Elphaba's reaction to Glinda's announcement was twofold. While half her heart exploded with giddy happiness the other crumbled with selfish pain. Before her friend could see the hurt lancing through her eyes the green girl lowered them. "That's great!" the witch exclaimed with a forced smile and as much enthusiasm as she could muster. Abruptly Elphaba pulled the blonde into a hug. "I'm so happy for you." Even as she spoke those truthful words the green girl bit her lip against threatening tears.
Glinda, though blonde, was not an idiot. She could hear the edge of heartache in her friend's voice. However, before she could question Elphaba, the rest of the gang arrived in her chambers. Unable to keep everyone waiting the good witch breezed inside to deliver the news. Elphaba remained on the balcony, hands wrapped around her torso as if to squeeze out the pain. Moments later, as cheers erupted at Glinda's announcement, Fiyero wrapped his arms around the green girl from behind. "I'm sorry," he whispered, holding her tightly.
"It's not your fault," Elphaba choked out, still wrestling against the moisture building in her eyes. "It's mine."
"No it's not," the Winkie persisted. "It's no one's fault."
"Elphie?" Glinda had stepped out on to the balcony, leaving Boq inside to deal with the well wishing crowd.
"I'll go join the others," Fiyero suggested, subtly giving the two women privacy. For a moment awkwardness charged the silence between them.
"Why didn't you tell me?" the blonde whispered, moving forward to wrap her friend in a tight hug.
"I didn't tell anyone but Fiyero," the green girl responded.
"You said last year that you didn't want kids," Glinda pointed out.
"Things change," Elphaba shrugged. "I know it shouldn't bother me. It's not that I think my own baby would be better than Selky; I really do love her like she's mine. But still…it hurts." With a shuddering breath she pulled herself together. "I really am so happy for you," the green girl insisted with a genuine smile. Glinda gave her another squeeze.
***
Selky was on her way to congratulate the good witch when she overheard the conversation being held out on the balcony. An odd expression passed over her face at the disjointed words that reached her.
***
Curyn plopped down across from Selky at a library table. Her eyes were lowered with embarrassment at being tutored by her worst enemy. "Thanks for doing this," the strawberry blonde muttered grudgingly, plopping her books down with a thump. Despite her bad attitude those four surly words did little to disguise Curyn's fierce gratitude. Without this help she would be swiftly returned to the muddy hellhole that had once been her life.
"It's no problem," Selky assured her, cordial enough to leave Curyn with some measure of dignity. "Now what aspect of the class are you having the most trouble with?"
"The tests," Curyn replied. "I try to study for everything in the chapter but it feels like my brain only has enough space for half. When I get one fact to stay inside another one falls out."
"I used to have that problem," the raven haired girl admitted. "The trick is to learn how all the information fits together. Don't study it like individual facts, study it like a big puzzle in which each fact is a piece. Also there are certain things that Dr. Dillamond is more likely to put on the tests. He seems to favor information that has to do with Animal rights or the Wizard's reign."
"That Goat is obsessed with his politics," Curyn chuckled.
"He has a right to after all he's endured," Selky insisted, eyes narrowing.
"Come now," the strawberry blonde scoffed. "Don't be all high and mighty. I'm sure you find his little rants on the injustices of the Wizard's reign as preachy and annoying as the rest of us."
"I actually find them quite interesting," the more temperamental of the two girls hissed. "Pondering the mistakes of the past makes for a better future."
"Why can't you just accept what the world tells you?" Curyn wondered in angry exasperation. "Why can't you just accept what other people your age tell you? Why can't you stop trying to figure everything out? It's no wonder you have no friends." At this comment Selky slammed her textbook closed with a resounding thud and glared at the girl she was supposed to be teaching.
"If you're going to antagonize me while I attempt to save your sorry butt I'll just let you fail Dillamond's class and get shipped back to whatever swampland you spawned from," she snarled dangerously. Curyn's eyes widened in fear and warily checked to see if anyone hadoverheard. A wicked grin curled at the corner of Selky's mouth. "Oh I see," she snickered. "You haven't told all your mindless cohorts about your humble origins." The raven haired girl got to her feet and began to pack her things. "I'll be sure to let them know." As she turned to leave Curyn caught her arm.
"Please," she begged. "Please don't. I'm sorry."
"You should've been sorry earlier," Selky snapped, wrenching her arm away.
***
When Curyn heard her roommate enter the dorm that night she was terrified of the news that would accompany her. Surely Shiz's student body was now humming with the juiciest new bit of gossip. The distraught blonde was terrified to leave her room. "Did you…?" Her whimpered query trailed off.
"No," Selky replied stonily, closing the subject. "I'll meet you at the library tomorrow at lunch for another study session. Don't be late." Those harsh words could've been summed up to mean 'I forgive you'.
***
Another weekend at the Emerald Palace was coming to a close. Selky lay on her bed, fully clothed and engrossed in thought. Her small body was being torn apart with a million different conflicts; two to be precise. She had dealt uneasily with the first back at school, but the second still boiled uncomfortably close to her heart. At that moment Elphaba slipped into the room. "What?" the teenager snapped, harsher than she'd meant to.
"I just wanted to say goodnight," the green woman defended. Her tone turned teasing. "As your mother that's my right." If Elphaba had said anything but that Selky might have let the issue pass. However the witch's words lit an exposed fuse; nothing could prevent the coming explosion.
"You're not my mother," Selky growled, sitting up. Her eyes were burning. "I know you're trying, but we both know you'd rather have your own baby than me. I'm a substitute."
"That's not true!" Elphaba insisted, her eyes recoiling in shocked pain. "Selky I think of you as my own daughter."
"Well I don't…can't think of you as my mother!" the teenager continued. "So just stop trying. It's not like my real parents died at birth. They were murdered when I was fifteen; that was only three years ago. I love you and I love Fiyero but you've got to accept that I can't ever see you as anything more than mentors. Fiyero understands that, he's not trying to be my father. For Oz's sakes you're only six or seven years older than I am!" Tears pricked at Elphaba's eyes even as anger sharpened her face. Still Selky could see the vicious pain she'd just inflicted.
The raven haired student was suddenly disgusted with herself, her life, and the world in general. What right did she have to rant all her building frustration on this woman who was trying so hard to give her what she'd lost? Selky rolled off the bed and grabbed her broom from its spot against the wall. Running onto the balcony she kicked off and disappeared into the night sky.
Sorry if the story is mostly focusing on Selky right now…that will change soon