Only A Rainbow Away
The girl known as Elphaba Thropp stood by the fence of a pasture that spread for miles beyond her sight. She couldn't remember a storm as harsh and heavy as the one that was rolling through.
Thunder boomed loudly overhead, but she didn't jump. Rain poured off the tip of her pointed nose awkwardly, but she didn't move. Instead, she gazed over at the single lit window of a tiny house where her lover sat, watching her. Their eyes connected for a minute and she turned away quickly.
He knew not to bother her when she went outside to watch the rain fall. Through her wall of unshed tears, she would snap at him for no particular reason and storm away angrily. So he found it best to just wait for her to come running back in to kiss his cheek half-heartedly and make him dinner sympathetically.
No matter what, she always came back. He continued to stare her through the mid-day darkness, hoping that she would come inside soon. It had been over four hours since she went outside. He couldn't understand why she liked the rain, but he never questioned the ways of his dear Elphaba.
Elphaba was soaked to her skin by the time a faint etching of color was first painted over the dark hills in the distance. The beads of wetness on each blade of grass glistened and sparkled with each ray of sun that poked out from behind the clouds, like the light, bouncy, blonde curls of that girl she used to know.
Glinda. She was reminded suddenly of her friend. Glinda's large white smile and shining youthful eyes stirred so many emotions in Elphaba's soul. In the back of her mind, Elphaba pictured her dear friend with a small grin on her still-young face peering out of her window in the distant Oz. But, wait. Were those tears running down her pale cheeks? Elphaba tried to shake the image from her mind, but it stuck, gripping her heart unkindly.
"My dear Elphaba!" Glinda cried, clutching a tiny green bottle and resting her head against the cool glass of the window. Tears mixed in with a fresh coat of mascara rolled down the window pane.
Was this really happening? Was Glinda sitting in her home, in her finest dress, crying urgently? No, Elphaba told herself, she was just imagining things. She hadn't had a good sleep the night before and her tiredness was affecting her in odd ways.
But there Glinda was again, haunting her mind, crying in her ear. Elphaba shut her eyes tightly and shivered despite the summer day, wishing desperately that she could take the blonde girl's tears away. Her arms couldn't stretch far enough, though, and that fact pierced her sharply. She could never see her sweet face again.
She kept her eyes closed as she sang under her breath.
You're only a rainbow away,
And I'm sitting here soaking wet, waiting for you.
Glinda hid her face in her knees and her shoulders jerked up and down with silent sobs. Elphaba was sorely tempted to let the tears fall down her face, but she had to be the strong one, she wouldn't let Glinda down.
You're only a rainbow, just a rainbow away,
And I'm reaching out, hoping that you see it too.
But I'm telling you that I'm no fool,
'Cause I know what rainbows do.
Elphaba looked to the sky as she sang. The stripes that ran across the sky boldly were now fading as was Glinda's image in her head. She was struggling to hold on to her friend. She wanted to fling out her arms and draw Glinda closer to her, but she was disappearing. Elphaba was losing her best friend once again, and it was suddenly so much painful than before.
They fade away,
Fade away,
Fade away, away,
Stormy days,
And I wish I could hold you now.
I am only a rainbow away, my friend,
And if you could see what other see,
You wouldn't feel so bad.
And I'm telling you,
'Cause I've been there too,
That storms are like rainbows too.
They fade away,
Fade away,
Fade away, away,
Stormy days,
Drift away,
And may someone be holding you now.
With a pained but sweet smile, Glinda up the sky once again. And upon seeing the bright colorful sky above her, she sighed.
"I miss you still, darling Elphie," she sniffled, and then she was gone.
"Don't leave me Glinda," Elphaba cried out, "Please Glinda, I miss you so." But it was no use. Glinda would not hear her.