Chapter 5: Feel That?
He was always there in between her classes, whether it was to say a simple hello or have a full blown conversation with her. During the weekend, he'd hang out with her and Glinda at their apartment for a while or they'd go to his hotel room and keep him company while he worked on the dances and Elphaba on school work. After just two weeks, it felt so normal to see him every hour or so; he'd become a great friend.
Which is why she had felt so lonely the entire day; in addition to the fact that Glinda was at home, sick with a small cold, Elphaba hadn't seen Fiyero all day today.
She already missed him. Sweet Oz, what was happening to her?
Elphaba walked into her last class of the day, a simple flexibility class, a good way to end her day and week.
Glinda and her were the only ones who would sign up for this class, nobody else wanted to take it due to the instructor being a Goat. Elphaba thought it completely absurd, but at the same time she took advantage of it; she could get more individual time with her teacher and really improve her flexibility, which she has in the past two or three years that she'd been training with Mister Dillamond. He was truly great at his job, he was her favorite instructor.
"Good afternoon, Elphaba," the old Goat greeted when she walked into class.
"Afternoon, Mister Dillamond," Elphaba smiled and sat down on the floor.
"Is it just you today?" he asked, noticing Glinda wasn't by her side.
"Yeah, Glinda's home with a cold," Elphaba took off her shoes and stretched her feet, "what are we working on today?" she asked enthusiastically.
"Hip flexibility. By the way, congratulations, I heard you made the competition team."
She nodded shyly. "Thank you."
"Are you excited?" Mister Dillamond played relaxing music and motioned her to sit in front of him and start stretching.
"Yes, but I'm more nervous than anything else; the schedule looks very demanding," she admitted.
"It definitely is. I've heard many horror stories. Push down on the floor more," he pushed her back towards the ground more while she was on her right splits, helping her lower her hips more as well.
"Do tell," she laughed, "by the way, how was your niece's birthday last weekend?"
"Mister Dillamond," Madame Rios, the ballet instructor, called from the door of the classroom, "you have a personal phone call at the desk."
"Be right there," he checked the time, "Elphaba, there's only ten minutes left, feel free to do any other stretches you'd like. If I don't see you before the end of class, have a wonderful day, great job today."
She nodded. "Thank you, you too."
He left with the ballet teacher and she sighed. What else could she do? Elphaba walked to the barres on the wall and swung herself for a bit, deep in thought.
"Hey,"
She turned around to see who'd come in, she couldn't fight the smile that took over her face.
"Hey, Fiyero."
"Is it just me, or does it feel like I haven't seen or talked to you in a long time?" he laughed shyly as he walked in. He'd really missed her today, it had felt so weird not talking to her in between her classes.
"It's not just you, it was weird," she chuckled and he smiled in relief, he felt less exposed now.
"I'm glad I'm done for the day," he sighed, stretching his back on the barre.
"Where have you been?" Elphaba asked.
"Editing a couple songs for the competition routines. Sweet Oz, I hate this part of the process," he groaned.
She laughed and he couldn't help but smile. "Is it really that bad?"
"You'd think not. But to make the song short enough; make it transition smoothly so it doesn't seem like you edited it; and, if they have lyrics, make them still make sense? It makes me wanna kill myslef sometimes."
"Well don't, I'm already used to seeing you everyday, I'd miss you," she coughed and blushed after she'd said that without thinking.
"I'd miss you too," he whispered and looked away, how was it that this girl turned him back into a shy 16 year old boy instead of the 24 year old man he was? Fiyero could feel her gaze on him and he swallowed, realizing Elphaba was by herself, he found a way to change the subject. "Where's Glinda? Where's the rest of your class for that matter?" he knew her schedule, there was still a little time left before her class officially ended.
"Glinda woke up with a cold this morning so she's at home. And because she's at home, I'm the only taking this class," he raised an eyebrow, "no one else really signs up for this class except for us, sometimes Boq if he's brave enough to even be in the same room as her," she laughed.
He chuckled. "Wait, so it's literally only like three people at most in this class at times?"
"Mhm," she nodded.
"Let me guess," he rolled his eyes.
"You get three," Elphaba held up her fingers.
"Is it because of who the instructor is?"
Elphaba threw her arms in the air. "Ding ding ding! We have a winner!" she pulled back the sleeves of her sweatshirt, "yeah, people are unbelievable." she shook her head, "personally, I think he's one of the best teachers at the studio."
"They're missing out then," he agreed.
"Definitely."
"What were you working on today?"
"Hip flexibility, which speaking of, I feel like I need to pop something," she frowned and kneaded her right hip bone with her knuckles, "I think I might have a knot."
"Try a tilt stretch," he suggested.
Elphaba snapped her fingers. "Good idea," grabbing the barre with one arm, she slowly brought up her left leg, making 180° with her legs. She pursed her lips and tried slowly bringing her leg further back. "It's not really doing anything."
"Here, hang on," Fiyero knelt down in front of Elphaba and her knee almost buckled under her. "Turn out your supporting foot more," he breathed heavily as he held her by her calf so she could do just that.
He rose from the ground then stood behind her. He placed a slightly trembling hand on her hip bone, careful not to touch her anywhere else to avoid making her uncomfortable. "Feel that?" he breathed.
Oh, she felt something alright. Elphaba could feel her heart beating wildly under her chest, her face warming up, her leg shaking slightly underneath her. Somehow, she managed to nod at his question.
"Now," he placed a hand to her hip, feeling the soft curve of her body that her large clothes hid so well, and gripped her ankle that was in the air with his other hand, "just breathe and relax," at her nod, he slowly widened the angle of her legs and helped her lean her upper body towards the floor.
Her hip popped. "Ah!" Elphaba brought her leg down and crouched on the floor. Fiyero crouched in front of her and rubbed her back.
"Sorry, you ok?"
"Actually," Elphaba stood and Fiyero followed. She took a couple steps then swung her right leg back and forth and side to side, "Yeah, thank you," she laughed, rubbing her hip.
"You're welcome," he looked at the time, "you ready to go?"
"Yes," Elphaba said. She put her shoes back on and Fiyero carried her bag for her. "So. Do you have any plans or are you busy…tonight?" Elphaba asked, putting a strand of hair that had escaped her bun behind her ear.
"No," he answered, "why?" he asked, smiling.
"Glinda's sick and when she's sick, she uses that to her advantage. She'll make me watch the most awful movies, saying they help her get better somehow, and…"
"And you want to take me down with you," he teased.
Elphaba smiled. Truth be told, she could handle the ridiculously cheesy movies Glinda made her watch, but she wasn't sure that telling him outright that she felt like she hadn't spent enough time with him today would work in her favor really well.
"What do you say?" she swallowed.
Who would turn down an offer to spend time with her? He absolutely couldn't. "I say I'll find a way for you to make it up to me," he smirked.
She laughed. "Ok then," she looked down so he couldn't see her blush.
Oh, she was absolutely adorable. Fiyero brushed her shoulder with his own and they exited the studio and walked to her apartment.
"You sure you don't need any help?" Glinda asked Elphaba.
The green girl was making some soup for dinner while Fiyero and Glinda kept her company in the kitchen.
"I'm sure," Elphaba answered while stirring the pot.
"Besides, if you make it, Glinda; you'll just contaminate the whole thing," Fiyero said then took a drink from his water.
"Hey! I only gave Elphie and myself food poisoning once!"
"What?!" Fiyero laughed and Elphaba whipped her head towards them.
"Glinda, I think he meant you'll give us your cold," Elphaba snickered.
"Oh,"
"You wanna hear what happened?" Elphaba started to crack as she covered the pot to let the noodles cook a little more.
"Yes!"
"No," Glinda groaned at the same time.
"Glinda broke the cardinal rule of washing your hands before touching anything else if handling raw meat. So the first, and only time she's made fish so far; she also cut up some peppers to sauté, with the same knife, I must add," Elphaba and Fiyero laughed while Glinda just groaned loudly.
"Elphaba…"
"Anyways, after we ate the food, I had an awful case of constipation and Glinda…well…got the opposite."
"Vomiting?"
The green girl cackled and Glinda banged her head on the table. "I mean, I guess, if you think about it coming out the opposite end. But Fiyero, come on, what's the opposite of something not coming out?
His eyes widened as realization dawned on him and he and Elphaba bursted out laughing. "Oh lord," he gasped, still laughing.
"I don't think we used our bathroom for a week!"
"Alright. Stop laughing!" Glinda was beet red.
"Don't. Move. Anything," Elphaba narrowed her eyes at Fiyero and he raised his hands, proclaiming innocence. She kept his eyes on him as she walked to the fridge and got two water bottles. She sat back down, handing him a bottle. "Now you can go."
"Wow, you are very distrusting, aren't you?" he said, moving his pawn.
After watching a couple movies, which Fiyero had to admit, were pretty awful; Glinda had fallen asleep on the couch and now he and Elphaba were having a friendly, yet fairly competitive, game of chess.
"Well, when I play against Glinda, I have to watch every piece and move like a hawk. She gets mad because she's never beaten me, not even when she cheats and I let her get away with it," Elphaba took her turn.
"How would you say I'm doing compared to her?"
"You've lasted so much longer," she laughed, "it feels like an actual game."
"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" he sighed, looking at the board.
"Kind off."
He took a sip of water. "Oz," he gave up and moved his rook.
She took his rook with her queen. "Checkmate," she smiled.
Fieyro put his hands on the table. "I want a rematch,"
"I'll let you be white this time," she teased. He narrowed his eyes at her and started to set up his pieces. She giggled.
"Laugh all you want, we'll see how this round goes."
"That's exactly why I'm laughing, I know how this round will go."
"Oh, it's on."
She'd beaten him that round too and teased him mercilessly, it had been over fairly quickly. He called for a rematch again and she agreed, saying he entertained her.
It was past midnight when he'd finally managed to beat her. She'd hugged him goodnight, she felt wonderful in his arms, why couldn't he just ask her out? They were good friends now, they were close, he just wanted to go out with her; so why was it so much harder than he originally thought it would be?
Fiyero's frustration from editing music comes from me. I've literally thrown my phone to the floor because it has stressed me out so much. And I'm the only one in my family that knows how to play chess so I know how Elphaba feels about finally being able to play haha (and in case you don't know how to play, white in chess moves first, so Elphaba teased Fiyero on letting him take the lead of the game to possibly increase his chances of winning, though it really doesn't matter who moves first).