Elphie wandered around her new room in a nervous state. She had been told that she would, in fact, be sure to meet the wizard. She had been assured of her talent, talent she did not know she possessed, and her untapped potential. She had managed to make a scene on her first day, and felt like as much of an outcast as usual. She had also seemed, on top of that, to already to piss off her presumably popular roommate whom she referred to privately as 'The Princess'. This was going to be a long, long semester.
The Princess herself strode in and plopped down on her frilly pink comforter, ignoring Elphaba completely as she took out paper and a fuzzy pink pen to write a letter. Elphaba was unsure who the letter was to, figured it was probably to a boyfriend or something. Just to have something to do more than anything, Elphaba pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen and began writing a letter to her father. As Galinda, AKA 'The Princess' continued ignoring her, she chose to make her the negative topic of her writing. Unbeknownst to her, Galinda was doing the same on her side of the room. Elphaba finished her letter before Galinda and started to leave.
"Oh, too good to stay in here with me?" Galinda said loudly, freezing her.
"No, too smart." Elphaba retorted and began to open the door.
"Wait one minute!" Squealed Galinda angrily, throwing a text book hard at her roommate. It made it's mark, hitting her between the shoulder blades. Elphaba spun around, face hot with anger and saw Galinda storming across the room towards her. "You are not just going to storm out like that. I will not be disrespected in that way!"
Elphaba rolled her eyes, realizing what this was all about.
"What, so you think that everyone has to cater to your every whim, that it?"
Galinda started to nod, then frowned, not quite sure what Elphaba meant.
"Was that sarcasm?"
Elphaba merely smiled what she thought was an extremely dry smile at 'The Princess' and walked out the door.
She found herself sooner rather than later in the doorway of Nessa and Nanny's room.
"Elphaba, what are you looking so surly about?" Nanny enquired of the green girl striding into the room.
"My roommate is pretty much an idiot, that's all." Elphaba muttered, walking away to go find Nessarose.
Nessa was seated in her chair facing the window. She was watching the sun set and smiling slightly, her mind obviously elsewhere. Elphaba considered speaking, but simply stopped in the doorway, willing herself to feel what it was Nessarose was feeling. She felt something then, but couldn't grasp it. Before she could identify the feeling, it was gone and she was left feeling more alone than she ever had in her life. She didn't understand how this could make Nessa happy. Perhaps some things just didn't need an explanation.
"Nessa..." said Elphaba, startling her sister.
"Oh! Goodness, I didn't even see you come in!" Nessa laughed, "I was just thinking about how grand this all is! I have met such wonderful people here. Everyone knows it's all about status here, and I think I've already developed that because of Miss Galinda, the Gillikinese---"
"That's nice," Elphaba snapped hastily, cutting Nessa off.
"Why, Elphaba Thropp. I'm surprised at you. You'd think you'd be a little more appreciative at someone being kind enough to take you into their private suite!"
"Her private...Nessa, no! Don't let her fool you. She didn't care about being charitable, she just wanted to look good in front of all of her...and I guess now your...friends." Elphaba spat the last word out, disgusted.
Nessa studied Elphaba's face for a long moment before replying as if something appalling had been brought to light. "Elphaba, I'm shocked, frankly. I am simply shocked. I would have thought that you of all people would never be jealous of my friends and me, but you are."
"What!"
"I should have seen this coming...yes, I suppose I should have. My always being so popular and your struggle to avoid social contact. Just because you're cold and distant doesn't mean you can't have friends, Elphaba. It just means it's going to be more difficult."
Elphaba excused herself at this point and went back to the room. Galinda had already gone to sleep, by the look of it; she had probably been out for the duration of Elphaba's stay in Nessa's room.
" 'Night, Princess." Elphaba murmured sarcastically, climbing into bed.
"Good night." Chirped Galinda sweetly, taking Elphaba aback.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were awake." Elphaba apologized, slightly embarrassed.
"No, no, it's quite all right. I have to forgive you because you've obviously had a hard life which leads you to act out. It's okay."
Elphaba frowned, "So you're suddenly all right with me because of some bullshit Freudian analysis of my character?"
"It is not bull...crap!" Galinda pouted.
Elphaba laughed out loud. "And such a Saint!"
"Fine, bull shit, I said it! Happy now?"
"Immensely." Both girls looked at each other and burst out laughing. And just like that, they were friends.
The two friends spent their time at Shiz as any two friends would have; laughing, getting into minor trouble, getting out of minor trouble, long talks about their lives, days, troubles. It was a relief for Elphaba, now christened 'Elphie' by the princess herself, who had removed the 'a' from her name and was now simply 'Glinda'. Elphie and Glinda had troubles, sure, the main of which revolved around Glinda's flame Fiyero. Fiyero told Elphaba of his feelings towards her, and Elphaba, shocked had never told Glinda, but avoided Fiyero for weeks. This, of course, angered Glinda and she and Elphaba didn't talk for several days.
The silence in the room was deafening as any silence between close persons is bound to be. Neither girl would break down, and the silence seemed to multiply in each passing moment. Finally, though, Elphaba knew she had to get her friend back or risk losing her forever. She walked in the room where Glinda immediately feigned sleep and spoke.
"I'm really sorry."
Glinda opened one eye and glared at Elphaba a moment before her expression softened and she sat up, opening both eyes, "For what, Elphie? You should hate me."
Elphaba's jaw dropped, "But you weren't speaking to me!"
Glinda shrugged, "You wouldn't listen."
"If I would have listened, would you have still given me the silent treatment?"
The blonde's expression told Elphaba all she needed to know.
"So it's not about me?" Elphie asked, hoping against hope it was not.
"Not directly, no. In fact...it's about me. I've had a lot to think about...oh, Elphaba, don't laugh at me. I do actually think sometimes. Anyway, I've just had so much on my mind---I told you, quit laughing!"
But Elphaba could not. She lay sprawled on her back on her black comforter, convulsing with laughter.
"Oh, I'll give you something to laugh about, you little bitch." Glinda vowed sadistically. Before Elphaba could stop her, the princess herself was tickling her fiercely. Elphaba gasped for air, "Please...Glin...no more...hahaha! No more!"
Glinda stopped, straddling her friend. "Promise you won't laugh at me anymore then?"
Elphaba sat up, suddenly realizing how close her friend really was. "I promise." She said solemnly, and meant it.
Glinda sighed and climbed off of Elphie and sat next to her on the bed. "I've been thinking...and how I don't love Fiyero anymore, or never loved him, or whatever."
"Or whatever?" Elphaba asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Be nice. Anyway, I...I don't know why I did it, but I kissed Boq...Boq!...to make him jealous. I don't know why I did that, I just...and now, Fiyero's not even speaking to me, and he said that he loved...loves you or whatever, and he can't. He can't!"
Elphaba was appalled. "Just because some people can't see past someone's outer appearance doesn't mean that everyone in the world is like that!" She shouted, incensed.
"No, no...it's not that at all! It's just...I don't know how to say this..."
"I'm GREEN! Maybe? I'm...I'm loathsome, vile, a...oh, what is it they said? A hermaphrodite? I'm disgusting, despicable, dreadful..."
"NO!" Glinda shouted, punching her little fists into Elphaba's chest as hard as she could.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" Elphaba yelled back, seizing Glinda's arms. Glinda shook her head mouthing wordlessly a moment and then burst into tears. "Oh, don't cry, Glin." the black haired girl consoled her friend, "Please don't cry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Whatever I did, I am sorry."
"Nothing..." Glinda blubbered, "You did nothing."
"Then why are you crying if I didn't do anything?"
"No, no...you don't get it. You did NOTHING. You knew, and yet...you did nothing about it."
"Nothing about what, dear. I did nothing...?"
Glinda pulled away, blue-green eyes glistening with tears, blonde curls damp from the humidity. Her face was painful for Elphaba to see, so full of doubt, of insecurity that was uncharacteristic of Miss Galinda of the Gillikinese, so tormented. It was like breaking a beautiful vase, tearing the canvas a master painter has put his life's masterpiece on. It was dreadful, but at the same time it was beautiful. Elphaba's dark eyes locked with Glinda's usually blue eyes, now clouded with green and gray.
"Elphaba..." she whispered uncertainly, "I love you."