Chapter Seven

Boq's previous prediction had come true the following day. And for days at a time Boq had found himself extremely lonely, even with Crope by his side. Crope was happy thathis fellow munchkinhad finally broken it off with her, but Boq discovered him disappearing at long lengths at a time in a day. When he did find the time to catch a few words with him, Crope told him that he needed to be with Nessa too, to make her feel better because it was her that was actually hurting. Boq was kind of stunned by this assumption because he didn't feel good about losing a good friend in Nessa either. Surprisingly, Elphaba hadn't killed him yet, but as far as he knew she may as well have a painful scheme up her sleeve when he least expected it.

Alone he was again underneath the big oak tree, feeling frustrated yet hopeful at the same time. He hated how those feelings coincided in a way that made him feel so confused. He cracked open his book on Ozian politics hoping to cram in some information before their exam, but not of two minutes passedthat he started drift away, dreaming up a way to win his sweetheart.

"Psst."

Boq looked up. No one was near enough to make such an audible sound so he looked back down at his book.

"Hey- psst."

Clearly there was someone behind him. Boq turned his head.

"Psst back," Boq said unsure of what to say. Fiyero peered from behind the tree, curiously.

"Have- have you seen Galinda?"

"Um... no," Boq replied reluctantly.

"Okay... okay good." Fiyero carefully revealed himself and sat down next to him.

"Something... wrong?" asked Boq slowly, trying to suppress the sudden, yet exciting,thought of Fiyero and Galinda breaking up.

"I- I'm not sure," Fiyero said. He remained vague and silent.

Boq didn't exactly know what to do, but he felt a bit sorry for him feeling bad about somethingso he tried to bolster his ego by payinghim a compliment.

"Nice vest."

"Huh? Thanks."

Boq thought for a moment. "You're some hero."

"What?"

"You saved that lion cub, Elphaba told me. I'm glad there's still some of us that care about Animals."

"Can I tell you something?"

Boq paused. He felt a bit uncomfortable all of a sudden. The fact that the boy he should be loathing was confidingin him worried him some. But it seemed to really have bothered him so Boq agreed.

"I really don't care about Animals' rights or whatever," admitted Fiyero. "I mean, I've always thought there were more important things. Watching the game live from the stands... counting the tiles on the cieling during a lecture... sleeping... but because she cared about it so much... it just made me... care too."

He didn't mention her name but Boq very well knew who he was talking about.

"I've been thinking," continued Fiyero, "which is a bit strange because I'm not an expert at it... not like you."

"An expert in thinking?" questioned Boq trying not to smile.

"Yeah. And what if the girl you thought was perfect turned out to be not as perfect for you? What if all the ideas and beliefs you once lived by are destroyed because one certain person came into your life? One person that make you look at things differently? That changed you... for good?"

Boq looked at him in surprise. "For someone who claims not to be an expertin thinking, you sure do it well."

Fiyero didn't respond to this. He merely looked down, apparently doing some more thinking.

"You can't help who comes into your life, or who you fall in love with," said Boq quietly. "It's a feeling from inside... but you seem to have already discovered that."

Another long pause. Then Fiyero spoke off topic,

"Elphaba's going to the city of Emeralds tomorrow to meet the Wizard."

"What? Really? What an honor! But... why?"

"To protest about Dillamond being taken away and to report the horrible treatment Animals have been getting."

"Congratul-o-tions to Miss Elphaba," said Boq. This was the only good news he's heard for the past days.

"We're all going to bid her good luck when she leaves in the morning. I'm sure she'd like to see you there."

"Um, I don't think so."

"Why not? Courting her sister..."

"That's just it. I'm not courting her."

Fiyero looked at him curiously. "Oh. I see."

Shuffling feet were heard coming toward them. Boq scanned for anyone coming forth and sure enough Avaric was seen approaching. This was most unusual because they had stopped talking, even in their own dorm room.

"What do you want?" asked Boq. He didn't mean to sound irritable, but it blurted out that way.

"I just wanted you to know that one of the snooper troopers is becoming overly affectionate to Nessarose," he said.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe I felt worried because deep inside my shallow heart, I actually care about your feelings," he shot suddenly. "And if you had a heart you'd go over there and stop him... I don't know if this is one of your idiotic plans to win your chick, but-"

Boq didn't let him finish. He had leapt up and sprung to the school building. He didn't know where he was going but he just kept running. A sudden anger arose in his veins and throbbed inside. He couldn't believe Tibbett would come to this, sinking so low. Wait, you're not with her, why are you so jumpy about it? a voice asked in his head. He shook his head and kept running. He wanted to kill Tibbett anyhow. Yes they weren't together, but Tibbett was the last person he'd let touch her. They were too wrong for each other. And he knew very well that two wrongs didn't make a right.

He stopped in the middle of the hallway. There he was cornering her, trying to nibble on her ear. She didn't look too comfortable with it, and she had an uncertain smile upon her face. The rat had one hand holding hers with a firm grip. But something was wrong.

"Crope?"

He looked at Boq and pulled away from her, but his hand never loosened. Nessa tried to pull free by taking his hand off with her free one, but he only gripped tighter. Boq's fuse was running short.

"Hello Boq," he said quite calmly.

"Traitor!" yelled Boq. It all made sense. Visiting Nessa wasn't just to make her feel better, but to catch her when she was vulnerable. No wonder he was totally supportive when he found out about Boq breaking it off with Nessa, and trying to go out for Galinda again. Boq had fallen right into his trap.

"Am I, really?" replied Crope in the same calm tone.

"How can you do that to me?" demanded Boq. "To her? Get your hands off her!"

"What do you care? I thought you didn't want to be with her?"

"That is none of your business," snapped Boq. A crowd began to form. Boq glared at him furiously.

"Get out of here Boq, you don't care about her. Save your embarrassment when it really suits you."

Boq marched to him and looked at him in the eye. He was slightly taller but he wasn't intimidated. Boq wanted to hit him, but he couldn't bring himself to it. Something inside him was stopping him whether it were nerves, the friendship they shared, or his dignirty... all he could do was glare. He wanted to wring his neck and hang it up to dry. This new feeling was something Boq never really familiared himself with, it was sudden and new. What was this feeling? His pulse, rushing...his head, reeling. He couldn't stand it, and yet he stood there, frozen. Hejust couldn't believe how despicable he was.

"Come on Nessa," said Boq.

"No... no,don't help me," said Nessa bitterly. "You said that you didn't want anything to do with me."

"Nessa that's not-"

"That's right Nessie, Boq told you that he didn't want you. Let's go." Crope pulled her forcefully across the circle that formed around them.

"You let go of her!" commanded Boq.

"What's going on?" a new voice emerged from the crowd.

"Elphaba, stay out of this!" ordered Nessa hastily.

"Nessa-"

"Stay out!"

"Are you going to do something about it?" Crope let go of Nessa andapproached Boq.

"What's going on Nessa?"

"Don't help!"

"I swear, Crope..."

"You going to hit me?"

"Boq?" asked Elphaba.

"Elphaba please!" protested Nessa.

"Is there going to be a fight? Does it look like it?"

"Hey- everyone- look! Fight!"

"Well, Boq? What do you say?"

"He doesn't have a chance!"

"Nessa!"

A searing pain tightened around Boq's stomach causing him to slouch and groan. Crope had belted him one, a huge fist jammed int his skin, as all the wind was knocked out of him. People gasped. It had happened so quickly.

"Give it up. Is she really worth it?"

Boq threw a punch as hard as he could. It hit Crope in the jaw with a loud crack. Boq didn't think twice about wanting to hit him again so he threw another one on the same spot, making another horrible sound. Blood splattered everywhere, and Crope moaned terribly. Boq was suddenly detained, someone coming up behind him, holding his arms from the back. He didn't struggle through it, but he felt he hadn't hit him nearly as hard.

"That's enough Boq," said Fiyero, pulling him away. Crope held his jaw and cursed loudly. He swung his arm violently, almost contacting Nessa. Her wheelchair wheeled itself to Elphaba, and she hung on to her.

"There's nothing to see," said Fiyero quietly. "Everyone move it- there's nothing to see."

Nobody moved. They had never seen a fight break out in Shiz before.

"Well?" thundered Elphaba. "Do you need a written invitation? Move it!"

People began to leave slowly, but stalling to see the aftermath of the fight. Crope didn't make eye contact with Boq. He looked at Nessa and though his voice was muffled through his bloody jaw, his words were audible enough for Boq to hear.

"I told you," and he left. Boq was slightly confused, but the heat from what just happened pumped him up. Fiyero let go of him and patted him on the back. He left quickly and Boq took a few short breaths. He caught a glimpse of Tibbett looking at him disgustedly as he made his way to Nessa to apologize. Tibbett was probably seething to murder him now. Boq looked at Elphaba earnestly.

"Okay Nessa..." she said softly and left them alone. Boq looked at Nessa, her face with a mournful expression.

"Nessa- I'm sor- uugghh." His stomach twisted horribly.

"Boq don't, you'll hurt yourself," she said tenderly. She held his hand which made him smile automatically.

"So it's true?" she said hopefully.

"Umm..." he didn't exactly know what she meant.

"Crope said that you were still crazy about me, but I didn't believe it. After that day, how could I? But he said that you didn't want to hurt me..."

"Umm..." he was speechless, not to mention hurting.

"Boq, I don't want to lose you, but if it bothers you so much... we can take it slow."

Boq couldn't say anything. He couldn't break her heart again. They embraced warmly. He didn't respond and at least, he thought painfully, she wasn't rushing anything. He pulled away from their hug. He had to straighten something out.

"So this whole act-"

"Was just as act," finished Nessa. "And it cost him a lot. He's really a good guy."

"Yeah... Nessa do you mind...?"

"Go. Rest."

Boq bid her goodbye and he went straight to his dorm room where, thankfully, wasn't occupied by Avaric the Disastrous. He didn't think that Avaric would be too happy with him at the moment, but he didn't care much. He went straight to his bed and slept for hours, avoiding the confusion that was drowning his mind.

When he awoke, it felt as if he was hit over the head with a broomstick. He took a long hot shower and cleaned himself up. He felt a little better once he rinsed all his shame away (ha, if only it were that easy). He wrapped a towel below his waist and looked in the mirror. What just happened? he asked himself. What did you do out there? And most importantly, why did you do it? Is there something in that mirror that you don't see? He tried to contemplate why Crope would try to make him jealous like that. But it worked. Why did it work? It was so strange, so confusing, he just needed to find out what was going on. He put on some fresh clothes and headed out the dormitory. It was dusk and the lights were dimming in the gardens, in the field. He headed towards Crope's room,praying to Lurline that Tibbett wouldn't be there. He knocked.

"It's open," a voice called from behind. Boq opened the door and saw Crope reading on his bed. Tibbett was absent. Crope looked up.

"Came to break an arm or something?"

Boq closed the door. He kept his distance. "She told me. What were you thinking?"

"She's insane about you."

"Yeah I know."

"I couldn't stand seeing her so devastated. So I needed to do something to get her to have you again."

"And you didn't once think about me?" said Boq.

"What?"

"All you care about is making that girl happy. What about making me happy? You're the one who set up our whole break up."

"I was wrong."

"This isn't a game, Crope. You told me it was best not to be involved if I really didn't care for her. Now you come and tell me it's all right?"

"You're putting words in my mouth."

"You said I shouldn't be with her if I didn't love her!"

"Yeah I did!" barked Crope. "Yeah, I said it. But what did you figure about today Boq? You don't try to give your best friend a broken jaw without feeling at least an ounce of love for her! You felt something, didn't you?"

Boq paused. He was lost for words. His mouth suddenly felt dry.

"Tell me, how did you feel when I was all over Nessa? Huh? Why did you feel a sudden jealousy when I held her hand? If you hadn't of cared, you'd have let me have her. I'm not Tibbett. I'm not Avaric. You knew me better. It would have been perfectly fine. But it wasn't, was it?"

Boq looked away, abashed. He didn't want to admit anything. He began to realize the full difference between him and Tibbett. Crope was deep, heart-felt. Tibbett was...well... needed of serious medical and psychological help.

"She loves you Boq," said Crope.

Suddenly the door swung open and Tibbett walked in. Boq froze as Tibbett developed an itching stare to get rid of him. He walked passed him with a pretense that made Boq shudder.

"Don't speak to me," spatted Tibbett.

"I didn't say anything."

"You're dirt to me."

"Tibbett..."

"I'd rather have her dead than have her with a scum like you," he rasped. He knocked over a lamp angrily. "I can't stand it here." He left slamming the door.

"What is wrong with him?' exasperated Boq.

"He's changed- we all have."