Why couldn't she control herself? Why? Why did life's sick reality have to rear its ugly head at the most inopportune at times? Why was love so complex, and hate so simple? Why was life her enemy? Why did her father hate her? What was happening . . .? Why couldn't she control herself?
There was a loud, resounding SMACK! And suddenly a large potted plant was lying smashed upon the marble floor. Something like a large wind gusted through and everything went depressingly dark. There were a few screams of terror, but the cries were stolen by the rush of wind and the crack of thunder.
Elphaba heard music playing in her ears and had a wild, sudden urge to continue mayhem because it simple felt so good. But that was wrong, wasn't it?
She felt her hair whipping about her face like a cape and felt the wind burn her cheeks. She felt like she stood helplessly in a tornado and loved it. But everyone was so frightened. . . .
But didn't they deserve a good fright . . . ?
But she didn't want to be a monster. She didn't want to be feared.
Slowly, she let go of the magic, let the burn fade from her fingertips. She still saw red behind her eyes, but controlled the desirable anger that made her blood boil in her body, and the magic boil in her heart. Something sort of shut off, then, very suddenly, and the tornado that had seemed to root itself inside the hall had vanished, and Elphaba was left standing in the middle of where it had been.
The best way to describe what happened next was that the world exploded, even though of course it really hadn't.
"Freak!" someone shrieked at her. Across the room, the one who had said it was a tall brunette girl that had a wild look of terror in her face that made Elphaba wrinkle her brow. She locked eyes with Elphaba momentarily, and then the girl left quickly, and many others followed suit.
Someone was crying, and, for that reason Elphaba truly felt sorry, even though the whole thing had been entirely accidental. When Elphaba looked closer at who it was, all sympathy faded; this was the one to which the anger had been aimed at. She had bravely confronted Elphaba about her "crime", and then the rest was history. Elphaba felt no lingering compassion.
Everyone else there, it seemed, was fixed frozen to the spot.
And Elphaba found that she couldn't move, either. A certain forbidding crept into her veins, and she knew her reaction wouldn't be taken lightly. Was she doomed to rot in prison? Should she just . . . let go? Forget it? Stop fighting?
"Elphaba," Avaric whispered in her ear. "Elphaba, you might want to think about getting out of here now."
Elphaba, suddenly finding her feet, heard this and immediately took off down the hallway. She sensed Avaric beside her but didn't stop and turn around until they were far from the incident.
"Avaric, I didn't—it was an accident and I—"
"I know," he said curtly, but Elphaba could see the amazement burning in his eyes. It made her feel uncomfortable.
"But—but aren't you afraid? I mean—"
"Elphaba," he said, "You don't have to explain yourself. I understand—"
Elphaba scoffed. "Avaric, you're obviously thick in the head. Honestly—"
"Shh," he said, almost fiercely, and hesitated momentarily. Then, with quick precision, her looped his arm around her waist, pulled her closer, and laid his lips on hers so unexpectedly that Elphaba collapsed against the wall. For a moment, she reveled in the power of kissing and how wonderful it was until—until realizing exactly who was pressed up against her. She pushed Avaric away and stared sternly at him. How many times had she wondered what kissing would be like? How many times had she felt the unmistakable desire and want coming from nowhere but her hormones, no matter how much she tried to pretend that they didn't exist? But had she ever wanted the desire filled by someone like Avaric?
Elphaba sunk her teeth into her lower lip and stared at him a moment, lost in amazement. Had she ever even suspected that he wanted to kiss her?
Elphaba couldn't understand his intentions so, out of force of habit, she became defensive.
"What was that?" she whispered hoarsely, fighting to sound dangerous.
"I told you—I don't like blondes anymore." And he smiled. "I seem to have acquired a taste for brunette."
After a second of shock, Elphaba recovered. "You don't want to kiss me."
"I beg to differ," he said, leaning down toward her neck. She felt his lips touch her tender spot below her ear, and she squeaked rather shrilly, jumping back.
"Master Avaric, I am afraid that I must go now." She walked away stiffly, her back prickling with unease. She was sure his eyes followed her, and felt them burning her neck.
* * * * *
When Elphaba entered her dorm room, Galinda was waiting, just as she had expected.
"Now, I do realize that rumors around here aren't quite as . . . true as they could be, but did you?" the blonde said, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
For a fleeting moment, Elphaba wondered if she was asking about Avaric and said pointedly, her voice hardened to an edge, "Did I do what?"
"Did you cause that horrible ruckus in the Main Hall today?" she asked quietly, as though afraid to say it out loud. "Did you perform . . . magic . . . like everyone says?"
Elphaba considered lying; and then maybe Galinda would dismiss it as another silly rumor? "Yes," Elphaba confessed, sounding strangled.
Galinda gasped, and fell backwards off her bed. She popped up again, not a second later, and, when Elphaba sat herself on her own bed, Galinda practically sat right on top of her. "You didn't," she accused excitedly.
"I did," Elphaba retorted.
"But then you're a natural witch!" she yelled. "Just like our dear Madame Morrible; this is amazing!"
Elphaba grimaced. "I won't associate myself with magic; not now. I have too much to worry about—"
Galinda shook her head sadly, and then got up. "Live a little will you?" She shook her head again and reached for her cardigan jacket. "Okay, well, if you're going to keep being difficult like I know you will, I'll just leave early. I have a date tonight."
This interested Elphaba, if not for a minute. She was also relieved at the change in subject. "With whom, Galinda?"
"Fiyero," she smiled.
"Galinda, Fiyero's married."
"Yes, I'm quite aware of that," she tittered needlessly, now looking slightly embarrassed, "It's just that in the Vinkus, my dear, having mistresses is not uncommon, and anyway, they aren't even living together yet. They barely know each other. Do you really think she'd mind?"
Elphaba suppressed a snappy comment and flipped open a book, this one for pleasure reading. She failed to mention that if it were she . . . well, yes, she very much would mind.
Galinda smiled gleefully, and suddenly Elphaba was relieved she hadn't been mean to the blonde. Galinda did act rather stupid, yes, but she was also very unbearably sweet, and the green girl didn't want to upset her.
"Okay, so I'm off!" Galinda said, and then danced out of the door. This plunged the room into sudden silence.
For a while, she was lost in her reading. This tale regarded a Mistress who killed her lover for revenge upon him. She wanted a true love, with him only loving one woman. And when he went back to his wife after promising her they'd be forever, her knife was at his throat. . . .
It definitely followed the rule of the life: kill, or be killed. And Elphaba couldn't help relating it to Galinda, what with the blonde talking of being a possible Mistress herself. She found she couldn't read it anymore after that, and set the book down tentatively and picked up another.
A soft slip of something brushing up against the other alerted Elphaba who-knows-how-long later and she surfaced from the dream-like high she'd sustained during her reading. Elphaba looked down at what lay near the crack beneath the door. It was a small, white envelope.
Elphaba's heart swelled momentarily; maybe it was a message from her father? Maybe Nessarose had awaken?
She walked cautiously toward it and picked it up.
It read clumsily:
Elphaba,
I'm sorry. I know that you're not the type to . . . move that fast, and I should not have done it. But, yes, I do want to kiss you. Have for a while.
—Avaric
There was a short-lived moment of silence when Elphaba wasn't sure of what she wanted; should she laugh or cry?
Moping seemed more appropriate, and she sat upon her bed. She tried to think of nothing. Not too long later, though, another letter arrived, but it was from a very different person.
Irritated, the green girl ripped it open.
Dear Miss Elphaba,
Although you were very foolish within my Main Hall today, you've showcased a very extraordinary talent and I, Madame Morrible, do very much hope that you will attend my Sorcery Seminar next term, should you win your trial, in which case I have no doubt that you will. I truly look forward to seeing you there, and I would appreciate it if you were to come to my office tomorrow at three O'clock sharp in the afternoon.
Yours Truly,
Madame Morrible
HEAD MISTRESS AT SHIZ UNIVERSITY
Elphaba still wanted to think of nothing, and locked herself within the dorm room. She reveled at the fact (long after curfew had passed) that Galinda neither tried to get Elphaba to unlock the door, nor came back to the girls' dorms at all. But she only did so momentarily, for minutes later, she'd fallen asleep upon the floor, a book propped on her knee.
Oh my goodness, I didn't even notice the Sweeney reference until everyone pointed it out to my oh-so-sharp eye. I believe I was thinking of the lady who stuck a finger in her own soup and tried to sue when I wrote that. xD I needed something worse than a cockroach, and that's the only thing I could come up with. Oh, and by the way, I'd appreciate it if someone would take a look at my poll, which is totally and completely not just for the sake of putting a poll up. I am honestly curious, and it's just so much more . . . fun asking a question on a poll than just asking here.
Thanks for reviewing! Keep doing so ever-so-kindly!
Toodles!
-Faba
