessa looked up to find everyone giggling at her.

"You fell into a trance," Lydya was saying as she popped a second grape into her mouth, it's purpose no longer needed, "I was trying to ask you if you talked to Madame Morrible yet."

"Oh, no. I haven't. She had to go talk to Dr. Dillamond."

"What happened in class anyway?" Calie, Dana's older and nearly identical sister, asked. "I heard there was a ruckus, but no specifics."

"Avaric wrote something degrading on the chalkboard," Dana grumbled.

"We don't know it was him."

"Who else could it be, Nessa? He's -"

"- Coming this way. Shush!"

All of the girls cast furtive glances toward the gravel path to find Avaric and his cronies indeed headed in their direction.

"If I murder him, you are all witnesses on my behalf, right?" Nessa quickly checked. Fellicity, a childhood acquaintance from Munchkinland, looked doubtful. "Of course, but will those other lunks let you close enough to kill him?"

"If we all storm them at once, one of us might get through," Dana suggested.

As the boys stopped a few mere feet from the picnickers the girls refused to pay them any attention.

"Princess! That was quite a hard strike there in class today. You've got a good arm."

Nessa ignored Avaric choosing to study the blanket beneath her instead.

"I like a strong woman."

Oh, so I'm finally a woman? Wonder when that changed. Nessa began to lose focus on the pattern woven into the blanket.

"A strong fighter by day means a better playmate by night."

Oh yes. Nessa was going to kill him. But when she shot to her feet and whirled to strike, Avaric was waiting, caught her, and pulled her close, holding her like he meant to dance.

"Fairest Nessarose, you are starting to become quite violent."

"Avaric, let go," she warned.

"No, no! You would try to hit me again. Hitting is not very nice."

"You're not very nice!"

"And you're silly," he grinned. "Look, I'm sorry for the way I've behaved. Let's just forget all this ever happened and get back together, huh?"

Nessa couldn't tell if he was joking or if he really meant it, but that had little affect on her answer as she tried to pull away in disgust, "No!"

The boy gripped her tighter, laughing openly now. "You're so cute when you're angry. Come on, Nessa! Kiss and make up."

"Let me go, Avaric!" she shouted.

"Avaric! Leave her alone!" Calie's voice commanded from behind.

But Avaric had no intention of letting go of his prize. His eyes darkened and what Nessa saw there frightened her. He was done playing around with her, but exactly he meant to do in the middle of the day when everyone was around, she didn't know. His arm around her waist pulled and pressed her against him. She attempted to take a swat at his face with her free left hand, but the swing was weak and he avoided it altogether bursting out into laughter once more. "You're such a little hussy!"

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"Let me go, Avaric!"

"Avaric! Leave her alone!"

Elphaba's attention was finally drawn away from her book to find the brewing conflict. She couldn't see too much, only the backs of Avaric's minions and the glowers of Nessa's friends threatening each other to make one false move, which meant Nessa and Avaric were somewhere in the middle.

"Avaric! Please, stop!"

The desperation in her sister's voice made Elphaba drop her book and apple, charge down the little hill and across the path, cursing herself for not paying attention before things got out of hand.

"Get your filthy paws off my sister!"

The boys turned, then split apart to reveal the entangled couple. Avaric smiled darkly and released Nessa from his hold. She retreated back to the safety of the other girls.

"Okay, okay, greenie. No need to get nasty about it. I was just asking Nessa to come back to me."

Elphaba stared at him, dumbfounded. "You really don't take rejection well, do you? What in Oz possessed you to think she'd want to come skipping back to you after you've scared her off repeatedly?"

Avaric brushed the question off with his hands, "Rejection? Bah. She was just playing hard to get, weren't you, Princess?"

Nessa shrunk deeper into the circle of her friends, slipping behind Calie who came quite close to matching Avaric in height.

"That's not what it looks like to me," the protective Thropp sister challenged. The fool decided to take the challenge, "No, no! It was just hard to get. Here, I'll show you how it works. The boy takes a step forward, see?" He did so, then gestured to Elphaba. "And the girl takes a step back."

Elphaba stood resolutely and continued to glare at him. Avaric took another step closer and Elphaba folded her arms across her chest, refusing to be pushed. Soon he stood toe to toe with her, and after he leaned down a bit, they were nose to nose as well. "You're supposed to step back, frog face."

She would not be intimidated and threatened, "Avaric, if you and your lackeys don't get out of here this instant, I will see to it you are all dragged out in handcuffs on sexual assault charges."

His face scrunched in mock concern. "Ouch. The elf likes to play rough. Well, I'm up for a game."

He shoved her and she fell hard on her rump. The boys closed in jeering. Avaric extended a hand down to her, "Oh! I'm so sorry, Miss Elphaba! I didn't mean to push you that hard, let me -"

"The last thing I need is your help!" she snapped and swatted his hand away. Just as she got back on her feet, someone else pushed her from the side into another boy where she rebounded once more to the ground.

"Avaric!" Nessa was yelling from somewhere beyond the forest of male legs. Elphaba was pulled back up only to be pushed again. Nessa somehow wriggled into the circle and the other girls were attempting to do the same without as much luck.

"Avaric! Enough!"

But Avaric snatched little Nessa into his arms again and this time he tried to kiss her. Nessa pulled against him with all her might, but she could not free herself.

Elphaba's rage boiled over. She didn't care about being thrown around herself so much, eventually her tormentors would be bored of it and leave her alone. But watching Avaric's obsessive hunger for Nessa, somehow feeling her sister's terror of this boy... She knew Avaric would never stop until he was satisfied. Or until Elphaba killed him, which was becoming more and more an appealing option.

Avaric suddenly grabbed Nessa's chin and planted his lips onto hers. And Elphaba finally snapped.

"LET HER GO!"