Accidents Will Happen

by MyLittleElphie

All Galinda hoped to do was to get through her university years without creating any unnecessary ripples. When her strange, green classmate suddenly stops attending her lectures, she accidentally gets herself entangled in a particular sort of scandal she had certainly not anticipated at all. Gelphie. Shiz-era. Modern AU.

20. Chapter Twenty

AN:

Ok. Couple of things...

First of all: apologies to anyone who commented/reviewed recently and hasn't heard back from me. I think most of you know that I'm usually super happy to engage and respond. I'm just in a weird headspace right now, writing wise... I'm still keeping up my work as well as I can, but it affects my productivity and makes it more difficult for me to engage with the community. Sorry, that sounds silly, but.. It is what it is. Don't feel discouraged from leaving new comments or whatever-I'll respond to everything as soon as I can manage.

Secondly: DAMN this chapter is long! Gosh, I'm so sorry if that makes it harder to read, but I just didn't want to tear it all apart. I just wanted these two story points next to each other, because they felt wrong in isolation... I don't know, maybe I should have tried cutting them both down a bit, but I already spent several days editing this mess, and this was the best I could do for now. I hope you can manage (^_^;)

Anyways, so far so good. Hope you'll still enjoy this chapter! Don't hesitate to let me know what you think! Happy reading!

xoxo MLE
(=^_^=)

---

Chapter Twenty

When Galinda slowly came to, it was to Malky clambering all over her, gently pawing at her forehead one moment, then tickling her nose with the tip of his bushy tail the next. As soon as her eyes opened, he stopped his acrobatics and came straight up to bunt and rub his head against her cheek, drooling a little as he purred in a loud, confident buzz.

"So gross," she murmured, wiping away a droplet while still half asleep.

The cat gave a high-pitched meow, demanding to be acknowledged. She answered with a stifled yawn, but otherwise ignored him for the moment.

She let her head roll to the other side. Blinking, she tried to riddle out what time it was, why she was lying in bed with her uncomfortably tight and rigid jeans on, and why she'd felt compelled to turn her head in the first place. She petted the empty space next to her and furrowed her brow before groaning softly in realisation.

Elphaba was supposed to be lying beside her. Galinda was immediately distraught at the fact that she wasn't. Despite the rather hazy nature of her recollections, the memory of them lying intertwined, holding each other before drifting off to sleep, was too distinct to dismiss and couldn't have been a dream. Nevertheless, the blanket was cold and void of her distinctive scent. She must have left a fair while ago. What a disappointing discovery.

Frustrated, Galinda turned her gaze to the ceiling, staring at it as if it might tell her what had happened in the interim. Malky's cries for attention only kept getting louder, however, keeping her from finding what she was looking for. It almost drove her insane.

She struggled to concentrate harder, racking her brain until it almost hurt. But it was no use. Between the noisy kitten and her addled thoughts, there was no chance in hell that the blank, white surface would reveal anything of worth. Maybe that was exactly what Malky had been hoping to tell her in his ingenuous, animalistic wisdom? Or maybe not. In all likelihood, he was just a cat being a cat.

Nevertheless, she rolled over onto her right side, facing him. Whispering a quiet good morning, she began smoothing over his coat with long, solid strokes. He appreciated the gesture well enough and tapped his head against her once or twice, but clearly wasn't quite satisfied yet, never losing that reproachful look on his face.

He must be seeking more than affection then, she figured. Admittedly, it wasn't all that unlikely that his usual dinner time had long passed, especially since she had no clue how long she'd been asleep. Knowing him to be a cat who'd be fazed by hardly anything, except for an empty belly, she was immediately convinced by her conclusion. Ergo, if she wanted him to quiet down at all, she'd have to finally grasp the nettle and get up to feed him. There was nothing else for it.

Instinctively, she reached for her phone on the nightstand. It wasn't there, which immediately struck her as odd. Odd enough, indeed, for its absence to become the key to jumpstart her memory.

Suddenly, she remembered how she'd led Elphaba upstairs after their argument, fight—whatever she was supposed to call it. The phone had been left behind on the kitchen counter, since she'd had more important things to worry about then.

She remembered getting upset with what Elphaba had had to tell her about the baby, about the lack of trust between them. In hindsight, she felt so foolish, so blind. To think that she'd gone into this quarrel believing herself to be the one who'd been wronged! Her warped perception of the circumstances couldn't have been further from reality.

So, that was one thing, but what had followed after was quite another. Instead of anger at Galinda's pitiful display, her unearned tears, her girlfriend had shown nothing but compassion. Galinda knew that she'd deserved none.

She wished she could have been strong and mature enough so as to not victimise herself and put Elphaba in this terrible situation. But she'd been feeble and stupid, and her love had responded by going above and beyond to comfort her. Seeing her in shambles had prompted her to set aside their argument, sweep in and rescue her from the consequences of her own actions. It was ridiculous, really, and the most heartbreaking thing she'd ever witnessed.

Oh dear, amazing, wonderful Elphaba. What had she done to the poor girl to disarm her so? Was the promise of a little love all it took to bend her to Galinda's will? No, not quite. She knew that she had to tread carefully from hereon. Despite her apparent desperation, Elphaba surely had her limits. Everyone did. If Galinda pushed her too hard, she might just snap without much of a warning, to devastating effect for the both of them.

She couldn't let that happen. She'd done much wrong, but this was a misstep she absolutely could not allow herself to make. She had to set this mess straight, and soon. In the end of the day, the ball was in her court now, the responsibility for their future together lay with her. There was no use denying that.

She'd already promised heaven and earth to Elphaba in an effort to remedy the situation. She'd meant it, too, every single word of it. Unfortunately, it had been a step, so long overdue, that Elphaba had instantly dismissed her pledge like any tall tale. To be rebuffed so swiftly and wholly was painful, but had she been shocked? Not really. What possible reason did she expect Elphaba to have to believe her?

In the end, it didn't matter whether Elphaba took her seriously or not. She'd have do it regardless. She'd show her. She'd prove herself. Elphaba deserved nothing less. Galinda had been a coward in the past, but the stakes were too high now for her to continue on like that. She no longer had a choice to hide and play it safe. Postponing the inevitable was no longer safe. Safe was gone. Decisions had to be made, consequences to be endured. This was it. The time had come.

The time had come… Those words echoed through her otherwise surprisingly empty head.

Yes, the objective was clear, the plan plain enough. Still, contemplating it all, she began to feel a huge weigh pressing down on her. Over the span of maybe a minute or so, the sensation intensified, becoming all-encompassing, overwhelming. Dread wrapped its treacherous tendrils around her, crushing her lungs and stealing her breath away. Her heart, having no room left in her chest, beat up to her throat instead. Release. She craved release.

She hoped for tears to start flowing down her face, flushing out this torturous anxiety. Already, they pricked at the corners of her eyes and yet they would't spill. Oz dammit! She was such a cry-baby these days. Why couldn't she bring herself to cry right now, when she needed it the most?

Closing her eyes, she tried to take deep breaths in and out. It didn't work straight away, but she kept at it, extending her diaphragm slightly more with each subsequent draw of air. Relax. She needed to relax.

Happy thoughts. It seemed only logical that she should try and think of something that made her happy, right? Elphaba, she told her self, think of Elphaba. Elphaba, who was her comfort, her joy, her everything. Her Elphie.

But no, what a terrible mistake. Even in her thoughts of mind, Elphaba was sad and disappointed in her, which meant that thinking of Elphaba forced her to reflect all the more intently on her failures. That, in turn, only served to worsen her panic. In a twisted way, Elphaba—no, not Elphaba herself, but her feelings and longings for her—were the source of all of her current misery.

Maybe without Elphaba she'd have been happier. But was that true?

She didn't have enough control over her motor functions to shake her head as violently as she wished she could in response to that outrageous thought.

Although…

Before Elphaba, without Elphaba, she'd been perfect. She'd been a little more lonely, a little less whole, but also blissfully unassailable, and wonderfully aloof. She'd never hurt anyone before, not like this. She'd been too perfect to make significant mistakes. Learning to make mistakes was a dreadful experience that her previous life had not prepared her for.

Mistakes were the ruin of perfection, the ruin of her old self.

Mistakes were the ruin of love as she knew it.

But she knew, hoped at least, that Elphaba's love would prove unconditional, mistakes be damned. She'd never received that kind of love from anyone other than her parents, and still she firmly believed that it existed outside of family.

The love she'd relied on for most of her life so far was a different breed of love entirely. As inferior as it might be, it had one great advantage: it could be acquired almost effortlessly, through pandering to people who had concrete expectations. Meet those, and love was practically guaranteed.

Whether to her benefit or detriment, meeting those exact expectations was a particular talent of hers, which was why she'd never had to go a day without feeling loved and appreciated by even the most distant of her peers. It had all been so easy that she was sure to miss this feeling before long.

But she shouldn't want this, couldn't want this anymore. It was too late to go back to that. She'd already jumped off that edge. The changes to her life were already inevitable at this point.

Covering her face with her hands, she released an agonising cry. She managed to breath in and exhale shakily, but still her chest felt tight.

What? What else did she need? She'd gathered as much resolve as she could muster, waves of courage kept swelling and retreating, but were closing in steadily like the rising tide. Why could she not overcome this?

She thought she'd made serious progress, yet her mind kept reeling nonetheless. What was it then? What was the answer? What was she meant to think, feel, do? Why was no one there to help her? Maybe she was too weak to fix this on her own. What if—

Her breath quickened again. Stupid her. She'd been on the right track, but then she'd somehow made it worse. Silly girl, useless girl. Was this what other people felt like? Why could they handle it while she could not?

She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, harder and harder. The sensation was simultaneously gratifying and unpleasant. She felt the tension in her head intensify, probably a headache in the making. But she felt unable to simply let go. Why?

Then, amongst all that, the soft pressure of a little paw demanded her attention, tore her away from the seemingly endless stream of despairing consciousness. She could feel it digging into her arm, could feel a second paw land not far from the first. The pressure shifted back and forth, left and right. She felt drawn to the sensation, managed to hone in on it and centre her thoughts around it.

Slowly, she was able to pry her hands away from her eyes. With her vision initially blurred by weird spots of light dancing about, she had to blink several times before she could focus on the fluffy cat by her side.

Curious, unassuming, and as hungry as ever, Malky climbed onto her. He was steadily growing bigger and heavier, and his feet poked her stomach harder than they used to. Feeling his weight on her had a startlingly calming effect. Perhaps, she would have preferred him to lie down and purringly spread his warmth like a vibrating hot water bottle—that would have been a lot more comfortable, of course—but feeling his presence in any way possible was what soothed her, one way or another.

She lifted her hand to reach out to him, but it remained hovering just above his back. For some reason, she didn't dare to touch him, as if that would ruin the moment. Confused, the cat tilted his head.

Just then it occurred to her that the terrible dread had lifted, that she could breathe again, and that her body was no longer pulsing from the excessive rush of blood. She let her hand drop to her side and simply watched him for a clock-tick while he watched her, flexing his whiskers, twitching his ears and waving his elegant tail. Her listlessness appeared to puzzle him to no end, but he'd at last gained some patience for her and was waiting silently, without another squeak of complaint.

When she finally found the will to move, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, scooping up Malky before he could fall off or run away.

"You have no idea what's going on with your mummies, do you?" she murmured and kissed him between the ears.

She lovingly pressed him to her breast, but he only mewed and struggled out of her embrace. Off the bed he jumped and heaving one last sigh, she gingerly made to follow him. Together they descended the stairs and returned to the kitchen.

Galinda half expected Elphaba to be there, but there was no sign of her. The clock on the wall told her that it was almost seven o'clock. According to the schedule on the pinboard Elphaba would be at work until half past nine, and the mere thought made her heart sink. Three hours were a frightfully long wait.

A loud, drawn-out wail from between her feet alerted her to the task at hand. At least she had Malky to keep her company and to take care of. That was worth a lot, actually.

"What will it be today, your highness?" she asked him as she stuck her head into the pantry. "Chicken or duck?"

She produced two cans for him to choose from. After giving each of them an unimpressed sniff, he sat and looked up at her.

"Right."

Maybe sometimes she clandestinely wished him to be a Kitten rather than a normal kitten, so that she was justified in treating him like an adoptive son rather than a pet. It could have happened, couldn't it? An impoverished mother Cat could have snuck into Elphaba's empty, ransacked apartment for free shelter. It hadn't been much, but better than the street at any rate. She might have left him there out of necessity, or she might only have left to run an errand. Maybe she'd been too scared or shy to come back and retrieve him once she'd found the place to be occupied once again. But then… wouldn't that mean that they'd kidnapped him?

She looked at the white ball of fluff with his big, amber eyes. He'd started to develop faint, grey points around his ears, nose and paws—a bit like one of those expensive pedigree cats, but lighter. Maybe they should buy one such kitten to complement him, to give him a sibling of sorts. By the looks of it, a human brother or sister wouldn't do quite as nicely for him. He was a mere cat after all. He had to be. Even if he'd never learnt to speak for some reason, if he were indeed a Cat, she wouldn't expect him to behave quite so, well, catish.

Not that she'd met all that many Cats or Animals of any kind. But Elphaba, who seemed to know more about them, would certainly have raised the issue early on if she'd had any suspicions. The fact that she seemed so unconcerned with Malky most of the time told Galinda all she needed to know. Most like, her only reason for even contemplating the possibility was pure wishful thinking. With Elphaba's child so far beyond her reach at this point, Malky was the next best thing.

Unless…

No, she was getting ahead of herself. Yes, of course she had to make good on her promise, but she had to do it for Elphaba, not in order to secure herself a role in her kid's life. It was Elphaba's life she really had to be a part of. Everything beyond that was a bonus. She should't expect anything else, maybe not even hope for it. Though, on the other hand, just like Elphaba, she had no clue how such a division could be achieved to begin with. All either of them could do was wait and see.

Another eager, resounding miaow. Malky was standing on his back legs now, pulling himself up by clawing her leggings, pulling threads and making holes. Poor thing; here she was, contemplating his existence, her own and that of everyone else in this household, while all he expected of her was a timely dinner, and she couldn't even give him that. What a bad mother she was, even just to a kitten.

Decidedly shoving her rampant thoughts aside, she picked the chicken flavoured pâté, more or less randomly. She served it to him on a small plate, drizzled the sauce on top as if presentation mattered to him, then picked him up and let him eat his meal on the counter top. There. This was as human or Catlike as she could make him. For her own sake, not his. All he cared about was to devour the food on offer with gusto and a lot of noise. That was all, and her task here was done.

Okay. What next? Galinda put her hands on her hips and surveyed the open plan kitchen and living room area. How had she ever occupied this huge space all on her own? Funny that. Somehow, it had never felt this empty to her before Elphaba's arrival. Somehow, she'd never consciously felt lonely before either.

Well, here was to hoping that they'd manage to smooth things over quickly and head towards happily ever after as soon as she could bring herself to rip off that bloody bandaid and do what she had to do. They'd be alright. She'd be alright. And at last, her Elphie would be alright, too. And really, what else could she possibly wish for?

She put down Malky who'd finished his dinner in the meantime, wiped down the granite surface, and dumped the plate in the dishwasher. An idea had just come to her. She'd check out the schedule of courses that Elphaba might choose for her next semester and see if she could pick her own classes and streams to work around them. Maybe there was something she could do to help her a bit as her pregnancy progressed and uni got harder and more demanding. It might eventually prove to be a worthwhile use of her alone time, and if not, at least she'd tried. It was about time that she really, really tried.

---

As it got closer and closer to ten o'clock, Galinda began to grow antsy. She expected Elphaba to walk through the front door any moment. Occasionally, she imagined that she heard keys jingle, but there was no one there.

She'd put away her planners and scraps of paper and had closed her internet browser in preparation of her girlfriend's imminent arrival. She didn't want her to know about her plan just yet. Maybe she wouldn't tell her at all and make it look like nothing more than a happy coincidence when her first bio lecture simply happened to fall into Galinda's gap hour between Architectural Media One and Environmental Design.

She made herself comfortable on the couch, as if she'd spent all evening doing nothing else but sitting there, watching TV. Malky joined her, completing the picture and keeping her much needed company. She pulled down the decorative throw that lined the backrest of the sofa to cover herself as well as the cat, and while he didn't require the warmth it provided, he seemed thrilled to bits with his cosy, dark cave. Curling up in the deepest corner of it, pressed against Galinda's lap, he quickly fell asleep.

Ten o'clock came and went with no sign of Elphaba. Her conscience rampant with guilt, Galinda reckoned she was in no hurry to run home after what had happened earlier. She was probably put off by the possible awkwardness of it all. Was she taking a detour? Was she circling the block over and over again in an attempt to stay away for as long as possible? Or maybe she'd stayed behind at the supermarket, chatting with a coworker. No, not that. But she might have taken on an extra hour or so. That would be more in character.

The wait, though really only stretching the span of roughly half an hour or so, felt endless. Galinda got frustrated and turned off the television when she couldn't bear the peppy background noise any longer. But at least she wasn't worried. She didn't allow herself to be. She knew Elphaba well enough to know that she'd be okay on her own, that it wasn't entirely unlike her to be late, and that, outlandish and tall as she was, she rarely got approached by any of the varmints on the streets.

When it was almost eleven o'clock and she finally did hear from Elphaba, it wasn't the click of the door she'd anticipated, or her typical shout of 'I'm back!' coming from around the corner. Instead, it was Galinda's phone that rang, with Elphaba's name flashing across the display.

"Elphie!" Galinda answered enthusiastically, relieved, and in no time at all.

Her fervour was met with initial silence.

"W—where are you, Elphie?" she continued, making a marked effort to tone her voice down to a more normal level. "You know… I expected you back home a lot earlier."

"Yeah, sorry about that," came the reply, though reluctantly. It didn't matter. It was comforting to at least hear the sound of her voice.

"So? When will you be back?"

Another pause.

"Not tonight, I'm afraid."

Galinda's stomach dropped.

"Wha—why? What does that mean?"

"I'll text you in a minute," said Elphaba mysteriously. "I'm at Nessa's. It's late, and I'm gonna stay overnight. Say goodnight to Malky from me. I'll be back in the morning."

And then the call ended. Galinda couldn't help but stare at her phone in disbelief. What the heck had just happened? She had half a mind to call her back—a hundred times if that was what it took to make her pick up the damn phone and talk to her properly as she damn well should. Would Nessa become suspicious at that? Probably, but who cared. She for her part was over Nessa already. She didn't need to be friends with her. She didn't need to like her or be liked back. Screw Nessarose Thropp.

She sat back and took a moment to consider. Goodness. It was amazing how quickly this little titbit of information had enraged her. Regardless, she couldn't say that she felt unjustified in her vexation, even at closer examination.

Not much more than a minute later, a text arrived, exactly as Elphaba had promised. Galinda stared at the notification until it disappeared and pursed her lips. She blew air through her nose like an irate animal and grudgingly opened her messenger. There better be a good explanation for all of this.

'Sorry again. They showed up at work and Nessa made a bit of a scene. Had no choice but promise to come over after my shift to shut her up.'

Galinda's nostrils flared again. She wasn't consoled, not in the least. What was this? Who'd just turn up like that and make such demands? And why had Elphaba given in so easily? Exactly what kind power did her sister have over her?

But then she remembered her own unsettling hold over the green girl and paused, biting her lower lip, hard. Elphaba did much to indulge her. It wasn't all that inconceivable that her loyalty towards her sister commanded similar commitment. Really, it only made sense.

Her anger dissipated somewhat at that realisation, but that didn't mean that she liked or even accepted it.

'She's got a live-in carer already for Lurline's sake,' she went on to write. 'What does she want from you? You don't have to play her freaking babysitter anymore.'

Hitting send, she tapped the screen of her phone unnecessarily hard, but as soon as the message had gone out, a flutter went through her stomach. She took to reading and re-reading her own text several times. Oz, what if she'd made a mistake?

Elphaba loved Nessa, had loved her from childhood. Perhaps her words were too harsh? Elphaba might end up resenting her for that, accuse her of acting immature, of trying to monopolise her affections.

She began chewing her lip, only stopping when she tasted blood. Shit. Why wasn't she replying? What took her so long?

Galinda was just about ready to toss her phone across the table, without caring where it would land and how much damage it would suffer. Luckily, her few remaining ounces of good sense prevented her from doing something so irrational. After all, how would she communicate with Elphaba if her phone was dead?

She unlocked her mobile again to check for any new correspondence. There was none yet, but according to the app, Elphaba had started typing her reply. The nervous flutter in her gut turned into a rollercoaster as she ardently hoped that the rebuke would't turn out too severe.

Two or three seconds on—the pinging of the messenger.

'Got nothing to do with that. Just needed to talk. Not that we got very far. It's complicated.'

She exhaled. Elphaba didn't appear to have taken any offence. On the flip side, her massage was infuriatingly vague, and Galinda felt hardly any the wiser. Why couldn't Elphaba be more specific? Should she try and ask? Somehow, that didn't sound like a good idea either.

'I could come and get you?' she proposed instead, without much hope that Elphaba would accept her offer.

'Nah, that might be a bit weird. Also might try and talk to her again in the morning.'

Of course.

Shrinking back into her blanket as far as she could, Galinda thought of a good reply. What else was there to add? Exhausted as she was, she couldn't come up with anything.

'Getting ready for bed. You okay? Sleeping soon?'

Resigned, she continued to stare at her phone. She didn't even want to imagine sleeping alone, all by herself. All she wanted was for Elphaba to come back and take her in her arms.

'Yeah, I guess,' she wrote nonetheless. 'Sleep well. Fresh dreams.'

'Fresh dreams. See you in the morning.'

For all she could tell, Elphaba vanished after that. The info 'last seen today at 11:17 pm' did not change for the remainder of the night.

Galinda didn't sleep much at all and didn't even attempt to sleep in her bed upstairs. Initially, she'd stayed curled up on the couch, under her flimsy throw, holding on tightly to Malky. When sleep wouldn't come, however, and her body became increasingly aware of all the little pains and aches this arrangement caused, she pulled herself up with a sigh and groggily stumbled towards her old study, still Elphaba's room, though she hardly used it anymore.

The smaller single bed was more comforting and felt less empty than her own. Had she been less tired, she might have complained about the cat hair on the linen, but in her current state, she paid it no heed. Used to sleeping on the pillow, Malky snuggled up next to her head anyway, so the difference between the fur on the bed and the fur on the cat was negligible.

Come morning, she was once again waiting for Elphaba to appear any second. She didn't want to get out of bed, didn't feel hungry enough to drag herself to the kitchen unless it was to share breakfast with Elphaba. Malky stayed with her only until just past his feeding time. He deserted her then, and his meowing could be heard all over the house while he searched the rooms for someone, anyone, besides her, who might be more easily compelled to dish out his breakkie.

Nine thirty. She couldn't believe it was nine thirty already and news had yet to arrive from Elphaba. She could have at least sent her a good morning message. But, of course, so could have Galinda. She picked up her phone to write a few lines, but ultimately didn't send them. Maybe Elphaba's radio silence was another hint—a hint for her to be less clingy.

Eventually, Malky made his return, crying as if he'd been neglected for weeks. He jumped on and off the bed, hopped onto the swivel chair next to the desk. His voice grew shriller with each meow. When it came to food, there clearly was no resisting that cat's determination.

Before she knew it, she found herself in the kitchen, watching Malky eat, herself gnawing on a dry piece of sourdough bread. Suddenly, her ears detected the feint clicking of the door lock on the other end of the corridor. This time, she knew it to be real.

Dropping everything and forgetting all about the cat, she rushed towards the doorway. She was so quick that Elphaba had barely managed to close and lock the door in the meantime. Her heart skipped a beat in pure relief when she saw her. Elphaba, in the flesh, had returned to her.

"I'm back."

Elphaba's shout sounded subdued, and she wasn't looking up. She didn't see Galinda until after she'd removed her shoes and hung up her jacket. A tired smile tugged at the right corner of her mouth while she slowly crossed the corridor.

Galinda couldn't move. Though desperately longing to shorten the duration of their separation by even but a second or two, she found herself rooted to the spot. Her guilt, her fears, her insecurity held her firmly in place, forced her to bear the agonising wait until Elphaba would cover the distance entirely on her own. But then, as was just her luck, her unyielding stance caused Elphaba to hesitate and pause, right out of reach. Galinda almost gasped.

"Elphie," she said, unable to keep the slight waver out of her voice.

Elphaba tilted her head and shifted her weight, apparently unsure what to make of her utterance. Having suffered enough already, Galinda was not above begging.

"Come here. Please," she bade her quietly, stretching out her arms. That much she could still do. "I missed you, Elphie."

Elphaba took one big step forward, and Galinda's strange paralysis lifted like a spell that had been broken. She practically fell into Elphaba who lifted her own arms not a moment too early to catch her. Her body melted against her love's, and she pressed her cheek against her chest, tucking her head underneath the taller girl's prominent chin. And she held her, firm and secure, so she couldn't up and leave yet again the very next second.

She felt Elphaba's chest rising and falling and wondered whether the rhythm she seemed to notice was really as odd as she thought. She could hear her heart and wondered whether it was merely her imagination, or if it really beat a little faster and stronger than it ordinarily should. At any rate, she clung harder and squeezed tighter, until Elphaba chocked out a strangled laugh.

"Are you alright, my sweet? I'm all for warm welcomes, but this is a tad much, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry," replied Galinda and sniffled.

Elphaba brought her hands up to her shoulders and gently detached herself from Galinda so she could look her in the eyes.

"You know I didn't stay away because of what happened yesterday, right?"

Licking her lips to remove a stray tear, Glinda shook her head.

"No, I didn't really know. I'm not sure if I thought you did either, I guess. But solitude gave me a lot of time to think. Maybe too much time."

The admission appeared to have made Elphaba antsy. Her eyes flickered away, but found no fixed point of interest elsewhere either. She took a brisk breath and met Galinda's gaze again, then leaned down for a brief, but sweet kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"It's alright," was all she said before turning around and disappearing in her room to drop off her bag, get cleaned up and changed.

Galinda stared at the door from a distance. It was mostly closed, concealing the room's inhabitant, but still ajar so as to not cast doubt on the intimacy of their relationship. By no means was it meant as an invitation to come in; rather, Elphaba trusted her enough to not enter despite the open door.

Lowering her head in resignation, Galinda forced herself to give up on waiting for the reemergence of Elphaba. It was obvious that she'd be in there for a while, and there were better, less ridiculous things she could do in the interim. She decided on preparing two mugs of hot, steaming tea. Having just arrived back from her sister's place, she assumed Elphaba was already well enough fed and would't require a proper breakfast.

The tea was cold by the time Elphaba joined her in the kitchen. She should have foreseen as much. As was her undemanding way, Elphaba did not utter a single word of complaint while she sipped the underwhelming beverage. Galinda sat down on one of the bar stools on the opposite side of the counter, her elbow on the benchtop, her head propped up by her hand.

"So… any success talking to Nessa?" she enquired with marked nonchalance as she observed every last one of her moves intently in a bid to decipher more information from them than her girlfriend was willing to share freely.

Elphaba put her cup down and shrugged.

"Not really. She's stubborn like that. I didn't expect much more going into this."

"Sounds like a family trait," said Galinda, unable to stop a tiny grin from playing at her mouth.

Adorably self-conscious, Elphaba glanced away, rubbing the back of her neck.

"What—what did you two talk about? And why was it so urgent that it couldn't wait another day or two?"

"It wasn't that urgent, actually. That's just how she is. She's used to getting her way and when she doesn't, she aims to rectify that as soon as possible."

"Ah," replied Galinda, finding that it was now her turn to acknowledge some self-awareness.

Elphaba gave a small snort.

"Recognised yourself in that description?"

"Sort of." She felt her cheeks blush. "But what were you discussing with her? That's the real question that you keep avoiding."

She noticed Elphaba fidgeting and felt bad for her. Nevertheless, if this was something important—and it had to be, or else she wouldn't make such a fuss about it—she felt that it was something the two of them should be able to talk about openly if they were to ever function as a pair.

"I don't know what to tell you exactly," said Elphaba, sounding honest, but as evasive as ever. "Nothing is resolved yet, it's all useless speculation. Nothing worth getting you upset over."

"Me?"

Galinda's brows furrowed. She hadn't expected that this matter would have anything to do with her whatsoever. But if it did, then why wasn't Elphaba talking to her?

"It's funny that you're so worried about upsetting me," she said, crossing her arms and pouting slightly, "when in fact, what upsets me the most is that you act like you can't share these things with me. You know, you can keep your secrets from me if you absolutely must, but this isn't even a secret. I already know something's in the bush, so you might as well stop beating around it."

"It's about the Eminency," Elphaba tossed out at last, seemingly against her better judgement. She didn't meet her gaze.

"That you don't intend to take on," Galinda continued for her, though she started to feel rather circumspect about the entire business. Obviously, something had changed since they'd last brought up this topic.

"Yeah, well, turns out she doesn't either."

Galinda's heart sank. She should have seen this coming.

"And our brother is too young," Elphaba went on to explain, suddenly a lot more talkative, since the cat was already out of the bag. "Our great-grandfather's health is failing, they say. Whether that's entirely true or not, we can't expect him to stick around for another decade or so for little Shell to reach an age and maturity that would allow him to fill his shoes. In conclusion, the task will inevitably fall to one of us girls."

"Why wouldn't Nessa want to jump at the opportunity?" Galinda wondered out loud. "The job looks like it's made for her. She'd be in the centre of all attention and for good reason for once."

"You sound a little bitter, my sweet," remarked Elphaba, but cackled quietly.

"Not at all," replied Galinda. She straightened her spine, folded her hands primly in front of her and mustered a serene smile. "I think she's missing a wonderful opportunity. It's mind-boggling, really."

"Well, I for my part do understand, but I'm afraid I have trouble explaining. Even she herself doesn't really say what's actually going on in her head. She keeps pointing out her disability, which has hardly any bearing on the decision"

Galinda nodded and fell silent.

So, the gist of it all was that Elphaba would find it harder than expected to get out of this inherited duty, this massive responsibility. What did that mean for her, for the baby? Surely, there would be backlash associated with a young single mother claiming the position as her own. While her green skin would have raised more than a few eyebrows, that was—even in this day and age—still largely seen as a moral disgrace. Her discolouration, as unfortunate as it was, could not be blamed on her, yet her pregnancy would be regarded as something entirely avoidable in the eye of the hypocritical public. Galinda couldn't begin to imagine the possible fallout.

And, assuming Nessa really got her way, where would that leave her? Elphaba couldn't conceivably burden herself with yet another social faux pas, could she? Unless… unless she were to accept that she was beyond redemption either way and would fully commit to being herself despite the criticism and outrage. In which case, she could certainly do with a stout supporter by her side, someone who'd love her no matter what.

Galinda squeezed her own hand hard and dug her fingernails into her skin. She didn't know if she could be that person. This was so big, so much bigger than merely giving up being the homecoming queen.

But nothing was decided yet, so she said nothing. Maybe Nessarose was only reluctant because of how daunting the task was. She had, after all, spent so much time abroad in the scarcely populated hinterlands of Quadling Country. A smidgen of social anxiety was entirely excusable. She might come around and see this opportunity for what it could be.

"By the way," Galinda said eventually in an effort to change the topic, "How far have you gotten with choosing next year's courses? Actually, I imagine you must be done already, eager as you are to pursue your studies. With only two papers for each semester, it must have been a breeze, right?"

Elphaba gave her an odd look, and the smile vanished from her lips.

"W-what?"

"I won't return to university next year," replied Elphaba flatly, "I thought that much was obvious."

Galinda gaped at her, shocked and confused.

"Obvious? No, not at all."

"I'm due in October."

"I'm aware of that," Galinda rebutted, shaking her head. "But I expected you out of all people to try your hardest to work around this."

"Work around this?" Elphaba's looked absolutely incredulous. "Like how? Keep my legs crossed and tell this baby to stay put until after exam period?"

"I've heard somewhere that ponies can delay labour if they feel too unsafe to foal," muttered Galinda, sullenly. "But only by a few days. And of course that's not what I mean, you impossible creature. You're taking the mickey out of me while I'm being a hundred per cent serious."

Running her hand through her hair, Elphaba sighed. She put the other hand on the countertop and leaned forward, looking far too tired for this early time of day.

"I know it isn't entirely undoable," she admitted. "But I can't ask everyone to bend the rules for me and do a shit load of extra work—"

"You'd be doing two papers, Elphaba," Galinda reminded her. "Two. And who said anything about tons of extra work? For whom? The lecturers? Come on, you're overestimating their commitment. Teaching is not their main focus, as you very well know."

"What about notes and all that stuff? Missed assignments?"

"Elphie, listen to me. You're pregnant, not terminally ill. We're talking about two courses, of which one is most likely taught by Doctor Dillamond. Am I right?"

A faint nod.

"Good. The guy loves you, Elphie. Go and talk to him. He'll be very gracious about it all, I guarantee you. And as far as your notes are concerned…" A shy smile flashed across her face. "Well, I'm one step ahead of you. I… I'll cover your bio classes."

"What?"

"I left a gap in my schedule, and we can go together until you can't go any longer. When the time comes, I'll take over for you, and you can study with the materials I bring back. You can still go in for most assignments and your exams. If you don't want me to look after junior, we'll hire someone. At any rate, physically attending every single lecture yourself is not the most important thing in the world."

"And who'd cover history?" demanded Elphaba.

Galinda didn't think long about that.

"Boq."

"You asked him already!"

"Oh no, he doesn't know yet." She laughed at that, waving her hand dismissively.

Elphaba stared at her for a clock-tick, then squirmed, shifted, and finally relented.

"Well, I suppose you're right," she mused. "He'd probably agree to that."

"Does that mean you'll do it?"

Watching Elphaba with bated breath, Galinda noticed how she herself was inadvertently inching closer. The green girl continued to grind her teeth and alternated between looking at her and averting her gaze.

"I… argh!"

"Elphie."

"Fine, I'll… I'll think about it."

"Elphie!"

Elphaba looked her straight in the eye, and time seemed to stand still. Her stare was unwavering, her mouth a tight, thin line. Galinda didn't flinch, partially because she barely dared to blink, let alone move.

Their stalemate came to a sudden, and ultimately unsatisfying end when Elphaba turned away abruptly and without saying anything at all. She opened the pantry to locate something edible. Galinda recognised it for the diversion that it was and felt cheated.

"Elphie," she pressed gently, yet insistently.

She saw her stop, with her hand wrapped around a can of beans. After a long moment, her head dipped.

"I'll email Doctor Dillamond tomorrow, see what he says."

A sigh of relief escaped Galinda's lips, followed by a bright smile and a quiet cheer.

Elphaba's head whipped around sharply at that. She levelled her with an odd look, and Galinda smoothed out her expression.

"Nothing," she squeaked, but her smile crept back in place almost immediately.

Shaking her head, Elphaba went about preparing her brunch.

---

On the weekend Avaric hosted a bash to welcome some of the new students who'd recently arrived in town. Although it seemed fairly unlikely, and Elphaba had said nothing to that effect, Galinda continued to harbour residual fears that Nessarose might show up and turn her evening upside down. Finding the newbies who'd been invited to be exclusively from Gillikin, she felt relieved, if a tad miffed. They were all from families she, Avaric, and everyone else in their particular society of pedigree kids knew—if not well, then at least by reputation. She personally had hoped for a breeze of fresh air, some diversity to lighten up their stuffy aristocratic clique.

Throughout the first half of the evening they all made a concerted effort to help the newcomers feel welcome, and indeed, a small number of the boys and girls showed real potential to become a fixed part of their circle. They took them under their wings, exchanged contacts and encouraged them to join various prestigious clubs where they could hang out together.

It soon became evident, however, that one whole year in higher education had already left a mark on them all, had aged them in various ways that had previously not been noticeable. Connecting with those uninitiated greenhorns proved surprisingly difficult, tiring even, and so their enthusiasm abated over the hours.

They allowed the crowd to gradually separate into two distinct factions. As long as everyone had enough booze, canapés, and fun, it wouldn't be much of a problem. Besides, the objective of the meet and greet had been achieved within the first half hour of the party, and if any of the newbies needed help, they now knew where to turn. There was no need for their elders to hover over them like the helicopter parents they had finally left behind.

"Oh, what a shame we no longer have the same bio class to go to," lamented Avaric when their group had further condensed to only him, Shenshen and Pfannee, Galinda, and Fiyero—the only outsider to this specific experience. "I think I might really miss you guys."

Pfannee nodded fervently.

"As stupid it was to be taught by that old billy Goat, it was still great to get the whole gang together on a regular basis. Otherwise, we just don't see enough of each other, do we! Too busy with all those pesky assignments."

"It would have been a lot more fun without the mouldy artichoke lurking around though," interjected Shenshen. She shook melodramatically as if in absolute horror. "Yeah, so good riddance!"

Galinda looked up at that, staring at her grimly. No one seemed to notice, and most of the others murmured their noncommittal agreements. She felt a heavy weight in her stomach and shifted in her seat before clearing her voice.

"Well, actually, Elphaba never even deigned to bother any of you guys," she ventured, as if to test the waters and her own courage.

Avaric snorted dismissively and took a swig of his drink, Pfannee shrugged, and Shenshen fixed her with an irritated look. Fiyero, who couldn't possibly say either way, toyed with his phone.

Galinda's insides churned in anticipation. So far the reactions hadn't been too volatile. If she had to risk it, maybe now was the moment. She cast nervous glances left and right. Shenshen would probably blow up in her face. She seemed to be in a cranky mood tonight. If the rest stayed put though, she'd be able to handle that. She took a deep breath and hoped that she truly was ready.

"You know," she said, affecting nonchalance reasonably well, "as fate would have it, Elphaba"—she licked her lips and gathered all her strength—"moved in with me recently."

Her confession was followed by a pregnant pause. All eyes were on her. The girls gaped inelegantly, and Avaric nearly choked on his whiskey.

"Say what?"

She sat up in her chair and managed a casual enough shrug, though it felt a bit stiff.

"She needed a place to stay, and I had plenty of that, so I extended my hospitality."

"Oh, how dreadful!" wailed Shenshen. "Such an imposition. How could she possibly have accepted!"

Pfannee put her hand on her shoulder.

"Galinda, of course we all know that you're a saint—no, a martyr, really! But don't you think that that's going a bit too, well, too far? Why in Oz would you go to such lengths?"

"Be careful, or she might rob you," advised Shenshen snidely. "I hear she's dirt poor."

"Well, believe it or not," countered Galinda, "so far I have no complaints whatsoever. In fact, living with her has been a joy, not least because she's an excellent cook. I expect you'll be jealous to hear that I come home to a scrumptious, hot meal almost every day. It's kinda perfect, really."

"I wouldn't take a bite of anything her gross fingers touched!" cried Shenshen. "How vile!"

Pfannee was ostensibly a lot less fazed, but remained concerned nonetheless.

"Are you sure a little bit of food can make up for the overall inconvenience? Surely, takeout dinners can't have lost all of their appeal. Especially if they come without the drawbacks of a testy, unsightly chef attached to them."

Galinda rolled her eyes.

"Truth be told, she's not even all that abrasive once you get to know her. She's just an ordinary girl in the end of the day. She's decent company, and I'd actually say we've become quite good friends, Elphie and I."

That final remark, especially the use of her nickname, really took the biscuit. She could see it in their faces. Oh, their consternation would have been delicious, if the entire situation wasn't so terribly frightening. Galinda's heart was pounding, her palms moist with sweat. She prayed their so far civil conversation wouldn't escalate.

Avaric for his part looked expectant, like he was just waiting for her to abruptly break out in loud laughter, pointing at them in glee and revealing that it had all been a hilarious joke. She could still do that, she reckoned, save her skin and put off this momentous challenge. But she'd come this far. She'd be a right coward if she were to undo all of the progress she'd made up until now.

With the others struggling to recover from their stupor, she risked a brief glance at Fiyero. He seemed lost, his eyes skipping from one person to the next, trying to riddle out this puzzle on his own. He was either too shy or guarded to ask. She had no doubt that the Vinkun would be the most sympathetic out of this group if he knew the unmentioned details of their conversation. As an unintentional maverick himself, he could relate to the fickle nature of peer approval and inclusion. On the other hand, it would be a bad idea for him to risk his insecure status within their group.

Pfannee ended up being the first to find her words. Adjusting her position so that she was properly facing Galinda, she took her hand and patted it sympathetically. Before she could speak, she shed a heavy sigh.

"Galinda, sweetheart." Another sigh. "You know, I'm a bit worried about you. I think we all are. Are you feeling lonely? Is that it? I know it's been a tough year, and of course you can always come to our place if you need someone to talk to or unwind with. Any time. Shen and I don't mind at all. Or maybe you just have to try a bit harder at finding yourself a boyfriend. Your lack of one has always baffled us."

"And bringing that—that thing home really won't aid your cause," Shenshen chimed in, her nose wrinkled. "Seriously, what man wouldn't flee the moment he ran into her! You need to let her know that she's overstaying her welcome, and that it's time for her to move on."

"Send her to the dorms. If she's as domestic as you say, she can work for her keep there," recommended Avaric, acting all magnanimous for making such a suggestion. Apparently, he'd finally accepted that this was not a prank after all. "Or maybe that Goat will take her in," he added as an afterthought. "Sounds like a much better fit, no?"

Galinda's patience eventually ran thin enough to make up for her lacking fortitude. She took a large gulp of her drink and put the glass down with a thud. Before she could open her mouth, however, Fiyero piped up, his curiosity finally winning out.

"Can someone please explain to me what you guys are going on about? What could possibly be so terrible about this girl?"

Shenshen smirked, more than ready to give him a detailed account of Elphaba's most absurd and offensive traits.

"Well for starters—"

"Stop!"

To everyone's surprise, Galinda had jumped to her feet. Slightly startled herself, she struggled to keep her knees from buckling. All eyes were on her again. She knew it, even without looking. Instead of glancing at the others, she continued to stare down Shenshen as best she could. She had to focus on overcoming them one at a time. The butterflies in her belly were tumbling, her throat was dry. She prayed that this would be over soon, that her friends would grow tired of the unnecessary drama and decide to laugh it off, move on and forget about it all. Shenshen's steely eyes made short work of such hopes. They told her in no uncertain terms that the girl had very different plans.

Shenshen wasn't as much as considering backing down. She cocked her head and pursed her lips, readying herself to pounce, to challenge. Galinda wondered how far she intended to go. Would she try and seize this opportunity so she could topple her for good, steal away her crown? Did she think putting up a fight would impress Avaric?

"You see, Galinda," she said, speaking slowly, a superior expression on her face, "I think I speak for us all, if I say that I'm gravely concerned by your lack of self-awareness these days. It's just so… unbecoming.

"Yes, you've always been a sucker for helping various wallflowers gaining a foothold in society. That Milla girl is alright enough, I guess. But even you should see the difference between a charity case and an utterly lost cause. You make yourself—and by extension us—look ridiculous by even talking to the beanstalk. You must realise that."

Galinda bristled. Oh, if only Shenshen knew that Elphaba was far more eligible than all three of the present girls combined, including herself. She was so close to blurting out her girlfriend's secret. Instead, she chose silence.

"My choice of friends is not up for debate here," she declared and picked up her cocktail. "You know what? I'll give you all a moment to compose yourselves before words are spoken that cannot be taken back. Meanwhile, I'll grab some fresh air." Her eyes found Fiyero's. "Care to join me, Yero?"

Given the awkwardness that had descended upon the group, the offer must have been a welcome one. He jumped up almost immediately and followed her to the door. Without thinking too much of it, she extended her hand for him to hold. He gave her a searching look before accepting it, grasping it firmly.

They made their way trough the main living room where the beat of the deafening music pulsed in their ears. Passing by a side table laden with filled wine glasses, Galinda drained the last drops of her drink to exchange it for a new one.

The sliding door to the backyard was closed to keep out the stench of the tobacco and other, not entirely legal cigarettes and cigars passed around among the young men and women hanging out around the entry area. Having come all this way with empty hands, it fell to Fiyero to figure out how the lock worked.

"You pull back the small lever, hold it, then push the door," Galinda tried to explain, but it was somewhat of an acquired skill. Without the benefit of a sliding door of his own at his apartment, he hadn't had a chance to get used to the Gillikinese system yet. In the Vinkus, he told her, such doors had keys, but once they were unlocked, they slid back and forth without any extra latches and safety measures.

He managed in the end, and they hurried past the spread-out cluster of smokers, covering their noses. Further in the back, a barbecue area was all set up with cushions and blankets. It was illuminated with oil torches and string lights, but abandoned in spite of its inviting ambience. Immeasurably grateful, Galinda sashayed towards the wooden bench to claim it her own. Fiyero followed, studying their surroundings as if he was bothered by something.

"Expecting an ambush?" asked Galinda, chuckling slightly as she draped the warm, woollen blanket over her nearly bare legs.

Of course she didn't feel remotely as cheerful as she let on. She didn't like to admit it, but her hands were still trembling, and certainly not from the cold. Putting her glass down on the wide armrest, she freed them so she could bury them underneath the rug. For the time being, she didn't need them anyway. Jittery as she was, she didn't know yet if she should risk sipping the wine she'd brought along. Finding out whether it would calm her or set her nerves ablaze even more seemed like a bit of a gamble.

The courage of the moment, fuelled by anger and adrenaline had certainly worn off, and now her mind was reeling with paranoia. What were her friends discussing in her absence, what were they making of her unusual display? The more she thought about it, the harder she questioned whether going back and rejoining them was even an option. Not just tonight, but maybe… ever.

Would this one confrontation turn out to be all it took to facilitate her fall? Even though she'd barely scratched the surface when it came to revealing her true self, the reaction had already been intense enough, at least from Shenshen. The others had been less forceful in voicing their opinions, but what did that mean? They certainly had not tried to defend her.

She felt a tiny sliver of hope die within her. She had not misjudged her friends after all. They were, by all accounts, just as prejudiced and ignorant as she'd always thought them to be. Her shoulders slumped, and her head fell forward, feeling heavy. Never before had being right felt so disappointing.

Dejected, she looked up through her lashes, searching for support, a shoulder to cry on. Why had Fiyero not come to sit with her yet? He remained standing before her and now that she was finally really looking at him, she noticed that his stance was almost defensive, with his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. He studied her, kind of like he might check out a stranger he'd never met, someone he couldn't be sure about. How odd. He'd followed her willingly, but now he didn't seem to know what to do with her.

"You can start by sitting down," she said, scooting further to the left in case he needed more space to feel comfortable.

Flashing her a brief smile that didn't convey anything other than a bare attempt at civility, he accepted her invitation.

"You didn't have to join me if you're so intimidated by the prospect of being alone with me," Galinda pointed out. "And if you'd prefer to head back now, that's totally cool, you know. I'm a big girl. I'll survive."

No matter what she said, secretly, she hoped he wouldn't leave.

"I'm not intimidated," he said. "I'm just not sure what you expect from me."

"Who said I expected anything?"

He shrugged.

"You asked me to come."

"And you followed. What did you expect me to expect?"

"I would have left the room anyway. Things got way too weird. But I was curious, so I figured going with you, I'd at least get some answers."

"Answers?" She pursed her lips. "About me or my controversial friend?"

"Ah, I don't think this is an either-or question at all, is it? The point is, what makes the rest of your posse so averse to your friendship with that girl? What's wrong with her?"

"My posse?" Galinda scoffed.

"Well, definitely not mine. I'm nothing but a spectre. I'll never be one of you, but I'm tolerated, which is more than your other friend will ever be able to claim by the sound of it."

She nodded sadly.

"At least she doesn't care about that anyway. Maybe that's part of the problem? I don't know. Otherwise, there's really nothing wrong with her. The question rather should be what's wrong with them? Shenshen in particular acted like a real bitch, don't you think? But then again, she simply said out loud what all of them thought anyway."

"So she's really poor? Were they right about that? Is that all there is to it?"

"No. It's not about her financial situation, not really. She's a little different, kinda like you. But rumour has it that you're a prince or something. I'm sure you know that that's the only reason for your position here."

"I guessed as much."

Good, she thought, after realising that maybe it had been a bit harsh of her to speak so frankly. She sighed.

"Unfortunately, Elphie doesn't have any such redeeming features. Not that they know of, anyway."

"I see."

Someone in the distance laughed and the others around them chimed in. Galinda didn't feel like she could laugh again tonight. She wasn't sure whether she'd be able to return to the party either, whether she was welcome or not. Shenshen might already have wheedled Avaric into sending her home if she tried to go back.

"So," Fiyero caught her attention with a small cough. "What made you see past all that?"

"What?" She blinked.

"From what I gather, you have not really broken out of the system before. Even when we first met—"

"Yeah, I'm so sorry about that," she interrupted before he could finish his sentence and make her feel worse than she already did. She looked up at him, the corners of her mouth twitching. "And as far as Elphie as concerned…"

She felt herself turn red. Oz, what was she supposed to tell him? She couldn't possibly tell him that—No, it wasn't safe. She'd admitted to their being friends, no more. He didn't need to know more than that either. Why would he need to?

"We worked together for bio lab prep, and I got to know her. She's a piece of work, actually, but once you figure out how to handle her…" She could no longer hide her smile. "She's pretty great."

"Maybe you should introduce me then," replied Fiyero easily.

Galinda should have been glad, but for some irrational reason, the thought made the fine hairs at the back of her neck stand up. She bit the inside of her cheek and remained quiet for a while. Maybe she was simply not ready yet to share her Elphie with anyone else.

"It's getting a bit cold, isn't?" she said then. Fiyero didn't appear to have an opinion on that. "I think I'll go back inside."

Or try to anyway.

The first person Galinda noticed when they re-entered the living room was Shenshen. Standing by the side table with the wine, she made the most of the free alcohol on offer, chucking back one drink, then immediately reaching for the next. Galinda tightened her hand around the stem of her own glass which she had emptied on the way in hope it would fortify her courage. Not the best time to judge anyone; she wasn't doing all that much better herself.

Shenshen's eyes met Galinda's and narrowed.

"What are you still doing here? Thought you'd scarpered back home to play with your new best weirdo friend. I'm really not sure if you still fit on this playground."

"Ignore her," Fiyero growled into her ear, gently putting his hand on her upper arm.

Galinda cast her so-called friend a fierce look and turned around with her head held high, scared to face the rest of them, but too proud to run away. Though worried that potentially all of them had already picked up a similar rhetoric by now, she would't go down without a fight. She wouldn't leave without a swan song.

"Dance with me?" she said to Fiyero, and before she knew it, he'd already taken her hand and whisked her away to where the crowd was the thickest. She was astonished and grateful. His confidence boosted hers, making this a whole lot easier on her.

He also made for a worthy partner, with smooth moves and a great energy that Galinda almost struggled to match. A few numbers in, she was hot and breathless, but she was also starting to have fun. A small miracle. She seriously hadn't expected that at all.

Out of the corners of her eyes, she spotted Shenshen a couple of times, either alone or together with Avaric. Avaric saw her and did nothing. He wasn't going to send her packing after all. Nor was anyone else, it seemed. Whether Shenshen or the others had spread the word yet, she couldn't possibly know, but for the time being, nobody paid her any more attention than usual. Those who did, continued to regard her with friendly, admiring, or even jealous expressions.

Maybe she'd gotten away with her revelation. Maybe she'd be okay for now. Only time could tell, but at least there was a chance. Oh, if only this were all, if only she'd already won the challenge. But the harder part was still to follow, and it would be so much worse. So much worse.

So much worse.

She stopped dancing then, feeling the bile rise in her throat. Fiyero followed suit and lightly touched her back. Covering her mouth, she heaved once or twice, but nothing happened.

"Hey, are you ok?"

She grabbed his arm and took a few deep breaths, bobbed her head meekly.

"Too much booze? Shall I bring you a glass of water?"

She waved her hand, declining his thoughtful offer.

"I better take a break. And maybe I'll have another drink."

Judging by the look on his face, he did not entirely agree with her proposed course of action. He followed her regardless. Maybe he meant to foil her plans, she didn't really care. She wouldn't let him, that much was for sure.

Having had her fill of wine for the night, she headed for the kitchen where most of the other beverages were kept. Opening the fridge, she located a bottle each of vodka and orange juice.

"Would you like one, too?" she asked as she went about mixing herself a screwdriver.

"Just the vodka please," he replied, eying her sceptically.

She poured his drink, and they chinked glasses.

"Well? What are you gonna do next?" asked Fiyero, watching her rather than taking his first sip.

Galinda shrugged and postponed her answer by keeping her glass against her lips.

"I guess I'll wait for it all to blow over?" she said at length. "It's not a big deal, right? They will forget about this soon enough."

They both knew that this wasn't true.

"Sure," agreed Fiyero, visibly unconvinced. "I reckon once something more exciting comes along, you and your quirky friend are old news."

Something more exciting, she repeated glumly in her thoughts. Not many exciting things were happening these days. Usually, Galinda preferred it that way. Right now, however, she'd give anything for a good diversion.

In the adjacent living room someone turned down the music. A few partygoers could be heard complaining, but they fell mostly silent at the sound of a wineglass being tapped. Fiyero downed his drink in one go and put down his tumbler. They both turned their heads so as to better hear what would come next.

"My dear friends!"

It was Avaric's booming, slightly off kilter voice that carried above the residual chatter, snickering and grumbling. Curious, Galinda pushed herself off from the bar and walked towards the wide doorway.

Standing atop the dining table that had been pushed against the wall to make more room, Avaric was easy enough to spot. One of his friends was holding a full wine glass up for him to grab in exchange for his empty one that he no longer required now that he'd gained the attention of the crowd. The manoeuvre looked borderline dangerous. Clearly intoxicated, almost everyone seemed to expect him to take a tumble as he bent down, and a hushed collective gasp made its round through the room.

Galinda tersely considered the distraction the arrival of an ambulance, with sirens howling and emergency lights flashing, would provide. Too temporary, she decided and too much fuss. Perhaps, she preferred it wouldn't come to that.

It didn't. Avaric swapped glasses and got back up straight with startling grace, or at least steadily enough so as to not cause any of the drunk girls to faint out of pure distress.

"My dear friends," he repeated and took a swig. "Tonight has been fun, and I'm not going to send you home just yet. University has been an exciting experience so far, right guys?"

Some lacklustre cheers.

"For many of us it's been the first substantial period away from our loving, overprotective families. Finally, away from wise, and way too watchful eyes, we had a real chance to go hog wild and paint the town red. And boy, did we make the most out of it!"

This time, the room agreed with loud hollering. Galinda looked up at Fiyero and rolled her eyes. Even in regards to the wilder individuals in their midst, this sounded like a pretty fanciful account of the previous year.

"Now, I know that many of us have been very busy sowing their wild oats"—a group of boys in the back bellowed, grabbing their groins—"but more than a few of our comrades have also found… true love."

The party guests oohed and aahed. There was some whistling and lots of giggling. Galinda, despite herself, found her cheeks heat up.

Of course Avaric hadn't meant to refer to her at all. In fact, her kind of romance was most likely the furthest from his mind, except maybe when it came to rowdy, sexual fantasies. Nevertheless, she couldn't help it. She'd come to Shiz not expecting much beyond the opportunity to follow her passion in an academic setting while also keeping up her social life and networking. Falling for Elphaba, or anyone else for that matter, had never been part of the plan. Having found love for the first time in her life was magical. How could she possibly not feel like Avaric was speaking directly to her?

"And in honour of these beautiful couples that have found each other, I'd like to call for a round of slow dancing and smooching."

He made some sloppy kissing noises and chuckled in an obscenely self-satisfied manner.

"Singles, if you'd please vacate the floor and take a break to drown your misery with a few more drinks. I now call all couples to make your way to the centre of the room. Grab your partners, hold each other tight and stick your tongues down each other's throats! This is your moment, 'cause we don't want to see no more of this disgusting shit after this is over, okay? Bedrooms are upstairs if you really need to continue later, but yeah…

"Anyways, thanks for your valued attention, and let the dancing begin!"

The music returned to its original volume, but, as expected, the style had changed. The crowd was on the move. While not everyone heeded their host's instructions, the majority of solo dancers did, in fact, clear out. They were replaced by tittering and blushing pairs, handsome dudes leading their well-dressed girlfriends to the dance floor.

There were less dancers now, and identifying individuals had become a lot easier. Galinda watched them with some interest, trying to see if there were any lovebirds she'd not yet known to be together. They would be all the gossip at the next party, and if she was really still a part of this society, she couldn't allow herself to get caught oblivious.

Some of the previously unannounced couples didn't surprise her in the least. Blind men would have noticed the subliminal tension between them, and for many of them it had only been a question of time until they finally acknowledged their relationship in public. But Pfannee and Ryss? Her eyes went wide to see them walking up to the outer rim of the area and wrapping their arms around each other. No, she didn't believe that for one second.

Shaking her head, she turned around, bumping into Fiyero who was standing behind her. She'd forgotten all about him.

"Oh, careful," he said, laughing, and put both of his large hands on her upper arms to make sure she would't loose balance.

She looked up at him and tilted her head, thinking. He was rather beautiful, wasn't he? For a man at any rate. His eyes were so dark and warm, his hair so thick and wavy.

"Come dance with me?" she asked him for the second time this evening.

He gave an incredulous chuckle and ran his hands up and down her arms.

"Maybe we wait for the good music to start up again, hm?"

"No, I mean it, Yero," she told him in a tone that left no room for argument. "Come and dance with me."

She reached up to stroke his cheek, then turned around, taking hold of his hand as she started marching in the direction of the dance floor. She could feel his initial resistance, but it didn't take a lot of strength for her to make him move forward and follow her. Her stomach coiled tightly as she imagined the sight of them, headed towards the centre of the room, the centre of attention.

"Okay. You know how to do this, right?" she asked with a nervous smile.

Nodding mutely, Fiyero put his hands around her waist. At the simple feeling of his touch, her chest felt so tight, she could hardly breathe.

They began to sway to the rhythm of the music. Fiyero kept a respectful distance, and she appreciate his caution. When the first song faded into the next, however, she stepped forward to close the small gap, then turned her head sideways so she could rest it with her cheek against his chest.

She closed her eyes. Even the slightly more low-key ambience for the couple dance was still too overwhelming when she herself was so on edge. She turned her thoughts inwards and imagined herself in a huge, white space. Dancing, dancing, just dancing. She tried to imagine herself in Elphaba's arms instead of Fiyero's but didn't succeed. The differences were too stark for her mind to be fooled.

When she opened her eyes again, she felt more relaxed nonetheless. Uttering a small sigh, she readjusted her head so she could peer up at him. His eyes were already looking down to her and met hers calmly. The corners of his mouth quirked upwards at the contact.

"Do you think they are watching us?" she whispered, not daring to see for herself.

Fiyero glanced this way and that without moving his head, then scoffed mildly.

"All eyes are on us," he said, offering her a brilliant smile.

"Fuck."

The breathless feeling was making a return. She lowered her head and pressed her forehead against him. Oz, what had she done?

Fiyero remained steadfast like a rock. Removing one hand from her hips, he used it to touch her chin and gently tilt it upwards.

"Don't worry. It's okay. They are gawking their eyes out, but they don't seem upset… with the exception of the occasional envious grimace, I suppose."

"Re—really?"

He nodded.

"But what next? One more dance before we quietly slip out and away? I can drop you home."

"You've had almost as much booze as me," she muttered.

"Yes. And I haven't brought my car either. I meant that we could share a taxi."

"Oh. Yeah, okay. That could work."

They spent the rest of the dance in silence, until the current song neared its end.

"Ready to duck out?" whispered Fiyero.

"Nearly."

"Cool, just give me a sign when—"

Pushing herself to her tiptoes and reaching up to cup his strong, square jaw, Galinda kissed him. She kissed him like she hand't kissed anyone in a long while, not even Elphaba, because she knew that her girlfriend would only be overwhelmed by the intensity of it all. Yet intensity was not what she felt, not at all. It was nothing more than going through the motions, like executing a well-practiced trick. She was proud of herself for still being able to put on such a show, despite her lack of practice and despite her nerves. At the same time, she was deeply ashamed for using Fiyero so blatantly for her own schemes. Hopefully, he at least enjoyed the ride while it lasted.

They broke the kiss, and she could hardly say who'd retreated first. When she looked up at him, with a good measure of dread, she was relived to find that he seemed neither ecstatic with joy, nor angry. He was the picture of serenity, and she could genuinely say that, in this moment, she absolutely loved him for that.

"Alright," she said, "let's get going."

He kissed her cheek and released her hips. Taking her hand instead, he led her outside, already calling up a taxi with his free hand.

They didn't discuss what had happened, not even in the relative privacy of the car. They merely sat there, alternating between looking out of their respective windows and stealing fleeting glances at each other.

The driver pulled up in front of her house.

"Here we are," said Fiyero in a strange voice.

Galinda turned to have one final, proper look at him and gauge his mood. There was little there for her to discern.

Then, without really thinking about the words that were about to leave her lips, she said, "Why don't you come in for a coffee?" and all he could do was stare at her. "My roomie isn't back from work yet. I'm not sure if I'm ready to be alone."

He shifted in his seat before informing the driver about the change of plan. He paid him for the rest of the trip regardless and got out of the car, circling around to open her door.

Elphaba was still at work. She was certain of that. Nevertheless, she made sure to double check before waving him through to the living room.

"How do you like your coffee?" she enquired as she turned on the machine.

He wasn't really a regular drinker and didn't actually care. Studying the design and functionality of her house seemed more important to him.

Getting more or less comfortable on the sofa, they both took a few sips from their cups. It helped with the tipsiness and the fatigue that had overcome her on the quiet ride home. When he put his cup down onto the coffee table, so did she, and when he adjusted his position, with his leg half on the seat of the couch, she scooted closer and leaned in to kiss him one more time. He'd saved her tonight and deserved to feel like she at least sort of meant it.

Their lips brushed against each other, but before she could get really started, he drew away and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Woah," he said softly, his expression just as kind and patient as before. "You really don't have to do that, you know? No one's watching now."

Her face was hot and aflush with embarrassment. To be rejected was one thing, but to be seen through was a different matter entirely, especially in this case. Oz, she felt all the shame wash over her once again and more severely, too. What had she done to their friendship? Things were bound to become awkward from hereon.

"I'm sorry, Yero, I'm so sorry."

The nickname still stuck.

"Hey, it's okay. I don't take it personally. On the bright side, I got kissed by a hot blonde and every single one of these pink, ignorant bastards was, at least for a moment, gutted that they couldn't be more like me."

She laughed and covered one side of her face with her hand.

"Sorry, I think now it was I who was a bit inappropriate," he apologised genuinely.

"No, no. It's fine. It's only fair."

"Look, I'm sorry if they are giving you a hard time over something so stupid. And I'm more than glad if I was able to help you out at least a bit."

"Don't underestimate this, you might have totally saved my life," said Galinda, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "Thank you. Thanks a thousand times."

"Not at all."

They took to drinking their coffee and didn't speak for a while. Since they'd cleared the air, however, the silence felt no longer threatening, only peaceful and relaxing. So, this was what real friendship felt like. Galinda wasn't used to this.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend though?" Fiyero asked eventually, not thinking too much of it, judging by the tone of his voice.

Having trusted him so much already this evening, Galinda found that the honest answer fell off her lips without any effort or fear at all.

"I'm not interested," she stated simply. "In guys, I mean."

He gaped at her, shocked, but not repulsed or anything like that.

"Oh, wow. Didn't see that coming," he admitted, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Then again… yeah, why not. I'm sorry if my reaction was offensive. In the Vinkus we simply don't discuss these things. Everyone just quietly does what they think is right for them but marries anyway. It's a bit different there."

"Ah, I see. Quite different, huh? Which doesn't explain"—she grinned at that—"why I never see you flirting with any of the girls at the parties we go to. I know you aren't shy, and going by your reaction, I wouldn't peg you for a boy lover either. I told you my secret. What's yours, Master Tiggelaar?"

"I'm not what the local females are looking for," he shrugged.

Galinda threw back her head, flipping her golden curls out of her face.

"I call bullshit. Nothing about you would disqualify you so completely. I'm not talking about marriage. Just a little harmless fun to begin with."

"I tried. I met a handful of girls early on, and that was mostly okay. But man, Gillikinese girls are difficult. Very confusing and, overall, really not worth the hassle."

She laughed heartily.

"You're so hilarious! You must be the first man I ever heard complaining about this."

"Well, how many young men do you know that are already married?"

That revelation shut her up real quick.

"Didn't see that coming either, did you?" he chuckled. "What do they say? Touché?"

"Yeah, I guess you win this round." She wet her lips and cocked her head. "Where—where is she then? Your wife?"

"Safely tucked away in the Vinkus. She's not yet reached her majority. Not sure how old she actually is now, but I reckon she's sixteen? Maybe fifteen? At any rate, she lives with her parents and we won't consummate our marriage before she's matured and ready. Old Vinkun tradition. In our circles these kinds of things still matter."

"Shit. I'm not sure what to say," she murmured. "Is that bad? For you I mean? For her? I don't know."

"It's tradition, and we'll manage. Maybe we'll fall in love, maybe we'll merely produce a couple of kids and find our own happiness in other partners. I try not to worry too much about it. To be honest, I never considered it all that strange before coming here. The dangers of travelling, I guess."

"I hope it works out for the both of you."

"I hope things work out for you, too," he replied, and they smiled at each other.

Fiyero finished his coffee.

"I suppose it's time for me to go."

"You could call a taxi and wait inside until it arrives."

"Nah, I'll just walk. It's not that far from here."

"I guess it's not."

She walked him to the door, handing him his jacked after he'd put on his shoes.

"Thanks again for tonight."

"It's cool. Think nothing of it."

She bobbed her head and looked away.

"What are you going to do next time? They are going to pelt you with like a million questions."

"Oh, I know," she groaned. "I guess I'll just tell them that I was really, really drunk. Which I guess I was…"

"And you think that will solve the problem?"

"Dunno. Probably not, but what else is there to do?"

"You could keep playing along. Only a little bit. Until you're more comfortable."

"No. I couldn't. I mean—I can't simply talk the talk, I'd have to actually make it look like I'm telling the truth. We would have to make it look like we were actually…"

"We would and we could. Give it all some thought and let me know."

"The entire arrangement would be so incredibly unfair towards you," she insisted.

"Don't think about it like that. I'm just helping. No feelings involved, no harm done. Easy."

"Easy," she repeated to herself, folding her arms tightly around her midsection.

"Bye now." He wrapped her in a light embrace and pressed a quick peck to her cheek. "And good night. Talk later, eh?"

Galinda opened the door for him. It was strangely chilly outside for this time of year, and she shivered. As he brushed past, she grabbed his arm and made him stop. She grasped at his jacket, pulled him down and captured his lips in a short, but firm goodbye kiss—her answer to his ridiculously generous offer.

Saying nothing in response, Fiyero only grinned and nodded his head. He raised his hand for a casual wave and left, walking down the street, around the corner, and out of sight. The wind blew cold in her face, giving her goosebumps. What she needed now was a hot, soothing shower.

She didn't know how much time she'd spent in the shower, or how much water had run down her body and disappeared through the drain. It could have been hours. She'd never paid attention to when they'd gotten back home in the first place. When she checked her phone on the way down, it was quarter past twelve. Elphaba must be on her way back home and would arrive any moment.

Elphaba. She stopped dead in her tracks, her heart beating violently in her chest. She'd done it. Sort of. Well, at least she'd acknowledged her in front of Avaric and his gang for the first time, if only as her friend. That was already more than she'd expected herself capable of in such a short span of time. She had to tell her, she had to let her know that she was at last on the right path and would prove herself worthy before long, divulging the entire truth. She would. Yes, she would.

But Elphaba could arrive any second now, and her hair was still wet, with droplets of water dripping off the ends and spilling over her nightdress. No, this wouldn't do. She had to dry herself off and quick.

She'd barely spun around to run upstairs, when she heard the creaking of a door. Her head whipped back around and lo and behold, Elphaba came walking out of her room, already changed into one of her sleep shirts.

"Y—you're home," she managed, her heart leaping into her mouth.

"Colleague dropped me off," Elphaba said casually. "Had a good time?"

Galinda swallowed and shook her head slightly to rid herself of any unnecessary agitation. Elphaba didn't know. Besides, it wasn't like she was cheating on her. She was an actor, playing a role. Neither her nor Fiyero had any feelings for each other. It was okay. She'd be okay.

"I told them," she finally cried and rushed towards Elphaba to wrap her arms around her—carefully because of the wet hair and all. Elphaba returned the hug gingerly. "I told them," she said again, holding on as tightly as she dared. "Well, sort of. I told them that we were friends and that we lived together. I'll tell them the truth soon, I promise."

"I can't exactly tell whether you're happy or upset," said Elphaba calmly.

"Happy," sniffled Galinda. "So happy. Though you can imagine it didn't go down super well."

And then the tears started to roll down her cheeks again. Oh, those damn tears! She didn't need them, not now.

"Shhhh, it's okay." Elphaba, placed her hands on either side of her face and kissed her forehead.

Galinda hiccuped when she tried to speak.

"My hair is wet," she told her as if that wasn't evident enough to anyone with a good pair of eyes. "You'll injure yourself."

"I'll survive," whispered Elphaba before cupping her face and kissing her. "Just like you survived tonight. I'm proud of you, my sweet."

Inside Galinda's chest, residual guilt warred with the fuzzy, warm sensation that spread further with every touch and kiss she received from Elphaba.

She was right; she'd done pretty well for herself. She'd managed a great feat, no matter the method. The result was what really counted, and the result was that on their first day back at uni, she and Elphaba would walk across campus hand in hand. That was her plan, and that was what she would do. Maybe she wouldn't tell them the full truth straight away, but she could already live it, hide it in plain sight. They'd spend time together, be seen together, holding hands, linking arms, laughing and leaning against each other.

If anyone asked, they'd be two friends. Two good friends. Two best friends. It was a fucking great start.

---

AN:

PS: For all love triangle haters... me too, guys. Me too. But take heart in the fact that I don't really consider this a love triangle? At least not /that/ kind of love triangle.

Hope this helps! See you next week!