Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked. Any similarity to other people's fanfics is completely accidental, if you think I have stolen an idea from your fic then please contact me and we can discuss it.

Chapter Two: Confessions

As soon as they got back to the dorm Glinda flung her arms around Elphaba, practically bowling her friend over in her excitement.

"Oh, Elphie! I can't believe it! You two are so cute, you just have to get together. I insist.!

Elphaba burst out laughing at the expression on her best friend's face, and tried to slow her down a little.

"Whoa! Glin, you are funny. Do you honestly think that he, a prince, would like someone like me, much less ask me out…" she broke off and dropped her gaze, suddenly unable to look her friend in the eye. "Do you honestly think anyone would?"

Glinda was horrified by the tears bristling in the corners of her friend's eyes. She sat down on the edge of the other girl's bed and slipped her hand over Elphabas.

"Hey, Elphie, don't cry. It's ok" she soothed gently.

"Glin, it's Elphaba."

"Elphie, it's Galinda" the other girl retorted.

Elphaba smiled ruefully. "Ok, I'm fine. It just…scared me, you know?"

Glinda looked at her questioningly, trying unsuccessfully to mask her confusion.

"Sorry Elphie, but no."

Elphaba sighed at her friend's ignorance, blushing deeply as she tried o harness her spinning thoughts and come up with words for what she was feeling.

"I guess…it's just…I've known the guy for less than twenty four hours and I'm – attracted to him. I didn't even know I could feel attracted to anyone in this way. And he's never going to care about me. I'm not that kind of girl…"

Glinda cried out in dismay as her friend's voice tailed off, she buried her head in her hands and started to cry in earnest, her shoulders shaking with the sobs.

"Hush, shh now honey. It's going to be ok."

It was a mark of how upset Elphaba was that she did not protest at being called honey, an endearment which she would normally have rejected scornfully.

Glinda perched on the bed with one hand stroking her friend's hair, waiting patiently for the tears to subside, before speaking again. When she did her tone was gentle.

"Now Miss Elphaba, the question is, what are we going to do about it?"

Elphaba wiped her eyes and looked at her blankly.

"We?"

Glinda sighed in exasperation.

"Well Elphie, honestly, do you think I'm going to let you mess this up?"

She saw that her friend looked crestfallen and teasingly dug her in the ribs.

"Oh come on, you know I was only teasing you! But seriously, I want to help you with this."

Elphaba looked at her friend, her eyes narrowed with more than a hint of suspicion.

"Does helping involve daring one of us to get with the other, or anything like that? Because if so you can forget it RIGHT NOW, young lady!"

Glinda giggled as she avoided Elphaba's friendly slap, stood up and headed for the bathroom.

"Oh Elphie, you are such a cynic. Just trust me, ok?!"

"That is the last thing I am going to do", Elphaba retorted scornfully towards her best friend's back, as Glinda headed into the bathroom.

On the way back to the boy's dorms a similar conversation was taking place, although one admittedly rather less emotional that the other.

Boq sighed in exasperation at his unresponsive companion, for Fiyero was laughingly avoiding his questions and managing to smoothly change the subject. He guessed it came from being royalty, and being used to treating servants that way all the time.

"C'mon Fiyero, at least admit it! You so blatantly like her, there's no point pretending otherwise. Oh for Oz's sake, just say something, man!"

The other young man shrugged indifferently.

"I don't know, she's alright I guess. Nothing particularly special."

Boq snorted derisively at this obvious untruth.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that rubbish? You couldn't keep your eyes off her for the whole meal Fiyero, it was pretty obvious."

Fiyero swung round and glared at him, his eyes flashing with sudden impatience.

"So maybe I do like her. What's it to you?" He looked straight at Boq. "Is there something between you two?"

Boq gasped in honest astonishment as he saw what the other man was driving at.

"Me and Elphie? Of course not! I've just known her since we were younger and she's one of my very close friends. I would die to protect her. That's all, I swear."

Fiyero's face relaxed into a slow smile. "Ok" was all he said.

They strolled on in silence for a few more minutes, and then Fiyero spoke again in a low voice, trying to hide his embarrassment and hesitating somewhat.

"Hey, Boq?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I have a chance? With Elphaba, I mean."

Boq grinned broadly at the other man before speaking slowly.

"I think you have more than just a chance, judging by her actions in class and at dinner. But with Elphie, you can't be too careful."

"I see."

Boq looked closely at his companion for a moment, and then finally swallowed the last of his pride.

"Do you want me to help you? I can't promise anything, but I'll do what I can."

Fiyero grinned back and stuck out his hand for Boq to shake.

"That would be great."

Boq took the hand and shook it.

"It's a deal" they said together.

AN: I am still on Christmas holidays at the moment, which is why this second chapter has been so soon in coming up. I'm hoping to get another one done over the weekend, and then at least one a fortnight after that, when it gets back to term time. I'll keep you all posted.

For now, read, review and enjoy! It is my first fic and I am quite nervous about it, so please be nice.