Geez, you guys really don't trust Nelliee, do you? Especially Thedoctor24601 (Guest), who just doesn't trust ANYBODY. And yes, I will keep an eye on Galinda for you.

Terahteapot: Tips for writing a lot of stories at once: Keep everything organized. I keep notes on my phone of everything I want to happen in my stories as well as my new story ideas.

Bigby the Big Bad Wolf: Don't worry. I have more karma planned.

"Elphie, what's wrong?" Galinda asked, noticing the look on her friend's face as she approached her, with Fiyero close behind.

"It's… Nelliee just invited me to her birthday party," Elphaba said, turning towards her friend.

"What's so wrong about that?" Fiyero asked, not seeing the problem.

"I feel like it's some sort of prank."

"Maybe she just had a change of heart," Galinda offered, gently taking Elphaba's arm.

"That's highly unlikely," Elphaba said, shaking her head.

"Are you going to her party?" Fiyero asked, stepping to Elphaba's other side.

"I said I would. Half of me is saying that she had a change of heart and the other half is telling me she's lying. I don't know what to do."

"So you decided to go to the party regardless?" Galinda asked.

Elphaba nodded. "If anything else, I'll go to find out for myself if she's telling the truth or not."

"She probably is, you never know. Come on, it's time for lunch," Fiyero smiled, leading the two girls to the cafeteria.

"Guys, over here!" Nessa called, waving the group over. Boq sat beside the wheelchair-bound girl and looked up as the trio sat down.

"How are you feeling, Elphaba?" the Munchkin boy asked, smiling at his girlfriend's older sister.

"Much better, thank you," Elphaba smiled, unwrapping her sandwich.

The group ate their lunch in relative silence until a loud scream from two tables over interrupted them.

"Who was that?" Elphaba asked, dropping her half-eaten sandwich in shock.

"Pfannee," Galinda whispered.

"What's going on?" the green girl questioned, turning towards the blonde.

Pfannee was standing up, one hand pressed firmly against the tabletop, the other clutching her chest. She was coughing madly, almost as if she were choking. ShenShen was standing next to her, trying to figure out what was wrong.

Elphaba couldn't fully hear was going on, but she caught little snidbits of the conversation.

"Burning up… hives… allergic reaction… emergency room…"

"She's having an allergic reaction to something," Boq said, stretching his neck, trying to get a better view.

"Poor girl," Nessa whispered, her voice full of pity.

"Nessa, she and ShenShen attacked Elphie," Galinda said in a hushed whisper as the nurse came and, with ShenShen's help, escorted the coughing and crying girl to the infirmary.

"What?" Nessa jumped, shifting her gaze to her sister. "Fabala?"

"Thanks a lot, Glin," Elphaba muttered.

"That's what I'm here for," Galinda smirked, giving her friend a quick nod.

"Fabala, she attacked you?" Nessa asked, her voice rising at the end.

Elphaba bowed her head and played with the hem of her skirt, refusing to answer the question.

"Fabala."

"It's nothing to worry about, Nessie," Elphaba whispered. "I'm…"

"Elphie, I swear to Oz, if you say that you're not worth it one more time…" Galinda threatened, sending Elphaba a hard glare.

"I was going to say that I'm fine," Elphaba frowned, sending the blonde an equally hard glare.

"Fabala, it's not right for them to do that to you," Nessa said.

"Why? Because I'm blind?"

"No, because you're a human being. Has Madame Morrible been notified?"

"Elphie doesn't want me to tell anyone or get back at ShenShen and Pfannee for her," Galinda huffed.

"It's not worth it. It will only make the problem worse," Elphaba quipped.

"I said I would annihilate them for you."

"Big word," Fiyero whispered.

"I know, right? And I meant it, too! You never even said that you were proud of me for using such a big word, Elphie!" Galinda pouted.

"I'm sorry, Glin," Elphaba said, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "I'm very proud of you for using such a big word."

"Thank you. But I still think we should tell Morrible."

"No."

"She's right, El," Boq said. "We should tell someone. Or at least get back at those girls for what they did to you."

"El?" Elphaba questioned, looking up in Boq's direction.

The Munchkin gave the emerald girl a sheepish look. "Well… Galinda calls you 'Elphie', and I doubt you want me to call you that."

"Nickname thief," Galinda hissed, narrowing her eyes at the Munchkin.

"I didn't say I was stealing it!" Boq defended himself. "And Nessa calls you 'Fabala' and Fiyero calls you 'Fae'. You don't mind me calling you 'El', do you?"

Elphaba smiled. "Of course not, Boq."

The Munchkin's face lit up. "Thanks! But you should really let someone know. It's not right that they did that to you."

"Telling will only make it worse. Trust me."

"It will get worse if no one knows because it shows them that they can get away with doing whatever they want to you," Nessa said.

"I'm fine. I can fight my own battles," Elphaba argued.

"Well, you're not. Elphie, if you won't let me get revenge, at least go to Morrible and tell her what happened," Galinda advised, though it sounded more like an order.

"No," the green girl huffed, shaking her head.

"El…"

"Elphie…"

"Fabala…"

"Fae…"

"No! Stop! I just wish you would all leave me alone!" Elphaba shouted, angrily standing up from the table and, unfolding her cane, made her way out of the cafeteria, bumping into multiple tables and chairs on the way out.

"Fae," Fiyero whispered.

"It's okay, Fiyero. Fabala's always been stubborn. She knows you're right; she just doesn't want to admit it. She's been that way her entire life," Nessa said, trying to reassure the prince that everything would be fine.

"Doesn't she know we're just trying to help her?" Boq asked.

Nessa nodded. "She does. She just hates it when people try to help her. Myself included." The young brunette's face lit up. "I have an idea."

"I'll talk to her," Galinda said, giving everyone a small smile before exiting the cafeteria.

She went back to the dorms, hoping that she would be able to find her friend and talk some sense into her. But surprisingly, Elphaba wasn't there. The blonde ran back to the classrooms, wondering where Elphaba could have gone. She walked through the halls of the Arts building when the sound of a piano playing grabbed her attention. She hurried over to the room and stood in the doorway, a wide smile appearing on her face.

Elphaba sat at the piano, her fingers gliding over the black and white piano keys. Galinda noticed that the green girl's eyes were closed and her face was slightly tear-stained. She was playing a slow, almost sad, song, which, to Galinda, fit her current mood perfectly.

The song ended and Elphaba brought her hand to her face and gently wiped her eyes.

"That was beautiful, Elphie," the blonde smiled, slowly walking into the room.

The green girl jumped. "G-Galinda?"

"The one and only."

"Wh-What are you doing here?"

"I came looking for you," Galinda said, sitting on the bench next to her friend. "I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm… fine."

"You don't look 'fine'."

Elphaba wiped her eyes again. "I…"

"Elphie, I get why you wouldn't want us to take revenge on Pfannee and ShenShen, but why won't you let us tell Morrible?"

"She doesn't need to know."

"Elphie, she's the Shiztress of this place," Galinda hissed. Elphaba recoiled and Galinda calmed down. "I'm sorry. But she needs to know. Elphie, you were hurt."

"I'm still alive."

"Not the point! If you won't tell her, I will!" Galinda challenged, standing up.

"No, you won't!" Elphaba hissed, grabbing at blonde's arm. She missed and, only grabbing air, fell off the bench. "Galinda!" Not hearing her friend respond, Elphaba began to panic. "Galinda, where are you?"

Still not hearing a response, Elphaba grabbed her cane and hurried to the door. She took four steps and crashed into one of the music stands and toppled over.

"Elphie!" Galinda shrieked, running towards the green girl and helping her to her feet.

"Oh, so now you answer me?" Elphaba hissed, allowing the blonde to help her.

"I'm sorry."

Elphaba frowned as she felt her way back to the piano bench and sat down. "Just… please don't tell her."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so!" Elphaba snapped.

"That's not a good enough reason!" Galinda snapped back.

"I… said… no!" Elphaba roared. Sheet music began to fly everywhere. Music stands skidded across the floor. The door opened and slammed shut.

Terrified, Galinda jumped back, trying to avoid having a music stand crash into her.

Elphaba realized what she was doing and calmed down. Slowly, but surely, the room regained order. "I… I'm so sorry, Glin," Elphaba whispered.

"It's okay, Elphie," Galinda said, wrapping the green girl in a gentle hug. "And… if you don't want me to tell Morrible, I won't."

"Thanks, Glin."

"But can I pretty, pretty, pretty please take revenge on Pfannee and ShenShen?"

"No."

"Fae, are you alright? You ran out of the cafeteria and I've been looking all over the school for you," Fiyero huffed, out of breath from running all over the school.

"I'm fine. I just… needed some time alone," Elphaba said.

"I'm sorry if we upset you, Fae," Fiyero said, gently taking Elphaba's hand. "We just care about you and those girls need to pay for what they did."

"I know," Elphaba admitted. "I just… they'll just get angrier and it will only make the problem worse."

"We understand. If you don't want us to get involved, we won't."

"Thank you," Elphaba whispered gratefully, leaning her head against her boyfriend's chest.

"So… what were you doing up here?"

"Elphie can play the piano, and she's really good," Galinda chirped.

"You never told me you could play the piano," Fiyero said, pretending to be offended.

"It never came up," Elphaba shrugged.

"Will you play something for us?"

"Yes, Elphie. Please play something!" Galinda giggled.

"Well… okay." Elphaba sat back down and placed her fingers on the keys.

Galinda's eyes lit up when she recognized the song Elphaba was playing. "I know this song!" she exclaimed before starting to sing. "It's nine o'clock on a Saturday. The regular crowd shuffles in. There's an old man sitting next to me, making love to his tonic and gin."

Fiyero smiled. "He says, 'Son, can you play me a memory? I'm not really sure how it goes. But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete. When I wore a younger man's clothes.'"

"Sing us a song, you're the piano man. Sing us a song tonight. Well, we're all in the mood for a melody. And you've got us feeling alright," the two sang, giggling as they waltz around the music room.

"Now John at the bar is a friend of mine. He gets me my drinks for free. And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke. But there's someplace that he'd rather be," Fiyero sang, leaning against the piano, smiling at his girlfriend.

"He says, 'Bill, I believe this is killing me.' As a smile ran away from his face. 'Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star, if I could get out of this place.'" Galinda sang an octave higher.

"Now Paul is a real estate novelist who never had time for a wife. And he's talking with Davy, who's still in the Navy, and probably will be for life," Fiyero smiled, raising his left arm as he sang the last word.

Galinda grabbed Fiyero's hand and dragged him to the center of the room. "And the waitress is practicing politics as the businessmen slowly get stoned. Yes they're sharing a drink they call loneliness. But it's better than drinking alone."

The two began to waltz again, trying to hold back their giggles so they could sing. "Sing us a song you're the piano man. Sing us a song tonight. Well, we're all in the mood for a melody. And you've got us feeling alright. It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday. And the manager gives me a smile. 'Cause he knows that it's me they've been coming to see. To forget about life for a while."

Fiyero smiled as he shifted his gaze to Elphaba. The green girl seemed to be in a different world as she played. She seemed content, like nothing in the world could touch her.

"And the piano sounds like a carnival. And the microphone smells like a beer. And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar. And say, 'Man what are you doing here?' Sing us a song, you're the piano man. Sing us a song tonight. Well, we're all in the mood for a melody. And you've got us feeling alright."

The song ended and Elphaba turned towards her friends.

"Elphie, that was wonderful!" Galinda squealed, happily wrapping her arms around her best friend.

"Fae, you're truly amazing," Fiyero smiled.

"Th-Thank you," Elphaba whispered. "I've never… I've never played like this before."

"Like what?" Galinda questioned.

"I've only played at home, for my father and Nessa. It's not something a lot of people know about."

"You're still amazing at it. No matter how many people know," Fiyero smiled, helping his girlfriend to her feet. "Where did you learn to play like that?"

"My mother used to play this song all the time. I guess I learned it by ear," Elphaba smiled as Fiyero led her towards the door.

Later that week, Elphaba sat alone by the fountain, reading. She just finished her classes for the day and was enjoying the gentle splashing noises created by the fountain. An early evening breeze swept through, making the emerald girl's raven hair bellow behind her.

"Fae!"

Elphaba marked her page and looked up towards the voice. "Hi, Yero."

Fiyero sat down next to his girlfriend and gently pulled her in for a kiss. "Hi."

"What are you doing out here?"

"I was looking for you. I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to the Quilted Stone tomorrow night."

"What's the occasion?"

"Can't a boyfriend take his girlfriend out for dinner without having a special occasion?"

"I suppose," Elphaba smirked.

"No, I'm not planning anything over-the-top, Fae," Fiyero said, reading Elphaba's mind. "This is just a normal dinner. I promise. We just haven't done anything romantic with just the two of us in a while. I think it would be fun to have a nice dinner together."

"You're so thoughtful. I would love to go with you, Yero," Elphaba smiled, leaning towards Fiyero and gently kissing him.

"Thank you. I'll see you later, okay?" Fiyero said, gently kissing Elphaba again.

"Mm, okay," Elphaba smiled, sensing Fiyero's movements as he stood up and walked away, probably doing a victory dance.

Sighing, Elphaba finished reading the chapter she was on and closed the book. She felt the last bit on warmth from the sun cross her face and stood to leave. Unfolding her cane, she followed the path back to Crage Hall.

"Elphaba!"

Elphaba froze. She recognized that voice. She slowly turned around, visibly stiffening. "F-Father?"

… And then there's Frex…

Yes, everyone. The title of this chapter is a Phantom of the Opera reference. I would like to thank and give a very special shout-out to ExoticPeachBlossom and Elphabalover101 for introducing me to Phantom and getting me hooked.

More revenge for Pfannee and ShenShen is coming. Favorite lines?

Song Used:

'Piano Man' by Billy Joel