Another chapter! Yay! Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all of y'all out there. My Christmas was loverly (thank you for asking) and Hanukkah has been grand so far. So here's my present to you guys! A new chapter. I'm also working on a one-shot for you guys that i'll post up next. Happy Holidays! Don't drink and drive!


Chapter 3

Sixteen

"Why do they have to force us
Through this metamorphose
Little butterfly
No matter how you try
You'll be segregated
You're gonna be closed off
You're callow and you're green
cause you're caught between
"

Sixteen by No Doubt

I walked into school the next day with a scowl on my face. I hated mornings, this morning in particular. Nessa was being a brat, Shell whined about his cereal, Frex was trying to calm down "poor" Nessa and Nanny chattered on about how my grandparents were coming into town. I ran out the door as fast as I could. Nessa was catching a ride with Chelsea.

School wasn't any better. I stepped into the building to see Galinda, Milla, Pfannee and Shenshen all walking together, arms linked. They looked completely ridiculous sipping their coffees and glaring at all the students, like they owned the school. I snorted under my breath.

"Bitch," Pfannee hissed at me as she passed.

"Right back atcha." I smirked and headed to my locker. I took out the books and things I'd need for today and set them carefully into my book bag. I headed off to class early in hopes to grab a good seat.

"Elphaba! Elphaba, wait up!!" I turned in mortification to see Fiyero darting through the students and running toward me. Oh good God, like I needed more attention. Still, I could feel my heart rate speed up and my cheeks blush, and I knew it wasn't from the looks people were giving me.

"Fae." Fiyero panted, leaning against my locker, trying to catch his breath.

"Yes?" I asked, amused. Why was he running so much to get here? He smiled at me, his eyes squinting up a bit.

"Good morning." He grabbed my books from my hands and sauntered off down the hall.

"Hey! Where are you going?! Give me my books!" I cried, dashing after him. It was his turn to look amused.

"What, no good morning?" He asked.

"'Morning." I muttered, "Now give me my books."

"No." He said simply before continuing on toward Life Sciences.

"What do you mean 'No'?" It sucked that he was taller than me. And it wasn't by an inch or two. It was by a whole half a foot. He was 6' 5", can you believe it?

"I mean no. I want to carry your books. Deal with it." He chuckled and I shook my head.

"Fine. Whatever makes you happy." We walked into class together, me glaring at him the whole time.

He insisted on carrying my books whenever he walked me to class. I was quite annoyed by this, though he didn't care. Boq laughed at me and told me to suck it up. I stuck my tongue out at the munchkin.

"Fae, this is Estolia. Tolia, this is Fae." Next to Fiyero, standing in front of me, had to be (by today's standards) the most good-looking girl in the world. I wasn't into her or anything (I like guys, thank you very much), but anybody would clearly see that she was a freaking goddess. People all over the cafeteria were giving our table odd looks.

Anyway, the girl had wavy, down-to-her-ass, caramel colored hair that looked like she had spent hours brushing it. Her skin was a few shades lighter than Fiyero's and she had wide brown eyes. Not to mention tribal markings much like Yero's. They were blue circles, though, and the patterns were different and more faint. Fiyero's look better anyway.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you." She smiled pleasantly at me, yet she had a cruel look in her eyes.

"Uh… Hi.." I blinked before regaining my senses. I picked up my fork and went back to the salad I had been enjoying before Fiyero and Estolia showed up. Boq came over with Crope and Tibbett and the lunch period began.

"Oh, Fiyo, you're too funny!" Estolia cried, giggling loudly and swatting his arm. I rolled my eyes. She was flirting obviously, and in my opinion, acting like a slut. I could see Galinda and the girls two tables down glaring at her in obvious jealousy.

"So, Estolia-" Boq began, but she cut him off.

"Please, call me Esa. Everybody but Fiyo does." She shot a grin at Fiyero before turning back to Boq. Fiyo, I was beginning to hate that nickname already. It sounded like a dog's name.

"Right, Esa, so where do you come from?" He asked.

"The Vinkus. My mother is considered high class in the Lesser Kells. The people there practically worship her." It sounded like Esa was bragging. She had the annoying smile on her face that all pretty girls got when they knew they were better than someone. I hated her.

"This has been fun." I said sarcastically, "But I need to go finish up some homework. I'll see you later." I nodded ad Boq and Fiyero, making no inclination of speaking to 'Esa', and picked up my bag. I threw out my lunch, catching part of my table's new conversation.

"Fiiiyooooo, I don't think she likes me." Estolia whined. Oh, how I hated that voice. It was nearly worse than Galinda's.

"It takes her a while to warm up to people." I heard Yero say.

"Is that her natural skin color? Or is she just a rebel or something?" That girl asked too many questions. I didn't catch Fiyero's reply as I headed to the library.


I have to say, Chior was much better than lunch. For one, Galinda actually acted like a human being.

"Who was that girl with you at lunch?" Galinda asked me, her nose scrunching up, as we sat on the risers. We were supposed to be practicing our song.

"I dunno, her name's Estolia. She's from the Lesser Kells." I shrugged, showing my obvious dislike of the girl.

"Oh, so she's a Winkie?" Galinda's voice was full of distaste and ignorance.

"Yes, I suppose, if you like to use derogatory terms." I said, rolling my eyes.

"What is she like?" She ignored my comment and pressed me for more information.

"Well she's a lot like you and your friends. Talks too much about herself, flirts obnoxiously, laughs too loud, and brags too often. I can go on, if you'd like." Galinda looked at me as if she was a deer in headlights.

"No, no, that's fine." She muttered.

"Did you do the reading assignment Dr. Dillamond assigned?" I finally asked. We had fallen into an awkward silence, Galinda staring off into space. Maybe I had her thinking now, though I doubted it greatly.

"No,"- her nose wrinkled up again –"I don't read well, so I don't think very well either. I dress to kill though." She paused, looking at me expectantly. Did she want me to laugh, because that was not funny. We fell into another awkward silence.

"Why don't you wear makeup?" Galinda asked after a few clock ticks.

"What?" I laughed. Oh the irony. The ugly green freak trying to be pretty. It was more work than it was worth.

"I think you'd look... sharp with make up. Oh you totally should let me give you a makeover! Oh, please! Please, please, please, please, please!!" She was clapping her hands and bouncing up and down.

"No." I growled at her, glaring. There was no way in hell.

"Oh but Elphie it would be fantabulocious!" She cried, grabbing my wrists.

"I said no. And don't call me Elphie."

"Oh, but Elphie, pleeeeaaaasseeeee!!!" She brushed off my last comment and called me that infernal nick name anyway.

"Galinda…" I sighed, closing my eyes. Oh goodness, I just gave in, didn't I? "Fine."

"YAY!" She squealed, clinging to me in what was supposed to be a hug. I sat there stiffly, not sure what to do.

"Ok, you have to come over to my house after school. The address is-" I cut her off.

"Are you sure this isn't some stupid joke your friends want you to play on me? Are you serious about this? Because if it is a joke, I swear to the Unnamed God that I will make your life hell." I glared at her and cross my arms over my chest.

"Oh, calm down. This isn't a joke. If they even knew you were coming they would cut off my head. I wouldn't dare risk that." She let out a snort. "So, my address, as I was saying, is 2921 Ozma Avenue. It's right off of Ruby Street. You can't miss it, it's the big white house with the sparkling green gates." She scribbled the address onto a piece of paper and thrust it at me just as the bell rang. "I expect you to be there in twenty minutes." She flounced out of the room.

I stuck the paper in my pocket. Of course I knew where it was, who didn't. Everybody know that house was owned by the Uplands. They were practically made of money gathered centuries ago from the emerald mines.

"Oh, Fabala, there you are." Nessa greeted me outside the Chior room.

"Yes, Nessa?" I hoisted my back onto my shoulder.

"Papa told me to tell you that our grandparents are here. He just called. He wants us home as soon as possible."

I sighed, "Nessie, I have a prior engagement. I'll be at the house as soon as I can. Do you think you can get a ride home?" I felt bad about leaving her like this, but I did promise Galinda.

"Yes, it's fine." She looked away and called out Chelsea's name. The timid girl appeared and helped Nessa into the crowd. I caught the disappointment on Nessa's face, but I brushed it off.

I turned and headed to my car. Off to the Uplands.


It was true, their house was huge. I expected they must have 50 rooms. Galinda was waiting for me out front and we headed inside.

It was two hours of pure torture. Every make up product in history was put on my face. Clear, sparkling foundation; red lipstick; black mascara… I shudder to think of it all. She dressed me up in a frilly purple outfit. I had to clench my jaw to bite back a whole slew of remarks.

"Oh, Elphie, you horrible thing! You look prettified!" I blushed a darker shade of green at her tone.

"Well, I don't know…" I examined myself a bit in the mirror.

"What will Fiyero think?" She gasped and giggled. I blushed again and shook my head.

"He probably wouldn't know who I was." I grabbed my cloak off the floor.

"Thank you Galinda. I really should be heading back."

"But we just started! Oh, Elphie, think of the possibilities!" She started to clamor on and on about fashion and things.

"Galinda, my grandparents are in town, I really should be going." I said with a bit more force.

"Oh, well alright then. I'll see you tomorrow."

I changed back into my dark skinny jeans and black tank top before heading out to my car.


"Fabala, darling, is that you? Come to Grammy!" My grandmother was by the door the minute I walked into the house. Thank goodness she went color blind before I was born. I think she was the only one who didn't know about the skin tone. No one had the heart to tell her and she never asked. All she could see now was black and white.

I hugged my grandmother and kissed her cheeks.

"Dearest, you've grown!" She squawked and patted my head.

"Yes, Grandmother." I murmured. My grandmother seemed sweet but she could be a catty bitch at times. I had seen her and Nanny go at it. It was not pretty.

"Elphaba!" My grandfather burst into the room, grinning at me. I couldn't help but grin back. Grandfather was probably the only other person, besides Yero, who overlooked my greenness. I was the Thropp Third Descending, next in line to inherit Colwen Grounds. It was a small town and Grandfather ruled over it supremely. He was the Eminent Thropp.

"Hello Grandfather." I hugged him too and walked into the kitchen.

We had take out Gillikinese for dinner. It was in those little white to-go boxes and I ate out of a box of vegetable noodles with a pair of chop sticks. I sat upstairs and watched reruns of Friends while I ate. It was very relaxing, till the phone rang in my ear.

"Hello?" I wasn't used to people calling me.

"Fae? It's Yero." I smiled at Fiyero's voice.

"Hey." I ate a mouthful of noodles.

"Hi. So… what's up?"

"Nothing, I'm watching Friends and eating Gillikinese take out."

"Awww, man!" I heard Boq in the background, "I love Gillikinese!" I laughed at him.

"It's delicious, Boq." I said into the phone.

"I hate you, Elphaba!" He cried. Fiyero chuckled into the receiver.

"So what did you call about?" I asked Fiyero.

"Oh, uh… well.." He sounded flustered and I chuckled to myself. He sounded cute.

I shook my head. No, I did not just call a boy cute. What has gotten into me?

"I was going to ask about the Life Sciences homework, but Boq said we have none."

"Isn't he with you?" I asked.

"Well… yes."

"Then couldn't he have told you before you called?"

The other line was silent for a moment.

"Goodnight Fae." Fiyero finally said.

"'Night Yero. Sweet dreams." I said, hanging up. I found myself smiling and blushing. I sighed loudly and threw out the empty take out box, turning out the light. I changed into my pajamas and went to sleep.


There you have it. And yes, Estolia's a bitch. But I have plans for her, wait and see :D

I made up a haiku:

Please, I like reviews

so maybe click the button

it makes me happy

haha, that sucked, but oh well. And again, happy holidays! (I'll spare your ears and not sing).