Elphaba spent the rest of the day making herself look as best she could. She even stole some of Galinda's make-up to put on her face. She brushed some of the light pink blush on the way she had seen Galinda do it so many times, then put a little red lipstick on her lips. Well, it didn't make her look any worse. It couldn't! Elphaba gave a barking laugh of amusement at herself. Nothing could possibly make her look any worse. If anything, the lipstick and blush made her face a little more- normal. She doned the black dress, braided her hair, put on her hat, and began walking to the Ozdust.

She got more stares than usual. She could feel the eyes of everyone she passed on her. She wondered if it was because of the fact that she was dressed up, or because she looked like a freak. She didn't consider herself looking any more like a freak than she usually did. She thought she could actually look nice tonight if she tried. In a flash of inspiration, she squared her shoulders a little, held her chin up and attempted to strut like Galinda. Somebody burst into laughter, making her grit her teeth and run the rest of the way to the Ozdust. She stopped out front, holding onto a fancy handrail and trying to catch her breath. There was a slight dew of sweat on her forehead and her nose and eyes were burning from shame with herself. She had attempted to be something she wasn't. She had never done that before. She closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet smell of the night air. A scene flashed through her head. She was stepping gracefully into the Ozdust, everyone stopping their dance to stare at her, but it was a good stare. The kind of awed stare Elphaba knew she would recieve by everyone after she was with the wizard. That man with the blue diamonds would come up to her and take her hand, pressing a kiss on it and-

Elphaba forced herself to snap her eyes open. How stupid! She would just go in and ignore everyone. If the handsome man was there . . . "He would ignore me," Elphaba said out loud to over rule her thoughts. "I'm not even worth noticing. I'm only here because Galinda gave me this hat to wear." With those words fresh out of her colored mouth she held her chin up and stalked into the dance room.

The first few seconds she was in were fine. Nobody noticed her. Then everyone turned, stopped and stared. Not the good stare Elphaba imagined, but an incredulious stare that made Elphaba's face flush white with annoyance. She squared her shoulders and stomped to the middle of the dance room when she noticed they weren't staring at her green arms, legs or face. They were staring at her hat. She tore it off her head, and everyone's gaze shifted down to where she had it in her hands. So, they didn't like it. Fine! She thrust it back onto her head defiantly, ignoring the giggles, then started trying to dance. She stared at her feet as she moved her arms and tried a twirl, keeping her head down to hide her paled face. Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Galinda was standing there, her face a glowing red color. "Mind if I butt in?" she asked, her already red face going scarlet.

Elphaba backed up, giving her the floor. She watched in amazement as Galinda danced a little, then joined her, a pleasant feeling forming in her stomach. Now she knew Galinda wasn't bad. She had given her this wonderful hat that she loved, even if everyone else hated it, and she was covering up her embarrasment by dancing with her. Everyone began dancing slowly, then burst into song and whirled happily again, ignoring Elphaba and Galinda completely.

Galinda actually looked pleased with herself as she and Elphaba stood in the middle of everyone. Elphaba felt wonderful! She wanted to leap into the middle of everyone and dance along, but wasn't sure if she could, so didn't. Instead she and Galinda headed back to their dorm room.

Galinda and Elphaba sat on the latter's bed chatting amiably. "Let's play a game!" Galinda squealed. "Let's tell each other the things that we haven't told anyone else, ever! I'll start." She folded her hands in her lap and tried to look calm, but then burst out, "Fiyero and I are getting married! Heeheeheeheeheeheehee!" She fell into Elphaba's lap, giggling madly.

Elphaba was impressed and depressed. "Oh, um, wow. He already asked you?"

"Heehee, no. He doesn't know yet."

Oh boy. Elphaba rolled her eyes, then jumped when Galinda said, "now it's your turn! Tell me something like . . ." She looked around the room for inspiration, then her eyes lit on Elphaba's pillow. "Like why you keep this funny green bottle under your pillow!" She seized the mentioned object and danced out of a stunned Elphaba's reach squealing, "Huh? Why? Huh, huh, why, why?! Heeheehee, c'mon tell me!"

Elphaba snatched it back with a sudden and fluid movement, roaring, "IT WAS MY MOTHERS!" She fell back onto the bed, holding the bottle close. "That's all."

Galinda stared at her for a moment, then put on a tremendous pout shouting, "oh, and I gave you a really good one too!" She turned and buried her blonde head in a pillow.

Elphaba looked at her for a moment, then glanced back at her bed covers. "My father hates me." She gave Galinda an annoyed glare when she gave a huge gasp. "That wasn't the secret."

"Oh." Galinda turned pink and sat back.

Elphaba explained her story, fighting back tears furiously. She didn't know why, but she could tell that she could trust Galinda. "That's why," she finished, stashing the bottle back under her pillow.

"But it's not your fault. It was the flowers." Galinda said, actually making sense even if she was pointing out the obvious. "You know Elphie-" she broke off and gasped. "Oh! Can I call you Elphie? You can call me," she giggled, "Galinda."

"Of course," Elphaba muttered.

Galinda didn't hear, but instead seized her hands. "Elphie, now that we're friends, I've decided to make you my new project!"

Elphaba was mortified. "You REALLY don't have to do that."

Galinda just giggled. "I know. That's what makes me so nice!"