Elphaba unlocked the door casually; not at all surprised to see Galinda was back. She was sitting on her bed, still in her party dress, with her heels and a training wand discarded in the corner. What did surprise her was that she was trying to look studious while reading OZ magazine with the headline "Emerald Scandal" In shimmering lime green letters with candid pictures of two celebrities under it. Galinda glanced up, trying to seem disinterested.

"Did you have a nice time?" she asked flatly, as if she didn't care about the answer.

"Yes, it was an enjoyable party." Elphaba knew Galinda was pressing for details about the party she jumped ship from, and decided she wouldn't play that game. "I thought the punch had too much lemon in it, personally, but most people liked it." Galinda fumed that Elphaba wasn't telling her what she wanted to know.

"Was that your first party?" Galinda tried to pretend she was still enveloped in her magazine.

"No, but it was my first college party," Elphaba removed the pointed hat she had refused to take off almost the entire night and placed it on a shelf in her wardrobe reverently.

"We've barely been here a week. There haven't been other parties yet." Galinda let her acidic hatred seep into her tone of voice. Elphaba shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's still my first college party, whether there have been others before it or not." Elphaba began to busy herself with other little matters, making sure all of her socks were cleaned off the floor and trying to find her latest reading book.

"How can you just stand there and act so normal right after ruining my life!" Galinda suddenly accused, not able to take the apathetic silence. Elphaba blinked.

"I ruined your life?" Elphaba repeated unbelievingly. "Your life looks fine to me."

"I meant Fiyero!" Galinda stood up and stared at Elphaba. "You meant to steal him from me!"

"Galinda, I said no to him! I don't want Fiyero!"

"He danced with you!" Galinda was almost screaming. "YOU! And he was my date!" Hot tears started to run involuntarily down her face. "You planned it all!"

"He probably would have worshipped you the rest of the night if you hadn't run off like that!" Elphaba's voices stayed level and even as her roommate prepared for a hissy fit that always won in the past. "It was one dance." Elphaba took a step forward as if approaching a frightened animal. Sentient Animals were too smart for such petty things. Galinda backed up a little, too, furious at the green one, and Elphaba stopped.

"He saw something he didn't think was right," Elphaba explained. "He fixed it, and had no reason to stay with me once the problem was fixed."

"But you…you…." Galinda struggled to argue against this.

"If you want him 'back', you can have him. If he has any other ideas, I'll tell him to." Elphaba said. There was too much going on in her life for a stupid boy who probably could barely take care of himself. There was Nessa and her new obsession, magic classes, other classes, reading for her studies, reading for the sake of reading, and hanging around with her friends if her eyes started to hurt from reading.

Galinda blinked, the ghosts of tears drying themselves. Without warning, she squealed and ran to hug her roommate.

"I have been the most immoraliest person in all Oz," Galinda sobbed into Elphaba's shoulder, not quite able to lean her head on top of it. "and you have the self-respect to be good to me!" Elphaba didn't really know what to do. Nessa was never able to hug her so abruptly like this, and she never just 'gave away hugs' except to Nessa and father. Desperately thinking, Elphaba tried to pat Galinda on the back.

"I didn't really want to give Nessa a date," Galinda confessed to her roommate, hoping she wouldn't pull away. "I just wanted to get rid of Bick," Galinda pulled up her face again. "And I'm so, so sorry about the hat,"

"I like the hat," Elphaba said. "It's just no one else does." Galinda laughed her famous bubbly laugh, having forgiven her roommate completely.

"I know!" Galinda pulled Elphaba down onto her bed. "Let's tell each other something we've never told anyone else before! I'll go first," Galinda smoothed out a few creases in her dress as if making a public announcement instead of telling a private secret. "Fiyero and I are going to be…married!" Galinda dived into the pillows, squealing like an overexcited Mouse. Elphaba gaped.

"He's asked you already?!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, no. He doesn't know yet," Galinda picked her head up for a few moments before diving back into the pillow.

"I guess that's why you thought I 'ruined your life'." Elphaba shook her head at Galinda's girlish antics. Galinda pulled her head out of the pillow and sat next to Elphaba soberly.

"I really am sorry I thought that," Galinda leaned on Elphaba's shoulder. I wonder if this is what real 'girly' girls do in their spare time, Elphaba thought, still getting used to Galinda's openness. She sat up abruptly and stared at Elphaba excitedly. "Now you!"

"I don't know what to tell you," Elphaba laughed softly.

"Oh, come on, everybody has secrets!" Galinda insisted, bouncing on the mattress, more hyper than Elphaba had ever seen anyone before.

"You've set a pretty high standard." Elphaba said exasperatedly.

"Then I'll ask you questions!" Galinda reached deftly under Elphaba's pillow and pulled out a small bottle filled with green liquid. "Like why do you sleep with this under your pillow every night?"

"Hey, give that back," Elphaba reached for the bottle, but Galinda lifted it away.

"Nope, not until you tell me!" Elphaba reached again, but Galinda stood up and started dangling it above her seated roommate.

"Give it!" Elphaba stood up, and Galinda lowered the bottle and passed it to the other hand.
"No!"

"It was my mother's!" Elphaba snatched the bottle back and retreated to her bed.

"Oh." Galinda looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right," Elphaba sat up and stowed the bottle under her pillow again. "She died a long time ago." Galinda sat back down.

"Tell me about what happened after…you and Fiyero danced." Galinda asked fearfully. Even if she had forgiven her roommate, she hadn't forgotten and was still afraid of what could happen.

The dance ended, and the pair was applauded. The musicians took a small break as people gossiped about this new craze. Fiyero excused himself for a moment, and searched the ballroom thoroughly. Elphaba entertained herself talking to Nessa and Boq when he returned, a coy smile on his lips.

"Galinda's gone," He said more happily than Elphaba would have liked.

"Was something wrong?" Elphaba asked.

"I shouldn't have come with her," he stared at her intently, trying to mutely say what was on his mind: I should have come with you.

"He searched for you fervently, and for quite a long time." Elphaba selected her words carefully, trying not to enrage Galinda. She was tired of fighting with her roommate, and wanted everything to be peaceful, no more ill-wishing glances at the other from the most extreme corners of the room.

"Did he dance with you again?" Galinda tensed nervously.

Uh oh…Elphaba thought.

It was like having a something stuck to your shoe. Wherever you went, it went, and never complained. Elphaba would go for punch, and Fiyero would be there by the time she arrived with two cups in hand. She felt ready to dance again, he was waiting with is hand ready for her to take. The attention was flattering, but Elphaba couldn't find the words to tell him to stop. He's not my kind of guy, Elphaba said. We'd both have to change a lot before we'd be well suited. He and Galinda were perfect…

"A few times," Elphaba took out the 'too many' for Galinda's sake.

"Did he dance with anyone else?" Galinda pressed. Elphaba saw her hands fidget nervously.

"One more?" Fiyero asked eagerly as a new song began to play. This would make four times in a row! Elphaba thought. There are other girls- single girls- here!

"I need to sit one out," Elphaba flushed from all of the attention and her commonplace excuse. "I'm a bit tired."

"Me too," Boq piped up. "Nessa, could we skip this one?" Nessa nodded sadly. Fiyero also appeared put out.

"How about you two dance once?" Elphaba looked from her sister to Fiyero. "No reason both of you should stop because we need a rest."

Fiyero shrugged, but still remained melancholy. "All right," he said and bowed low to Nessa. "Miss Nessarose?" Nessa did her new curtsy proudly.

"Master Fiyero," She giggled once at the formalities as he took her chair onto the floor, but didn't' smile. Elphaba found a more stable chair at the edge and slumped down in it, Boq in one next to her.

"Her chair getting too hard to push?" She asked sympathetically.

"Not exactly," Boq said. "I…just don't like her that way." He gazed out sadly at Nessa being spun by Fiyero, both of them enjoying themselves but secretly wishing it was someone else.

"Neither do I," Elphaba leaned her elbows on her knees, her hat tipping a tiny bit. "It's pretty sad things turn out like this, with someone liking you…"

"Without liking her." Boq finished as both of them breathed a collectively dismal sigh.

"Except in my case it's a 'him'." Elphaba said pointedly.

"Whatever," Boq said.

"Yeah, there were several other girls there without dates, but there wasn't anything remotely serious." At least not if I can help it.

"One more…" Galinda examined Elphaba critically. "Do you have any other colors appropriate to wear to a party?" She looked down at the green girl's dress, trying hard not to make a face.

"What?" Elphaba said, shocked at the sudden turn of conversation.

"I take that as a no," Galinda readjusted herself on Elphaba's bed. "The way I see it, there are two kinds of popular."

"I never knew you could have a philosophy about reputations," Elphaba put in. Ignoring her, Galinda continued.

"There's the nice-to-all, aren't I so-o-o goody-goody that everybody can't help but coo at popularity," Galinda drawled on in her long description, then added shortly: "That's you, and the glamorous, gorgeous, it-girl, social butterfly, everybody wants to be her, superstar popularity, the best and truest kind there is!" She made it sound far superior to Elphaba's 'brand' of fame. "That's me! And you see, Elphie,"Galinda stopped short. "It is all right if I call you Elphie?"

Elphaba stared. "It's a little perky…"

"Good! You need perky. And you can call me: Galinda!" She tossed her hair upon saying her name.

"Everybody calls you Galinda." Elphaba pointed out.

"Now you can to. Though, Elphie, now that we're friends I've decided to make you my new project!" The newly dubbed Elphie raised an eyebrow. Project? Weren't projects for classes?

"You…really…don't…have to…do…that…" She stumbled, still trying to figure out exactly what Galinda meant by 'project'.

"I know!" Galinda squealed in anticipation. "That's what makes me so nice!" An intense feeling that she wouldn't like what was coming next flooded Elphaba.

"Whenever I see someone less fortunate than I," Galinda began gallantly, as if trying to belittle her merits. "And let's face it: who isn't less fortunate than I? My tender heart tends to start to bleed." She got up off the bed again, turning around in short little steps. "And when someone needs a makeover, I simply have to take over,"

Elphaba froze. A makeover!? So that's what it meant to be a project! When did she ever agree to this?!

Oh, yeah. I didn't, Elphaba thought.

"I know, I know, exactly what they need…" Galinda approached Elphaba again with an artist's eye.

"And even in your case," Galinda took off her new friend's glasses, taking in the new appearance. After a long pause, she put the glasses back on the jaded nose. "Though it's the toughest case I've yet to face, don't worry! I'm determined to succeed…" Galinda invited Elphaba to stand with her and see her new vision. Reluctantly, Elphaba joined the eccentric blonde in her delusions.

"Follow my lead, and yes indeed, you will be: Popular!" Sheer joy flowed out of Galinda's eyes; she was in her element now. "You're gonna be popular! I'll teach you the proper ploys when you talk to boys, little ways to flirt and flounce!" She spun Elphaba over to her bed, 'The Land of Pastel Pink' as Elphaba called it. "Ooh! I'll show you what shoes to wear, how to fix that hair!" Galinda undid Elphaba's braid, tugging at the black locks with her fingers in an attempt of brushing them.

"Everything that really counts to be popular!" She backed up again, seeing how Elphaba looked with her hair down and what styles would be best on her. "I'll help you be popular!" Galinda thought of all her popularity facets and how best to apply them to Elphaba. "You'll hang with the right cohorts, you'll be good at sports, know the slang you've got to know!" The task was starting to seem daunting to Elphaba. You had to work impossibly hard to be popular like Galinda! She just smiled cheerily.

"So let's start! 'Cause you've got an awfully long way to go…" Elphaba looked sour at her roommate's and friend for the past five minutes' assumptions about her. Galinda hopped up onto her bed behind Elphaba.

"Don't be offended by my frank analysis," Galinda asked optimistically. Clock-tick late for that…Elphaba thought ruefully. "Think of it as personality dialysis!" She wrapped her arms around Elphaba's shoulders and rocked her back and forth in an overexcited hug. "Now that I've chosen to become a pal, a sister, and advisor, there's nobody wiser!" Galinda let Elphaba go, much to her relief, and hopped down off of the bed. "Not when it comes to: Popular!" She looked back at Elphaba with the look of a fashion sage.

"I know about popular! And with an assist from me to be who you'll be: Instead of dreary who you were, well, are…" Elphaba started. Uncalled for! Galinda saw her roommate's look and sighed internally. Why were people always so resistant to rises in popularity? "There's nothing that can stop you from becoming populer!" Elphaba stared at her for a few seconds, until Galinda realized her mistake. "Lar!"

Galinda began flitting about her room, throwing together various items of makeup and accessories. "La, la, la-a-a la…." She sang to herself as she gathered the little bits and pieces and brought them to her bedside table. "We're gonna make you popular!" Galinda sorted them expertly, never looking down to check, into nail polishes, face makeup, jewelry, and accessories. Elphaba couldn't even name half of the makeup products Galinda expected her to wear. She took a short tube from her makeup pile and poked it out. A pale tan chisel-tip lipstick came up. Oh, so the short tubes are lipstick and the long ones are…eyeliner? Elphaba guessed as Galinda sorted through more lipsticks to find one that wouldn't clash with Elphaba's skin tone.

"When I see depressing creatures, with un-pre-possessing features," Galinda continued, finally finding a pale green lipstick. I knew I still had that around from that "Scare 'Em" party…Galinda thought as she twisted the oddly colored stick up. "I remind them, on their own behalf, to…think…of…" Galinda made that odd face she always did in applying lipstick for Elphaba to copy. She did, and squirmed uncomfortably under the pressure. I can't imagine going through this every day, Elphaba pressed her lips together, not used to the pasty substance on them. Galinda continued fervently.

"…celebrated heads of state or 'specially great communicators. Did they have brains or knowledge?" Galinda smiled broadly at the joke. "Don't make me laugh! They were popular! Please, it's all about popular!" Galinda continued to sort through blushes from foundations, saddened that the green-tinge base from the same party had gone runny a few months ago. It would have been perfect.

"It's not about aptitude; it's the way you're viewed, so it's very shrewd to be very, very popular like me!" Galinda deemed that there was no point in trying for base or blush, but to focus on eyes and eye shadow.

"This is never going to work…" Elphaba smeared her hand across her mouth, still uncomfortable with the feeling of lipstick. Shimmering green streaks lined the back of her hand. Galinda bounced off, trying to find if she had any eye shadow that would stand out on her roommate, but not clash.

"Elphie, you mustn't say that anymore! You're whole life is about to change, and all because of me!" She rummaged through her large makeup bag expertly, but finding nothing, returned to her bed.

"Now. I'm going to teach you how to toss your hair." Galinda braced herself, then shook her head sharply, the blonde curls swishing gracefully. "Flip, flip." She said, then turned to Elphaba expectantly. Elphaba tried to flip her head like that, but really only managed half a flip. "No, no, no, it's a flip, then a flip." Galinda demonstrated again, and Elphaba was just as hopeless. Galinda shrugged good-naturedly.

"It's okay, just practice. Now," Galinda retrieved her training wand from the corner. Elphaba stood, fearing the worst from Galinda. "I will transform your simple frock into a beautiful ball gown." She swished her wand gracefully, then pointed at Elphaba. "Ball gown." She said commandingly. Elphaba looked down. Nothing. Galinda started again. Elphaba closed her eyes and imagined the ball gown. Full length train, still black, with lace and layered skirt and little ebony stones sewn in to each hem. "Ball gown!" Galinda said again. Elphaba started, expecting the weight of skirts decoration. She opened her eyes. Nothing again. Galinda tapped her wand experimentally.

"Is this thing on?" She looked at the base for a button or something that would suddenly make her spells work.

"Do you want me to try?" Elphaba held out her hand, but Galinda pulled her wand away.

"I got it! Just wear the frock, it's pretty!" Galinda declared, trying to hide the shame of unproductive spells. Elphaba sat back down, shaking her head.

"The finishing touch…" Galinda removed the pink hair flower form her locks and carefully pinned back Elphaba's long black hair. She gasped. "Pink goes good with green!" Elphaba looked up at Galinda cynically. It's not just like she was wearing green.

"Why, Miss Elphaba," Galinda retrieved a hand mirror and presented it to her finished project. "Look at you. You're beautiful."

Elphaba took the mirror anxiously, not sure if Galinda was trying to make her feel better of if it was true. Almost accidentally, she saw her reflection. Gazing back at her, the girl in the mirror was beautiful. She smiled experimentally, seeing the effect. Is that me? That's me! The glory turned sour as Elphaba realized what had happened.

That's not me. That's a dressed-up dollElphaba passed the mirror back.

"I have to go," she said, and ran off into the bathroom. Galinda stood there, watching her roommate leave.

"You're welcome." Galinda sighed sadly. There was only one thing to cheer her up right now: herself. Galinda glanced down in the mirror, and was immediately perked up by the perfect face staring back at her. Quiet sobs were heard from the bathroom. It's a drastic leap from where you were, but there's a reason to cry about it?! Galinda thought.

"And though you protest, your disinterest I know clandestinly." Galinda sobered herself for a few seconds to sympathize with her roommate's sudden shock. "You're gonna grin and bear it, your newfound popularity!" She jumped back on her bed and began examining herself in the mirror again. "La, la, la-a-a, la, you'll be popular." Galinda turned to face the closed and supposedly locked bathroom door. "Just not quite as popular as me!"

All of Shiz was abuzz at the new news: Greenie and Blondie were hanging out together. The normal before-class chatter was silenced by the pair entering-together- and sitting- next to each other- on a bench, all the while-civilly- speaking to each other. The hush ended in a few seconds as people from the now allied groups apologized for mean rumors and insults. Peace reigned supreme for about all of two moments until pointless gossip began again.

Fiyero sat down next to Elphaba.

"Hey, Elphaba," he said, and smiled the trademark smile that he used on all of his posters, several of which Galinda owned. Instantly, new fears that had just last night been laid to rest flared up again. What if he doesn't like me? What if Elphie was planning on stealing him? What if he never looks at me again?

"It's rude to not even acknowledge that your girlfriend is in the room." Elphaba stood up, motioned for Galinda to take her seat, and sat down again. Galinda scooted up very close to Fiyero, trying to be as charming as possible. Lesser boys around her fluttered slightly at just the sight of so much general appeal. Fiyero looked past Galinda to Elphaba, confusion written all over his face. She stared back with a look of steel.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" She said with the air of someone lecturing a child who forgot to say 'please' once too many.

"Hey, Galinda," Fiyero said half-heartedly. Galinda linked her arm with his and leaned against his toned shoulder.

Thank you, Elphie. Galinda thought contentedly as she tried to snuggle with Fiyero, him completely unresponsive. Thank you for at least this.

NONE of that was Gelphie! I do not write Gelphie! There was no Gelphie in the musical! That has to go out of your head right now. Galinda's just excited. Get it? 'Got it' good. How'd you like the epilogue-ish ending? What happened immediately after 'Popular'? Actually really sorry I haven't posted, and this time there's nothing to blame but me. I don't actually like 'Popular' as a number that well either. At least it's extra long! Be happy. And review and complain if you thought it was too long of a wait. I won't care.