Chapter 2- Uncertainty
"Please tell me you have good news for me," said Boq the next morning.
"Well, I have news, but I'm not sure how good they are," answered Glinda. She was exhausted, for she spent most of the night going over some books in order to find a spell that might help Boq. She didn't sleep more than three hours before Lalley knocked on her door telling her that breakfast was served. "I went through my books yesterday. I was able to find something… but it might take a while to get it, though."
"Why? What is it?" asked Boq.
"It's a transformation potion. But it takes time to do it right."
"Is it safe? I mean, can it transform me to something else than I am?"
"Hopefully, not," answered Glinda.
Boq looked confused. "Hopefully?" he echoed uncertainly.
Glinda sighed. "Look Boq, I'll confess, I'm not a very good sorceress," she said honestly.
Boq didn't look too convinced. She couldn't be serious about it… could she? Was she joking? Was she trying to appear modest? "What are you talking about? You are Glinda the Good, of course you are a good sorceress!" He wasn't sure whether he was trying to convince her or himself. "You made this bubble, and the flowers in the center of the city that bloom all year, and the weather is always good because of you-"
"That's because they were very simple to perform. But if anything goes wrong this time… well, I just want to make sure that you understand the risk that you are taking."
"Look, Miss Glinda, I trust you. I don't have anyone else to trust in."
He was so honest it almost broke her heart. But whatif something would go wrong? She would never forgive herself, she just knew that. "I'm not sure I can do it myself," she concluded quietly. Unlimited… Together we're unlimited… A tear rolled down her cheek before she had time to control it.
"Miss Glinda? Are you alright? Did I say something wrong?" Boq got up from the chair he was sitting on, and went to her side. He stared at her while she started sobbing hysterically. He had no idea what cause this, or how to comfort her.
"I'm… sorry…" she murmured. "Get away from me, or you'll rust… It's just… I can't do this… I can't do all this… it's too much for me…"
He was shocked by her outburst, this display of weakness and vulnerability. "Can I do something for you?"
"No. You can't. No-one can. You've killed her… How could you kill her, Boq?"
"The witch?" he asked, uncertain.
It was the wrong question, as far as Glinda was concerned. She exploded. "She wasn't a witch!" she yelled. "She wasn't even wicked… She was Elphie, and she was my best friend and now she is gone because of you… all of you…" her voice trailed off as she cried harder.
"What are you talking about?" Boq was really puzzled now. Elphaba was wicked, wasn't she? She did that to him, made him miserable for the rest of his life. She did horrible things to everyone, at least that's what people said…
"Miss Glinda, will you please explain to me what did you mean?"
"I need a moment," Glinda said, her voice shaking. She wiped the rest of the tears off her eyes.
"Take all the time you need."
Few minutes later, Glinda told him the whole story; how they left Shiz and came to meet the Wizard, how Madam Morrible denounced Elphaba a Wicked Witch, how Elphie decided she was defying gravity…
When she stopped talking, Boq looked stricken. "So… if she wasn't really a Wicked Witch, why did she do this to me?" he asked slowly, now more confused than ever.
Glinda shook her head. "I don't know. I guess it was an accident. Her whole life was. I'm sure she is sorry, Boq, please don't hate her for that," she asked softly.
"Why didn't you say anything before?"
"Because I promised I wouldn't try to clear her name. It was right before she…" her voice trailed off. Nonetheless, he understood. She told him she was there when the melting occurred. He realized how difficult it must have been for her to be there, to hear her best friend scream as she did when she was fading away… He knew without even asking that Elphaba's final scream haunted Glinda to that very day.
"I'm sorry I hurt you," he said eventually, "I really didn't mean to-"
"I know, Boq," answered Glinda, and then, "Oh, look at me, I must look horrible!"
"No, you're not. You are as beautiful as always," he said, meaning every word.
"Let's go back to this book," said Glinda, all business again, "It will take some time to get all the necessary ingredients. Then we'll be able to start. If you want," she added, glancing at him uncertainly.
"I do," said Boq. "Miss Glinda, I'm sorry about your friend. I didn't realize how close you two actually were," he added honestly.
Glinda sighed at that. "I didn't realize it too, until it was too late," she said, smiling bitterly. "I will suggest you'll stay in this castle until we finish making the potion. Then, hopefully, after a month or so, you'll become human again."
He stared at her for a moment, then realized she was still waiting to his reply. "Do you mean… living here, with… you?" he stammered.
"We are old friends, aren't we?" she asked. A hint of a smile appeared in the corners of her lips.
"Yes… yes, we are."
He was quiet for a moment, and then said shyly, "I had a big crush on you at Shiz. You know that, don't you?"
Glinda nodded, laughing bitterly. "Well, it was quite obvious. I tried to set you up with Nessa, may she rest in peace."
Boq snorted. "Oh, her… she was even worse than Elphaba."
"They had rough life, each in her own way. You must understand it, Boq, or you'll never be able to forgive them."
He looked at her. Hearing her talking that way was strange. She didn't sound like Galinda Upland, Miss Popularity. She was smarter, more mature, exactly how he expected Glinda the Good to sound. It made him love her even more.
