Chapter Four

"You left us with the check!"

Boq laughed, realizing that he had left Tibbett and Crope that afternoon without paying for their lunch, and so Crope and Tibbett had to dig out of their pockets to pay for it.

"Serves you right," replied Boq, looking through his closet. He was already in his pajamas, and he was looking for something to wear for the dance Saturday night. He wanted to amaze Galinda. He looked through his old shirts, and worn-out coats and suits. Nothing seemed right for the occasion.

"Boq, quit it, the dance isn't for three days," complained Crope.

"You still have her scarf?" asked Tibbett, stretching it carefully and twisting it around. "Does she still have your coat?"

"What's your point?" asked Boq, a bit jittery.

Tibbett suddenly changed facial expressions. Boq waited for an answer, and Tibbett just sat there silently. He folded the scarf and looked down, and Boq knew something was wrong. He'd never seen either of them acting so solemn and serious before. It kind of frightened him.

"What's the matter?" asked Boq.

Tibbett took a deep breath and let it go. He looked at him sternly. "Avaric said that the only reason you're going out with Nessarose is because it will give you a chance to get with Galinda." Crope gave a look of surprise, but said nothing. Boq turned his side to them.

"It's not what it sounds like," said Boq guiltily. "She didn't have a date and so to make her, and Galinda, happy... I... I did them both a favor!"

"Boq you're leading her on," said Tibbett. "You're going to break her heart when she finds out."

"It's not even that serious," explained Boq. "She knows that we're just friends. I'm not leading her on."

"You have each other's clothing!" said Tibbett holding the scarf up.

"You're blowing this whole thing out of proportion! She knows we're just friends. She said it herself!"

"You don't make it seem like it."

"What do you mean?" Boq was getting hot-tempered.

"She rejected you the first time," he said quietly.

"What? How did you know?"

"We sneak around remember?"

"You were spying on me?" said Boq enraged.

"Spying, never! That's not our line of work. But... The point is you're our friend, Boq. And Nessarose... well she's our friend too and I can't believe you're doing this to her just to satisfy your own needs for Galinda. She doesn't deserve that, and you know it."

Boq advanced on him and gave him a glare. He was too afraid to hit him, but he felt hurt about his accusations, no matter how right he was. But he didn't want to believe it. "You're lurking and searching skills may be lack because by now you should have figured out that we are just friends, and established that from the beginning." That was sort of true.

"You have her scarf... you gave her your coat... you went on a date, and it's still a date even if it was for lunch... you asked her to the dance, more than once, you persistent jerk... and I noticed a violet near her plate that she kept fiddling with at the table. From you, no doubt? Oh come on Boq, this case is idiot-proof. It doesn't take two idiots like me and Crope to figure out that you're leading her on."

"Get out of here," said Boq in a low voice. "I've had enough."

"Come on Boq-"

"I mean it, get out!"

"Boq don't be an ass! You're not Avaric." Boq looked up immediately. "You have more sense than that." Boq glared at him and said no more. Tibbett turned to Crope. "Let's go Crope."

Crope stood up and looked at Boq with a blank expression. He left and Tibbett approached Boq once more. He slapped the scarf on Boq's shoulder and it hung around him. "Have fun on your date," he muttered, and closed the door behind him.

Boq sat alone under the big oak tree the next day at lunch. He told Avaric that he wanted to be by himself so he should go chase some girls or something. Crope and Tibbett were avoiding both him and Avaric, so Boq was guaranteed his privacy. He had a rough night. He couldn't think of anything else, but what Tibbett said last night. He debated on whether he should break off the date or not. He knew it was wrong to keep it, but this was probably the only opportunity he could get with the one girl that would make him happy forever.

Boq thought carefully. If he kept the date, he would be giving Nessa the sign that he really did like her and he didn't want to hurt her feelings. If he broke the date, the promise to Galinda would be broken, plus it would make her unhappy. Additionally, he had asked Nessa three times before she finally said yes. The burden lay heavier if he broke the date. He had no other choice.

"Boq," a voice called. Boq looked up. Elphaba took a seat beside him nonchalantly. Boq became uncomfortable. "How are you?"

"Don't ask," he said. "Look I don't mean to be rude, but I really don't feel like visitors."

"Oh this will only take a minute," she replied darkly.

Boq's stomach twisted. He hoped that she didn't find out about his lunch date with Nessa. She would probably threaten to hang him from the ceiling or something...

"My sister tells me that you've invited her to the Ozdust ballroom this Saturday," she said. Oh no, he thought. She continued. "Don't panic. I don't mind you at all."

Boq tried to smile, but he was too weak. For some reason, he didn't think that she was telling the whole truth anyway. She went on.

"I don't mind you at all because you made my sister happy. You made her feel welcomed and at home, and well... with my disposition, it's really hard to do that for her. However, she has been praising that little blonde ditz Galinda for bringing you two together. Now I find that very suspicious because you have a thing for Miss Brownie Cheeks there..." Boq swallowed and she kept going. "But I'm willing to let that go. I'd rather take my hatred out on her than you, anyway. Now, here's your warning. If you do anything to hurt my sister, I will personally wring your neck, throw out the corpse, and tie your head on a stick for my sister's sanctuary..." she whispered the next part, "she can be a bit obsessive."

Boq's eyes widened and Elphaba laughed sadistically. "That was a joke. But the circumstances are serious. Please don't hurt her."

"I won't," gulped Boq. "Our relationship is honest." Whoops.

She nodded. "Very well. See you soon," and she walked away.

Great, thought Boq, just when I thought I had enough pressure from Galinda, Tibbett, Crope, and even Nessarose, Elphaba had to put on more of the weight. He wallowed in his sorrow with pieces of peanut brittle, honey covered carrots, and caramel apples, thinking that he can get away with a sugar overload with a balance of healthy snacks. All he wanted to do was make himself noticeable. He didn't want his friends to separate from him.

"Hey Boq," said a voice. Oh great, he thought bitterly, more visitors. Surprisingly, he saw Crope sitting beside him.

"Aren't you mad at me?" asked Boq irritably.

"Not really," said Crope. "It's Tibbett you're confusing me with. We're not exactly the same person."

Boq sat up straight and he got the abrupt feeling that Crope wasn't telling him something. He gave him body language letting him now he was listening.

"People always assume that Tibbett and I are going to be friends forever so they look at us as one," said Crope. "And that's all right, but I have my own personality too. Just once I'd like someone to recognize that that prank at the girls' bathroom was a Crop original... don't worry I didn't set anything off. It's just... I don't mean to sound like a glory hog... but it'd be nice." He fell quiet.

"I had no idea," said Boq. Crope shrugged.

"But see... I can see how you feel Boq. On the outside you may look self-centered because all you care about is getting Galinda... And I can seem it too because all I want is to be acknowledged-"

"Is that what Tibbett's saying about me-?"

"Let me finish... on the inside we just want to be loved by someone," said Crope. Boq raised his eyebrows in shock. He'd never seen this side of Crope before.

"It sounds funny coming from me, but I know how you feel," continued Crope. "But you can't lead her on like that because it is wrong. If you want to win Galinda over, you have to find another way."

Boq buried his face in his hands, frustrated with himself. He couldn't believe how hard this was. He wanted to be with Galinda, but he didn't want to upset Nessa. But, it seemed either way, he would be upsetting Nessarose. The truth would only hurt her because after all his useless begging, she had finally said yes. Then he would turn her down. He couldn't do that to her.

"You're right," said Boq, "I have to find another way. But I can't break off the dance."

"No," agreed Crope thoughtfully. "But you can be the person she would be most unattractive to."

"What? That's the oldest trick in the book."

"But it always works."

"I don't know, she seems too smart for this," said Boq.

"Trust me," said Crope, "a girl can't stand bad fashion sense."

Boq groaned a bit. They were in Crope and Tibbett's dorm room, looking through their multicolored closet for something to wear at the dance. Tibbett and Crope just about had every hideous thing known to knowledge in that closet. White and blue striped top hats, bone-shaped ties, and chandelier shaped earrings, peacock-feathered pants- it was horrendous. Still, for guys who didn't care about fashion, they seemed to have a nice trend going on.

"I've got it!" exclaimed Crope. He pulled out an outfit that Boq would have never dreamt up: a sort of neon green shirt with a red, white, pink, and brown-striped tie, and shiny bronze-colored pants. Accompanied with it was a matching bronze dress coat, the length cut in half. Boq raised an eyebrow.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Boq horrified.

"Does it look like I'm kidding?" he asked ironically holding the laughable ensemble he had put together. "Now there are some things you need to know in order to make this date horrible, so I've set up a list of things to say and things to do... or not do."

"Okay," said Boq hesitantly.

"First things to do, or not do... everything that you would normally do, don't do. Everything that Tibbett and I do, do do."

Boq grinned and Crope cut him off. "I know, I know, I said do do, but can you please be serious?"

"I'm not the one who said it."

"All right. Body language is everything. Look down a lot. Don't make much contact. Don't smile a lot."

"Wait I don't want to shun her of all existence."

Crope thought for a moment. "Then be a little meaner. Language is the key. Say things like, 'Baby, your hair smells like sea water,' and 'I wish I was blind so I wouldn't have to stare at your ugly face.'"

"Sweet Oz, are you mad?"

"Trust me!" Crope plopped down beside Boq and began to give off an expression of seriousness again. It was hard to get use to them being serious about things. Boq used to think that their life was all fun and games. But for some reason, their life somehow took a stop, and paved another way of living... of caring... ever since Nessarose came into their lives. Funny how one rose can make you change the way you sense things. Suddenly, the world's rejoicing of the thorn-bushes having roses instead of the rose-bushes having thorns.

"Tell me something," said Crope quietly. "Do you like her? Do you feel anything for Nessarose?"

Boq took a deep breath. It's something he never really wanted to think about. "No. I can't see myself with her. I want to be with Galinda. I just want to be friends with Nessa."

"Is it because of her wheelchair?"

"No, it's not that...it's..." Boq thought for a moment. Was it because she was in a wheelchair? Nessarose and Galinda were so different appearance-wise. Galinda was almost picture perfect, and Nessarose rode on four wheels. And Boq was more physically attracted to Galinda. He had never really thought it through before. "I don't like Nessarose that way. Not that way."

Crope nodded as if he understood. "All right then. Let's make you unattractive... more than you are, that is. Unpopular- you're gonna be unpopular. You'll be the last to pick, you'll make people sick, more than you already do! Ooh! I'll show you the things to say, you'll make kittens stray-"

"Crope... don't do that. YOU'RE making me sick."

The dance came faster than he had hoped. Saturday came with a few sweats and nervous breakdowns, but nothing to feel entirely bad about. Crope was escorting Boq down the hall, who was trembling with anxiety. He was wearing the tacky get-up, and in his hand were half-chewed rosebuds he was suppose to say had been eaten by his pet goat.

"Remember what I told you," reviewed Crope.

"Hair smells like sea water, wish I was blind," recited Boq nervously, almost robotically.

"What else?"

"Be distant, but non-suspicious."

"Good, good."

"The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."

"Uhhh... don't you forget it. Ah well, good luck!" Crope left Boq to walk to her dorm room alone. He had a funny feeling in his stomach and his spine was shivering with cold sensations. He stepped in front of her door and knocked a couple of times. He suddenly needed to go pee. The door opened slowly, and Nessarose materialized behind it. Boq just had one thing to say.

"Will you marry me?"