Elphaba and Fiyero sat in the courtyards together, studying, as they should have been yesterday. The grounds were unusually deserted. The library however was unusually packed. Mid-term exams were approaching and students were cramming. Elphaba already had the necessary materials and books to study for the exams, of course. So she shared her books with Fiyero and they had the courtyard to themselves. Elphaba was quizzing Fiyero on Oz's history.

"Elphaba, we've been studying for hours." said Fiyero as she asked him a particularly hard question.

"Hey, if we study now, we can go on a date later." Elphaba reminded him, "Isn't that the motivation you need?"

"How about you give me a kiss for each one I get right." Fiyero grinned mischievously.

"You are so male." Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Hey, it'll keep me motivated. And I really don't want to fail this test." said Fiyero.

"Ugh, fine." said Elphaba, giving in when he put his grades on the line, he knew she would.

"Do you really have such a problem with kissing me?" asked Fiyero sarcastically. Elphaba ignored him and asked the question.

"How did the third Ozma die?" Elphaba asked reading from the flash cards she'd made.

"Um...she got old?" Fiyero tried, mentally kicking himself as he forgot the answer.

"No. An evil sorceress poisoned an apple that the Ozma ate, disguising it as a 'wishing apple'. " Elphaba said, "Sorry, you don't get your kiss." Fiyero ignored her and kissed her anyway. Elphaba was about to pull back, but found the kiss far too enjoyable and kissed him back anyway. That simple kiss soon turned into a full out make out session as neither was willing to pull away.

"Fiyero, someone might see us." Elphaba murmured against his lips.

"Who cares?" Fiyero replied, kissing her again, "No one's here anyway." Elphaba's book fell out of her lap as she leaned into him more and tangled her fingers in his hair. Fiyero's notes scattered across the grounds as he wrapped his arm around her, his other hand caressing her face.

"Alright, we should stop." said Elphaba breathlessly.

"No." said Fiyero, kissing her again, silencing any protests she might have had. Elphaba pulled back.

"Fiyero..." she scolded with a tone that always meant finality.

"Ah fine." Fiyero sighed and leaned back in the bench they were sitting in.

"I think we should stop studying now." said Elphaba, "I need to get back to my dorm. I promised Galinda I'd be back after lunch to help her study." she picked up her fallen book and stood up to leave.

"Can I come?" asked Fiyero, picking up his scattered notes and standing up too.

"I don't think that's the best idea." said Elphaba carefully, "She's kind of uncomfortable around you when I'm around. You know."

"I understand." said Fiyero. Sometimes he felt uncomfortable around Galinda too, especially when Elphaba was around.

"Alright, see you later." Elphaba said and gave him a short fair well kiss before leaving.

********************

The next day was chaotic. It was the Valentine's dance and everyone was rushing for last minute dates. Elphaba was getting increasingly annoyed as girls practically threw themselves at Fiyero. They all knew that he didn't have a date, and he wasn't going. He assured her the only person he'd ever go with would be her and since she didn't want a public relationship, they wouldn't go. Word of his break up with Galinda had spread fast and he was currently being chased after by a very, very persistent girl.

"Fiyero!" he heard his name shouted from the end of the hall. He turned around, but instantly regretted it. It was Marissa, the ever annoying, ever persistent, ever obnoxious Marissa. Sure she was pretty and a lot of guys liked her, but she'd never compare to Elphaba. He tried to turn back around and act like he hadn't seen the annoying red-head, but she'd already latched onto his arm.

"Fiyero!" she panted from her short run to catch up with him, "So...I'm not doing anything tonight, you're single and there's a Valentine's dance tonight at the Ozdust...."

"Yeah, sorry, I can't." said Fiyero quickly, avoiding eye contact.

"What? Why not?" Marissa pouted. Fiyero rolled his eyes.

"Because I don't want to." he snapped, he was really getting fed up with all of these girls!

"But--" Marissa began.

"He said he doesn't want to." said Elphaba, walking up to Fiyero as she turned the corner and spotted them, he black hair swirled around her momentarily as the wind caught in her hair. Fiyero felt his eyes glaze over as he stared at her.

"I don't believe I was talking you artichoke." Marissa snorted, turning her nose up at her. Elphaba rolled her eyes. Fiyero tensed at the horrible nickname the students at Shiz had taken to calling Elphaba. He hastily removed himself from Marissa's grip and stepped away from her.

"Look, I've got to go..." he said awkwardly, taking another step backwards, "Elphaba you promised to help me study." he said, catching her eye quickly. She almost smiled, but then remembered Marissa standing there and kept a straight face.

"You have a nice day Marissa." Elphaba said in a sweet voice that sounded far too fake. Fiyero almost burst out laughing, but didn't.

"Come on Elphaba." said Fiyero, holding his hand out without thinking. And also, without thinking, Elphaba took his hand absent mindedly, probably out of habit. Marissa stared at their joined hands, her jaw dropped. Elphaba quickly pulled her hand back. Fiyero and Elphaba both caught sight of Marissa's expression and hurried away from her, bursting into laughter as soon as they rounded the corner.

"Did you see her face?" asked Elphaba, laughing.

"You should've heard yourself when you told her to have a nice day." Fiyero laughed, "You sounded like a sinister version of Galinda." They burst out laughing again.

"Was it just me or did you seem a little jealous back there?" asked Fiyero.

"Well I'm just plain irritated now. All of these beautiful girls throwing themselves at you, touching you and holding your hand, making all of these way too obvious innuendos and flirting with you..." she trailed off and blushed.

"Oz, you are jealous." said Fiyero, chuckling.

"Shut up." Elphaba laughed, hitting him softly, "Technically, it should be them who should be jealous." She whispered, coming closer to him, "Because I get to do this," she kissing him softly. She pulled back far too quickly though, leaving him wanting more.

"Wow, maybe I should hang around other girls more often." said Fiyero, catching her lips in another kiss. Elphaba laughed at that.

"If you do that, I guarantee I will never kiss you again." she said. Fiyero laughed.

"Although, I suppose your reactions to other people flirting with me is much more civilized than how I would react if someone started hitting on you." said Fiyero thoughtfully, pondering how he felt every time Lucas tried to charm her or when he saw guys staring at her and checking her out when she wasn't looking.

"Well you don't have to worry about that because I don't think anyone would ever hit on the green girl." Elphaba laughed.

"Oh now Elphaba, you know that's not true." said Fiyero, "Look at Lucas, poor boy, he's head over heels in love with you. He hits on you all the time."

"No he doesn't." said Elphaba, taken-aback.

"What about all those times he carries your books for you and kisses your hand all the time?" asked Fiyero, trying to corner admittance out of her, but she wasn't giving in.

"It's called being a gentleman, something you wouldn't be familiar with." Elphaba smirked. Fiyero could tell she was just teasing him though and didn't take it as offence. Although on the other hand, he didn't like Lucas being referred to as a 'gentlemen', especially when Elphaba was referring to him as such.

"Ha ha, very funny." said Fiyero sarcastically, but smiling all the same, "But seriously, you can't tell that guy likes you?"

"He does not like me." said Elphaba with complete confidence in her answer.

"Yeah, just like no one ever hits on you." said Fiyero sarcastically, smiling at her innocence. She really couldn't tell when men were attracted to her or just how irresistible she was.

"No one hits on me." said Elphaba seriously, "Even if they did, I wouldn't know." she added, rolling her eyes.

"Exactly!" said Fiyero, "You wouldn't know in the first place!"

"Fiyero we are not seriously having this argument." said Elphaba.

"We so are." said Fiyero grinning, "I bet if I took you to the Emerald City, everyone would hit on you, even the girls."

"Why the Emerald City?" asked Elphaba.

"I'll take you there someday and you'll see." said Fiyero, "Although maybe I should keep you far away from that place, far too many drunk bastards looking for beautiful girls."

"Oh you make it sound so magical." Elphaba said sarcastically and laughed.

"I was just kidding about the drunk bastards....well, sort of. But if you go the right parts of the city, it really is magical, and I bet it'd be even better for you." said Fiyero.

"Why better for me?" asked Elphaba. She'd always wanted to go to the Emerald City, but either couldn't afford or had other obligations to attend to.

"I told you. You'll see when I take you there." said Fiyero.

"Well when are we going to go?" asked Elphaba, getting more curious with each sentence.

"We could go tonight if you want." said Fiyero, "It's not that far from here and we could be back at Shiz before the sun rises tomorrow."

"Tonight?" asked Elphaba.

"If you want." said Fiyero, smiling, hoping she wanted to go.

*******************************

Galinda felt her blood boil as she watched yet another girl latch herself onto Fiyero. It was Marissa. The girl she'd hated since the beginning. Elphaba came around the corner. Galinda couldn't hear them, but she could tell that they had started some sort of conversation. She wondered how Elphaba could be so controlled when some other girl was just flirting with Fiyero right in front of her. Galinda probably would've bad mouthed the girl and kissed Fiyero to show just who Fiyero had chosen. But Elphaba wanted a private relationship and couldn't do anything in that nature without being revealed. She was disturbed from her thoughts by Lucas as he came up behind her.

"Can you believe her? The little leech!" said Galinda, "Look how she just hangs onto Fiyero like some blood-sucking parasite. She disgusts me!"

"Whoa now, calm down." said Lucas, trying to keep a straight face at Galinda's little rant and odd choice of insults.

"You find something amusing about the situation?" Galinda shrieked, "I've seen you go quite red in the face whenever Avaric tries to put his moves on Elphaba!"

"What? What does she have to do with this?" asked Lucas as he saw Elphaba round the corner and strike up a conversation with Fiyero and Marissa.

"I know you like her Lucas buddy," said Galinda, "And you'd be just as irritated if our situations were reversed, so you'd best shut your cod fish mouth---"

"Sorry, Oz, temperamental?" Lucas said over her rant, running a hand through his hair, an irritated look on his face.

"---And if you say one more word---" Galinda continued on as if he'd never spoken. Lucas stared at her, she was still talking!
"Do you ever stop talking?!" asked Lucas.

"Huh? Oh...sorry." said Galinda as she quieted down. Lucas heaved a sigh as a peaceful silence descended upon them, much more preferable to her shrieks.

"But can I just say one more thing?" she asked. He sighed again and gestured for her to say whatever she wanted to say, "Tonight is the Valentine's dance, and I kind of need a date. Now don't get me wrong, it's not as though no one's asked me. Oz, the whole male student body's has asked me, but that's not the point. I don't really want to go in the first place, but I'm Galinda Upland, it'd be social suicide if I didn't. And I really don't want to go with a stranger. I'm only really friends with four guys. Fiyero's....taken. Avaric's an arse, Boq is in love with me and I wouldn't want to lead him on. You...you're my friend right? And you're the only guy I could think of to go with. Now don't take this the wrong way, because I'm definitely drawing the friendship circle, but, would you go with me?" she asked, she spoke so quickly, her words ran together, making her a bit difficult to understand.

"Huh?" asked Lucas, a deeply confused look on his face. Galinda sighed, exasperated.

"Would you go to the dance with me?" she asked, speaking extra slow, as though he was mental.

"I---uh....sure. Sure I'll go with you Galinda." said Lucas. Galinda squealed and jumped up, wrapping an arm around his neck and kissing his cheek.

"Thanks so much dearest!" said Galinda, "Pick me up at eight. Tootles!" With that, Galinda was gone in a pink mess of poufy material as she flitted around the corner. She needed to get back the dorm to prepare for the dance. Lucas just stood there, the confused look returning to his face.