Galinda smiled hesitantly. "Sooooooo, you're coming . . . right?"

Elphaba didn't respond; she was reading the last page of her book. It needed to be finished, and she was determined not to be interrupted.

"Listen, we've set up this pretty picnic for you in your honor—I've invited Fiyero, Boq . . . myself, and. . . ." For a moment, she honestly considered whether telling her that she'd invited Avaric, but decided against it. (Ah well, she told herself, live and learn—but I may never learn.) "And we'd really like it if the Guest of Honor would grace us with her presence—"

Elphaba snorted. "Guest of Honor."

"Quite so—you just need a break. It was a rather smartical idea on Fiyero's part."

Elphaba laughed. "This was Fiyero's idea?" she asked, holding back giggles.

"Yes," Galinda tried to say indifferently. "Why?"

"Because, I was so convinced that it was your idea. Because it was actually, in my judgment, a very silly idea. Pathetic, rather insulting, as if I were a child who has just gone through the death of her mother. . . ." Elphaba had been trying to make a witty and amusing (well, amusing for Elphaba, not Galinda) analogy, but the hesitation and flinch from her words were real. She hadn't meant to bring up the subject of some poor child's dead . . . mother. . . .

Noticing nothing of Elphaba's mess-up, Galinda huffed at the rudeness against Fiyero's brilliant idea. Her anger was in check. Yep. She was alright.

"Galinda, are you okay? You look as though you're concentrating very hard." Elphaba was suddenly standing in front of Galinda (composed on the subject of dead mothers). On closer inspection of Galinda, Elphaba understood. "You want to punch me in the face, don't you?"

"No," said the blonde, with a forced smile. "No, no, no, of course not. Now come on, Elphie, mustn't waste time, the boys will be waiting. . . ."

"I've told you not to call me That Word," Elphaba said snidely. "I thought we didn't want people to assume I'm part elf?"

"I've told you," said the other girl, still keeping herself into check. "My nickname for you is spelled with a 'ph'!"

"Well, it doesn't matter how you spell it—I'm not coming to your 'picnic'."

"Elphaba," Galinda said, "If you come today then . . . I promise tomorrow we'll spend a hearty portion of the day reading law books—however boring they may be!"

Elphaba hesitated, then a mean smirk spread across her face. "Alright then, let's get ready."

* * * * *

"You didn't tell me he'd be here," Elphaba hissed in Galinda's ear as they trouped up toward a glassy slope. It was almost embarrassing to have been staring bemusedly at Avaric the whole way there from shock, and now Elphaba wanted an answer as to why he'd tagged along.

Galinda shrugged. "If I'd told you he'd be here, then you wouldn't have come, Miss Elphie. So I merely just excluded him from the picture. I wished to know why you've been avoiding him."

Elphaba didn't answer, but Galinda didn't press the situation; she'd find out soon enough. One way or another. She just hoped her roommate wouldn't kill her first.

She set down the cliché checkered blanket onto the grass and then set their equally cliché picnic basket onto it, too. She lowered herself down into a sitting position and waited for the others to join her.

When Elphaba sat down, she was holding her body straight and stiff; her normal reaction to pressure. Galinda sweetly touched the other girl's hand and smiled at her while the boys took their seats.

"So," Galinda said, breaking the silence, "As you all know, we're here to relax and have fun, while escaping the pressures of 'school', and whatnot."

Avaric said, "Why am I here again?"

"Because I asked you nicely," said Galinda.

"You know, this was a great idea," Boq said, rather sleepily, "I'm relaxing already."

The blonde ignored him as he stretched. "Okay, so I've brought us a lovely lunch," Galinda continued, opening the twine-woven basket. "In here are simple sandwiches, a flask of juice, potato salad, grapes, and a beer for Avaric."

Avaric smiled, and took out the bottle. "Persuasions are lovely things."

Galinda ignored him, too, and handed everyone beside Avaric a plastic cup, and poured some of the juice inside each one. Then she passed out plates, sandwiches, potato salad, and grapes. When everyone had their meals, she said pointedly to Elphaba, "Having fun, dearest friend?"

Elphaba scoffed and took a large bite of her sandwich.

"Well, are you?" Galinda asked, louder now.

"Yes," said Elphaba. "Shut up, will you?"

"I'm having a great time," said Fiyero, seated next to Galinda. "I mean . . . it's nice here. . . ."

Boq, currently eyeing Fiyero's arm that seemed quite ready to find its way over Galinda's shoulders, added, "Yes, I find it nice."

Avaric sighed. "I still don't get while I'm here—none of you want me here—"

"Too true!" Elphaba interrupted loudly.

It seemed that the two had been held in some sort of time-bomb-like state. So when Elphaba was rude with Avaric, something seemed to just . . . pop. Or at least that was how Galinda perceived it.

"So maybe I should leave, huh, Elphaba?" he said, glaring at her.

She nodded briskly. "I think you should."

"Maybe I will!" he bellowed.

"Take care not to fall on your ass while you leave," she spat. She glared at him, and he stood up.

"Look, Galinda," he said to the blonde, "I really am sorry that I can't stay, but this green idiot over here obviously doesn't want me to join you."

"Oh, please, don't go," said Galinda, her eyes wide. "Elphie, please behave yourself. This will be good for you."

"Good for me?" Elphaba said bitterly. "I despise him—look, he's inappropriately touched me and I find that offensive."

"I kissed you!" he said noisily. "That's inappropriate?"

"Yes, because I didn't ask you to, now did I?" Elphaba said bitterly. "If I'd wanted your slimly lips to contact mine, I would have asked you."

"That's not how it works," he told her sternly.

"I don't care how it works."

"Well, obviously not," he retorted angrily.

"Look, you guys," Boq interjected, looking faintly frightened, "I think maybe we should eat first, and then discuss the dilemma afterword calmly and civilly."

After a split second, Avaric sat down. Everyone ate in silence then, and Elphaba was left to wonder if Avaric was such a jerk because of what had happened to his sister. Can something like that completely change you? She stared at him until he caught her eye and she was forced to look away.

"I'm just glad there are no more rumors about me," Avaric sighed. When Elphaba stiffened, he said, "Please, Elphaba, I'm not trying to vex you."

"Sounds like you are," she mumbled.

"I just don't like being put out as a . . . womanizer," he confessed.

"You're not one?" Galinda asked innocently, sipping her juice.

Boq laughed, but Avaric shot him a dirty look.

"It's just good not to be the center of attention anymore. I'm not saying that I'm glad that it's mostly you these days, but . . . I'm happy it's not me." He frowned. "I'm sorry if it sounds self-centered."

Fiyero looked thoughtful. "It . . . does sound self-centered," he said, trying to sound kind. "Listen, I understand where you're coming from, but it's a bit obvious that you are trying to 'vex' Elphaba."

There was a pointed sort of snort from Elphaba, but Galinda sighed.

"Listen, Avaric, I think you should just shut your mouth," she said, obviously frustrated. "Surely you know Elphie's had a lot to deal with, and you know you're making it worse. So stop playing games with her and ask her out."

Avaric raised an eyebrow. "Go out with Greenie?"

"A man always wants what he can't have," Galinda said knowingly. "Just say yes, and make me happy."

"Okay then, yes," Avaric said, grinning wickedly. Elphaba's mouth was open.

"Well that's done," Galinda perkily, smiling broadly again. "Biscuit anyone?"


I'm sorry if it's yucky. Please review, regardless.

-Faba