Elphaba's goodbye

As Elphaba walked swiftly through the deserted halls, she wondered what she should do. She had been planning on leaving today and had wanted to tell Boq goodbye. She didn't want him to come along; this was her mission, not his. The last person she had wanted to see right then had been Fiyero, and yet he had come stumbling upon them at the very moment she was to say goodbye. She wondered if it was some sort of omen. She opened to door to her room and crept back in. Nobody seemed to have missed her.

• • • • •

Knock. Knock.

"Who is it!" Glinda cried as she jumped up to answer the door. There stood Boq, looking slightly uncomfortable, and Fiyero, who looked as matter-of-fact as always.

"Why, this is a surprise," Glinda said, smiling, wondering what they could want.

"Where is Elphie?" Boq said to Glinda, but seemed to communicate more to her than just with his words.

Glinda raised her eyebrows. "Why, I assumed she was with you down in the café or something. I haven't seen her all morning."

Boq groaned and Fiyero looked faintly surprised. Boq stumbled away from the door and Glinda called after him, "Why, Master Boq, whatever is the matter?"

"I don't know. I have to find her," he answered wearily.

"Let's not jump to action," Glinda said gently. "Come in, let's discuss this."

He came in, followed closely by Fiyero, and sat down upon Elphaba's unoccupied bed.

"Do tell me what is going on here." Nessa said, surprised by their presence.

"Elphie has left." Boq said shortly.

"What do you mean?" Nessa asked quietly. "She was here just this morning."

"I just know she has," Boq said. "Check and see what she left."

Nanny walked over to the wardrobe and flung the doors wide. Amongst Glinda and Nessa's many dresses, there hung one of Elphaba's frocks. Only one.

"Why, I never…" Nanny said, as Boq collapsed upon the bed.

"Well, that settles it. Let's go," Fiyero said, surprising them all. They seemed to have forgotten he was there.

"Where are we going to look!" Nessa cried breathlessly.

"Where else? The Emerald City." Boq said calmly, sitting up. Something seemed to have come over him.

Glinda looked uncomfortable and Nessa closed her eyes tightly. The room remained silent and still for a few minutes, until the soft sound of Nessarose praying became audible.

"I have to get out of here," Boq said, and ran from the room. Glinda made a move as if to follow him, but Fiyero motioned her to sit.

"I got it," he said.

Last-minute decisions

What had he done? It was all his fault! Boq stumbled wildly across the courtyard, lungs aching from the cold. He stopped suddenly. Where was he to go? What was he going to do? He sat distractedly upon a bench and hid his face in his hands, thinking hard. Elphie must have left him some type of hint.

"What are you going to do?" Fiyero asked, sitting down upon the bench next to him.

"I suppose it's time to go after her," Boq said.

• • • • •

"You sure you want to do this?" Boq asked him uncertainly as he slid into the seat next to him.

"Of course," Fiyero answered. "It may well be my fault anyways."

"No need to assign blame," Boq said, though unconvincingly.

Fiyero stared out the window as the train began to pull slowly out of the station. How quickly things could change! Yesterday he had met the mysteriously beautiful Elphaba for the first time. Today, he was leaving school to go look for her. And what did he really know of her anyways? Was he being a fool for coming? No, he decided. He wouldn't have been able to remain behind without knowing what had become of her. And yet, Nessa and Glinda had remained behind. Fiyero was confused as to how they could have done so. But, if he thought about it reasonably, it wasn't exactly easy for Nessarose to travel, and Glinda had too much to lose.

If something happened to Elphaba, he knew he would blame himself. Why, oh why had he gone after Boq that morning? Deep down he had hoped he would be able to see Elphaba again, and he also had to know… Boq and Elphaba did seem rather close. He noted the way Boq had embraced Elphaba that morning, and the way she pulled away quickly when she saw Fiyero. And also, there was the way Boq was behaving now. He seemed overcome with emotions. Sadness, guilt?

Perhaps there was something more.