"Papa, I just received this note from Elphaba!" Nessa said, running into her father's study. Frex looked up. He would have been mad at Nessa for not knocking, but when he saw the look on her face, he knew that something was wrong.
"What is it, Nessa?" Frex asked.
Nessa handed him the letter from Elphaba.
My dearest Nessa and Papa,
I am writing to you in regards to my stay at Shiz University. I wish to return home as soon as possible. Things have been happening that I do not wish to discuss at the moment, but I need a break. Please send a carriage here as soon as possible.
All my love,
Fabala
"What do we do?" Nessa asked as her father handed her the letter.
"I will send a carriage immediately," Frex whispered, standing up. He placed a gentle kiss on Nessa's head and walked out the room.
"Fiyero, you have a lot of explaining to do!" Galinda said. She was once again pointing a threatening finger at Fiyero's chest. Oz, she had to come up with more intimidation tactics.
"Galinda, please! I wasn't kissing ShenShen! She was kissing me!" Fiyero said, backing away from the petite blonde.
Galinda suddenly put her hand down. "I believe you," she whispered.
"What?" Fiyero whispered.
"I believe you. I know that you truly love Elphaba, and that you would never do anything to hurt her. I just… Elphie!" Galinda said, realizing that Elphaba wasn't there.
"She ran away again?" Fiyero asked, his voice faltering.
"Oz, she really needs to stop doing that!" Galinda said, shaking her head and running out of the room, closely followed by Fiyero.
Elphaba was curled in a ball on her bed. She couldn't take it anymore. Galinda slowly opened the door and walked up to Elphaba.
"Oh, Elphie," Galinda whispered. Her voice was soft and full of pity for her best friend. She placed a caring hand on Elphaba's shoulder, startling the green girl. Elphaba's face softened when she saw Galinda. Galinda pulled Elphaba close to her.
"I'm so sorry, Elphie," Galinda whispered.
Elphaba sobbed her heart out on Galinda's shoulder. She had to get away from there. She wouldn't allow her heart to experience any more aching.
"Is it safe?" Fiyero asked from the doorway.
Galinda nodded. Fiyero entered the room, a single red rose in his right hand. He knelt down in front of Elphaba, holding the rose out to her. Elphaba sniffed as she eyed the rose. This was his idea of apologizing? She wanted to get away. No, she didn't want to get away. She needed to get away. She needed a break. She needed space.
Elphaba gracefully stood up and walked to her closet. She began to take all of her clothes out and pack them in her suitcase.
"Elphaba, what are you doing?" Galinda asked, stepping closer to her roommate. Elphaba pushed her away as she continued to pack.
"Fae, please," Fiyero begged, taking Elphaba's hand. Elphaba jerked her hand away. She didn't want to speak to Fiyero.
"Miss Elphaba," Madame Morrible said, appearing in the doorway. "Your carriage is here to take your home."
"Carriage? Home? Elphie, you're leaving?" Galinda said, near tears. Her Elphie was leaving her.
Elphaba turned around to look at Morrible and nodded. She grabbed her suitcase and left the room.
"ELPHIE!" Galinda called after her.
"Master Fiyero, what are you doing here?" Morrible asked. "This is the Girl's Dormitories. Males are not allowed. You know that!"
"Yes, Madame. I know. But…" Fiyero started.
"No buts! Now, out with you!" Morrible said, shooing Fiyero out of the room.
"Madame Morrible!" Galinda called her back into the room. "What happened? Why is Elphaba going home?"
"I don't know, dear," Morrible answered.
"Will she come back?" Galinda asked, her tears finally breaking free from her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Miss Galinda. I really don't know," Madame Morrible said, closing the door behind her.
Galinda ran to her bed and sobbed. Why was Elphaba leaving her? Did she do something wrong?
Fiyero.
Of course! Elphaba thought that Fiyero was cheating on her. That made perfect sense. With all that has happened to her, she had a right to believe that. But it wasn't true! How would Galinda tell her that?
Elphaba arrived home quickly. She was relieved to find that her father and Nessa weren't home. She quickly ran into the house, leaving the poor servants to retrieve her things. She breathed in the familiar smells of the Governor's mansion. The smell of the old wood, of the burning fire and of the freshly polished floors filled her nose. She gracefully walked up the stairs to her room. She opened the door and looked in. Her room was exactly how she left it. Though, the bed wasn't made. She suspected that Nessa probably slept in it. She slowly walked over to the bed and felt the sheets. They felt very soft. She climbed into her bed and reached for her teddy bear. This teddy bear held a lot of memories for her; her mother dangling it in front of her face in a game, how she brought it with her wherever she went; and her only comfort after the accident.
Tears rolled down Elphaba's cheeks. She didn't mean to leave Galinda like that. She just had to get out of there. She couldn't do it anymore. She tried to be strong and now show weakness, and because of that, it just flowed out of her at once. She felt guilty. She knew that she would never be a normal girl. She started to sob. Then, the strangest thing happened. The lights flicked on and off. Elphaba jumped off the bed and landed on the floor. The windows opened and closed on their own. Elphaba looked scared. Was she causing this? Lightning struck in the room. Elphaba curled into a ball and clutched her bear closer to her chest. What was happening? And why was it happening?
Elphaba eventually calmed down. When she did, the lights came back on and the windows stopped opening and closing. Elphaba pushed her glasses back up her nose. She wanted her father and Nessa to come home quickly.
"Good afternoon, Governor Thropp. Miss Nessarose," the guard said as Frex and Nessa returned home. "Miss Elphaba returned home a few hours ago."
"How is she?" Nessa asked.
"Well, the maids said that she locked herself in her room and refuses to come out," the guard reported.
"Poor Elphaba," Nessa whispered.
"There's more. The maids reported that the lights were flickering on and off in her room. The sounds of the windows opening and closing were flooding the entire household. Miss Elphaba could be heard screaming her lungs out," the guard said in a monotone.
"What?" Frex asked.
The guard simply nodded. Frex and Nessa hurried into the house. When the reached Elphaba's room, Nessa discovered that the door was still locked.
"Elphaba!" Nessa called, knocking on the door. She stepped aside to let her father try to get Elphaba to open the door.
"Fabala, please let us in!" Frex begged. The sound of something hitting the door, probably a pillow, told Frex and Nessa that Elphaba still wasn't ready to talk.
"It's okay, Papa. She'll come out when she's hungry," Nessa joked.
Frex smiled. "You're right, Nessie!" Frex said, hugging Nessa and going back to his study.
"Two can play at this game, Elphaba," Nessa said in a challenging voice as she sat against the wall opposite the door, waiting for her sister to come out.
