Chapter 7- Sleepless
"I don't think I'll be able to sleep, no matter how tired I am," Glinda sighed. She stared at the flames of the candle on her bedside. Since her room contained one bed only, and neither of them wanted to be alone in such a stressful night, they had to share Glinda's bed.
"Yes, I know what you mean," replied Elphaba through a loud yawn.
Glinda looked seriously at her friend. "What is it that bothers you, Elphie?"
"Nothing, and everything. Suppose that this potion works, then what? I can't just come out of hiding and live as if nothing happened two years ago, right?"
Glinda shook her head. "Why not? Why not leaving the past behind?"
"Because how many people will believe if it you tell them that I never really was wicked? That it was all the Wizard's way of saving himself? That everything was a big mistake?"
That was true. Glinda thought about it earlier. The citizens of Oz would be difficult to handle with, she knew. They couldn't just spread the news that the Wicked Witch was back, no longer wicked. Something bigger had to be done. They would have to see for themselves, or they'd never believe. "I'll think of something," she said eventually, reassuringly. Unfortunately Elphaba still had that skeptical look. Glinda shook her head. "Don't let that bother you, you have other things to think about!" she said, a bit more cheerfully. "I'm so happy for you!"
Elphaba's expression changed, and she looked up at her friend, now serious. "Glinda… I've never had the chance to tell you how sorry I was… that he didn't choose you," she said softly, carefully. "I mean, it just happened, I never meant to hurt you in any way… how could I? You were, you are, my only friend."
Glinda said nothing for a moment. Elphaba's apology caught her somewhat off-guard. Of course, it was usual for Elphaba to feel guilty over everything, but honestly, Glinda wasn't expecting any apology over that, and after all this time. Maybe it was time to make some confessions. "I won't lie. I won't say that it never bothered me because it did. I couldn't understand how anyone could choose someone else over me. I didn't even love Fiyero. I wanted him because he was as popular as me. Well, almost as popular," she corrected herself with a small smile, then became serious again. "I wanted to have a perfect ending. My perfect happy ending. And then I realized that I never really had him, that you did, all this time… and because it was you, it bothered me even more. But now I know, I understand. You do deserve each other, Elphie. You always have," she smiled weakly and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Don't start being touchy, Glinda, it burns when I cry," Elphaba grumbled, straight-faced.
Glinda burst out laughing, in spite of her tears. "Oh, silly…" and then, in a more practical tone, "we have to plan your wedding dress! Oh, it will be so swankified!" she exclaimed, all excitement, and jumped out of bed.
Elphaba sighed, although deep down inside she was glad to see Glinda back to normal. Serious Glinda made her worried. "You really don't have to do this," she protested, yawning. "Glinda, come on, it's three o'clock in the middle of the night, for Oz sake."
"You are no fun at all!" Glinda stated, looking at her resentfully, but came back into bed anyway.
"I don't know if I even want a wedding dress. I'll look silly wearing white," said Elphaba.
Glinda shook her head in disbelief. Her hair looked impossibly more gold in the candle-light. "No-one looks silly in white!"
"If they have green skin they do," Elphaba pointed out.
"You cannot wear black to your own wedding! It's bad luck!" Another idea crossed her mind, but Elphaba seemed to have guessed it immediately without her having to even say it.
"And I won't wear pink either," she said, frowning.
Glinda grimaced. "You are impossible, Elphie! Well, we'll have to compromise. I'll wear pink, obviously, and you… well, we'll have to find you another color that goes with green! What do you think?"
Elphaba didn't answer. Glinda looked at her and realized that she had fallen asleep. Her head rested on Glinda's shoulder, her breath soft and even. Glinda pushed her gently so her head touched the pillows and pulled the pink covers around her. "Sweet dreams, Elphaba," she whispered. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep instantly.
