Chapter 14: Eye-to-Eye
"Prince Fiyero, good to see you. I was just headed upstairs with the post." The young man bowed at him.
"I've told you many times, Wucosto, you don't need to bow." Fiyero held out his hand for the post. "I'll take that upstairs to my brother, thank you." As he walked, he started to sort through the mail, and wrinkled his brow. One of the envelopes had Elphaba's name on it. It wasn't until this moment that he'd even known her last name. Although somehow he doubted it was her last name – it was probably just what she'd come up with: Sodmin. It was a fairly common last name.
He couldn't help himself. He turned it over. It was from the offices at Shiz. This just got more and more confusing. Fiyero went to find her, and found her as he had so often found her, sitting on her floor reading a book. She looked up when he entered, and her face registered unease when she saw what he was carrying. But she forced a smile. "Good afternoon, Fiyero."
"You have a letter, Miss Elphaba Sodmin," he gave her a look.
"Really?" She swallowed hard.
"It looks like it's from Shiz," he pressed. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Finally, she stood up. "Well, I wasn't going to."
"What is this, Elphaba? And why do you still feel the need to keep things from me?"
"It's not that…" Elphaba sighed. "Fiyero, I didn't want you to know for a reason. I heard your conversation with Rodine a while back. I know you want me to go to Shiz. I don't feel comfortable with you paying for it, not that he would let you. But I needed to know if I could get in…"
"So that's what this is?"
She nodded.
He handed the envelope over. "Then open it, then."
But she shook her head and pushed the envelope back at him. "You do it."
Eyes on her, he slowly tore the envelope open. But before he could even unfold the letter, she grabbed it from him. "I thought you wanted me to open it."
"I can't handle it. You're moving too slow." She unfolded the letter so fast that it practically tore in her hands. Her eyes scanned the page so quickly it was hard to tell she'd even read it. "I don't believe it."
"What is it?" He grabbed for the letter, but she ducked away from him, eyes glued to the page.
"I… Fiyero, I didn't just pass the test. This letter is from the headmistress. I've got the highest admission score they've seen in three years. They want me to come and study there. They'll waive my tuition…" Her voice was shaking and it took him a moment to realize that she was crying.
"Elphaba…" He didn't know if he should reach for her. "That's wonderful."
"I know." Quickly, she brushed the tears from under her eyes. "I didn't expect… I mean, I had hoped. It was the only reason I took the test. But mostly I just wanted to see if I could."
"Well, you did. And now…"
"Fiyero, I can't go. Your brother was right. I would never fit in there. It's a stupid idea. I never should've done this."
He grabbed her by the shoulder. "Elphaba, slow down. I know this is a lot to take in. But you have the opportunity of a lifetime and I can't let you give that up."
"The opportunity of a lifetime?" She laughed harshly. "You already gave me more opportunities than I ever had. This is too much. I don't deserve this."
"You do, Elphaba. You passed that test. You wouldn't have passed it if you didn't deserve it."
"I guess it would mean I wouldn't have to take your charity for the next three years. And after that, with an education I could actually take care of myself. I could pay you back…"
"There's nothing to pay me back for, Elphaba, I've told you." But she was considering going, and that was enough. "Tell me you'll go. You won't be alone there. I'll be with you. If you don't fit in, I won't, either. We'll have each other."
She lowered her eyes for a moment before smiling. "I suppose that's true."
He hugged her. "Good. Then it's settled. You're going."
Sarima was not too pleased when she heard the news. "That little thing is going to Shiz?"
"She has a name, Sarima." Fiyero muttered, jumping off the bed and moving away from her. "I've about had it with the way you're acting about her."
"And I've had it with how you act about her, Fiyero! I will not be second place to a dirty street urchin. You spend more time with her than you do with me! And it appears you're about to spend a lot more time with her."
"You are being completely ridiculous. She lives here and she needed help. That is the only reason I spent so much time with her!" But he knew maybe there was more to it than that. There had been several things keeping him from pursuing that, though, Sarima being one of them. One of the others was that he couldn't trust that she'd actually enter into any sort of relationship with him of her own will. He worried she'd simply do what she thought he wanted because she felt she owed him. He was certain she didn't feel the same about him, anyway. And he did care about Sarima, just not… not in the way he probably should.
"I'm surprised you two haven't ended up in bed. Or have you and I just don't know?" Sarima snapped, finally getting up.
"How could you think I would do such a thing?" He demanded.
"Have you ever thought about how you look when you talk about her? She can do no wrong in your eyes. It's obnoxious!"
"If you're so damned upset about it, then go find someone else!" He snapped.
"Perhaps I will. You're free to fuck your little charity case. Have fun." Sarima grabbed her things and stomped out.
Fiyero sighed and sat down at his desk. He hadn't meant for that conversation to get out of hand like that. But it had, and he wasn't sure he regretted it. Of course, he had no intention of pursuing Elphaba, but at least he'd have a bit of freedom at Shiz. He had a feeling that his brother wouldn't be too pleased about it when he found out, though.
"Really, Fiyero? She was a perfectly sweet girl. What stupid thing did you do?" Rodine demanded the next day.
"Nothing. We just… didn't see eye-to-eye on things. We thought it was best that we go our separate ways. I don't see why you're so upset about it. It was my relationship, not yours."
"Fiyero, she was the best marriageable option we had."
"Maybe I'll find a girl at Shiz."
"Really? You're supposed to be studying there, not courting girls." Rodine scoffed. "And we're having a party to send you off to school. You need a woman on your arm."
He shrugged. "I'll take Elphaba, then."
Rodine blanched. "You will not!"
"Why not? We can find her a dress and I'm sure she'll look just lovely." He thought she'd look more than lovely, but he bit his tongue.
"She's… she's… does she even know how to behave at a party?"
"She has common sense."
"Does she have manners?"
"How hard is it to be polite? She'll be fine, Rodine."
"Please tell me you didn't break up with Sarima so you could sleep with this girl, Fiyero."
Why was everyone assuming that? He groaned. "No, not at all. I just wouldn't mind having a little freedom at Shiz. Elphaba won't mind going to the party and being my date for just one evening." She might not like it, but he also knew she wouldn't fight him. Besides, if she did well, Rodine might look upon her with less scorn. That would be nice.
"I have a feeling I'm going to regret telling you that you can take her, but go ahead. Please, though, Fiyero, don't let this become something between the two of you. I have tried so hard to tolerate whatever weirdness is going on here, but that is too much."
Fiyero nodded. Rod's comments about Elphaba reminded him of yet another reason it was a bad idea to want a romantic relationship. He resigned himself to the fact that it could never happen, and he was absolutely fine with that. Maybe.