Although Elphaba's plan was brilliant, it would take time to set it in motion. The Cullens continued to play host to the Ozians, although only Alice and Emmett spoke to them regularly. Weeks passed and Bella and Edward continued to ignore each other. Rather than gazing at Edward during Biology Bella spent her time talking to her green partner, trying to unravel her secret. In fact Bella and Elphaba had developed an odd sort of friendship throughout the whole ordeal.

"So," the green girl began as she settled into her seat. "Did you hear about the girl's choice dance?"

"Yes," Bella sighed.

"Are you going to ask anyone?" Elphaba pried.

"No!" Bella snapped abruptly. "I don't dance. Ever." The green girl suddenly remembered a particular night at the OzDust ballroom and a fond smile crossed her face.

"Neither do I," Elphaba admitted. "At least not with any degree of talent." Bella smiled understandingly. "If you could dance, who would you ask?" the green girl continued, refusing to let the subject drop. She wasn't usually interested in boy gossip but this was a perfect matchmaking opportunity.

"I don't know," Bella shrugged. "None of the boys here really appeal to me."

"What about Edward?" Elphaba wondered, going in for the kill. Bella flushed.

"Why do you ask?"

"I see you staring at him," the green girl informed her. "I bet you dream about him."

"How do you know that?" Bella hissed.

"Witchcraft," Elphaba teased. "Seriously though, I think he likes you too."

"Why would you think that?" Bella wondered.

"I just know these things" Elphaba shrugged. The bell rang, signaling the end of class. "And you'd better come up with some sort of excuse as to why you're ditching the dance."

"Why?" Bella questioned, her face puzzled. Elphaba nodded to Mike, who was making a beeline towards their table.

"See you," the green girl called over her shoulder as she escaped from the classroom, leaving Bella with a panicked look on her face.

***

In the parking lot after school Elphaba was unsurprised to see Galinda followed by a swarm of boys. Even on Earth Galinda was Ms. Popular, at least with the male population. Eric and Tyler were part of the blonde's crowd, so maybe Bella would only have to deal with one invitation to the dance. As usual Emmett, Alice and Edward were waiting in the Volvo for the Ozians. Fiyero and Elphaba slid into their seats while they waited for Galinda to escape from her admirers. "Are you upset about all those losers slavering over your girlfriend?" the green girl asked.

"Not really," Fiyero shrugged. "And Galinda's not my girlfriend."

"But at the OzDust…"

"She was my date," Fiyero explained. "Not my girlfriend."

"I don't think Galinda sees it that way," Elphaba snorted. At that moment the blonde in question bounced into the Volvo, squeezing between Fiyero and Elphaba.

"Guess what?" Galinda gushed, hopping up and down with excitement.

"What?" Fiyero and Elphaba asked with false enthusiasm.

"Tyler and Eric both asked me out!" Galinda squealed.

"What did you say?" Elphaba wondered, although she didn't really care.

"No of course," Galinda chirped. "I wouldn't cheat on Fiyero!" The Winkie prince grimaced as Elphaba shot him an 'I told you so' look.

"So, how's the matchmaking plan going?" Fiyero questioned abruptly, anxious to change the subject.

"Quite well actually," Elphaba reported. "But I'll be needing your help."

"My help?" Fiyero asked. "I thought matchmaking was a girl thing."

"Most of the time it is," Elphaba assured him. "But I need you to talk to Edward."

"No way!" Fiyero insisted. "I'm not talking to that creepy vampire."

"Yes you are," Elphaba asserted, eyes smoldering. No matter how hard he tried there was no way Fiyero could resist those eyes. He nodded, giving in.

***

"Hey Edward," Fiyero began awkwardly, walking into the vampire's room.

"Do you need something?" Edward asked, sounding confused.

"You can't read our minds can you?" Fiyero wondered. He could clearly remember Elphaba's words. "I don't think Edward can read our thoughts since we're from another world. Even if he can Fiyero has nothing to worry about, there's nothing in his head to read."

"No," Edward answered stonily. "I can't."

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about Bella," Fiyero began.

"What about her?" hissed the bronze haired vampire, eyes hardening.

"I heard she was driving to Seattle on the day of the dance," Fiyero explained. "I was thinking that maybe you should give her a ride or something. That truck of hers doesn't look like it could make it."

"I'm actually trying to stay away from Bella," Edward growled darkly.

"Well I just wanted to put it out there," Fiyero shrugged. "And I think Bella likes you." Before the stunned vampire could respond his visitor had escaped into the hallway.

***

The next morning Elphaba watched with satisfaction as Edward offered Bella a ride to Seattle. "Good work Fiyero," the green girl praised. "Step one has been completed."

"What's step two?" wondered the Winkie prince.

"I have no idea," Elphaba admitted. "But you'll be the first to know when I figure it out."

***

As Bella headed towards the lunch room Elphaba fell into step beside her. Jessica, who had been blabbering to Bella about Mike, gave the green girl a snobbish look. Elphaba was not intimidated by this empty headed girl and stared Jessica down, daring her to make a comment. Rather than face the green girl Jessica wandered off to talk with Angela. "How do you do that?" Bella wondered in awe.

"Confidence," Elphaba answered simply, before getting straight to the point. "I saw you talking with Edward."

"Yeah," Bella shrugged offhandedly.

"What did he say?" the green girl pressed.

"He offered me a ride to Seattle," Bella said casually.

"What did you say?" Elphaba questioned.

"At first I thought he might have a multiple personality disorder," the pale skinned girl admitted. "It was kind of weird that he'd been ignoring me for so long and then suddenly offered me a ride. But I said yes."

"Because you like him," Elphaba said with certainty. When they entered the cafeteria the green girl was happy to see Bella's eyes scanning the room for a certain someone. "He's sitting by himself," Elphaba informed her without looking. "He wants you to sit by him." Sure enough Edward gestured for Bella to join him at an empty table. "Have fun," Elphaba called over her shoulder before going to sit with Galinda and Fiyero.

"They're sitting together!" Galinda squealed when her green friend approached. "Elphie what did you do?"

"I did nothing," Elphaba informed her. "Fiyero did all the work."

"And since I did so much work yesterday I'm taking the rest of today off," the Winkie prince told them, leaning back in his chair and stretching luxuriously.

"Fiyero," Galinda shrieked. "Ditching is bad."

"Then I'm bad," Fiyero admitted, grinning broadly.

"You disgust me," Elphaba growled, crossing her arms.

"Looks like little miss bookworm is afraid to have fun," the Winkie prince taunted.

"I'm not afraid to have fun," Elphaba spat. "I just take my grades seriously. Unlike some people."

"It's not like our grades here matter," Fiyero pointed out. "We're only stuck here for a little while." The green girl shrugged, she had no argument for that.

"The world must be ending," Galinda chirped. "Fiyero just won an argument against Elphaba."

"He didn't win," Elphaba grumbled. "I just decided that arguing with an idiot was pointless."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure I won," Fiyero chuckled. Elphaba's eyes flashed and the prince's lunch tray exploded into green flames.

"Fine," she hissed, grinning as he jumped back in terror. "You win." The magic fire went out as Elphaba swept dramatically from the room.

"Remind me never to get on her bad side," Galinda squeaked.

***

Bella was late to Biology, but the teacher was even later. Moments after Twilight's heroine slid into her seat Mr. Banner entered, juggling several cardboard boxes. "Okay guys," the teacher began. "I want you to take a piece from each box." He pulled on a pair of rubber gloves. "The first should be an indicator card," Mr. Banner went on. "The second is a four pronged applicator and the third is a sterile micro-lancet." Bella's eye grew wide as the teacher demonstrated how to prick your finger and put a drop of blood on each section of the indicator. Apparently they would be figuring out their blood type today. Elphaba watched as her pale skinned neighbor pressed her face against the tabletop.

"Are you ok?" the green girl asked worriedly, although she'd already read this scene.

"No," Bella gulped. "I hate blood." Elphaba raised her hand.

"Mr. Banner," she called. "I think I need to take Bella to the nurse. She looks ill."

"Thank you Ms. Elphaba," the teacher sighed, gesturing that she should go.

"Can you walk?" Elphaba asked.

"Yes," Bella whispered, as the green girl helped her up. Leaning heavily on her friend Bella slowly made her way outside. When they'd turned a corner she collapsed to the sidewalk. "Give me a minute," she begged, pressing her face against the cement.

"Wow. Bella you're almost as green as me," Elphaba joked weakly. She'd never been very good at comforting people.

"Bella?" came a concerned voice from the parking lot. The green girl looked up to see a certain bronze haired vampire approaching. "What's wrong? Is she hurt?"

"No," Elphaba sighed. "We were blood typing and she got nauseous." Edward's face grew tight. "Don't worry, she didn't stick her finger," the green girl assured him.

"Bella?" he called, bending down beside her. "Can you hear me?"

"No," the pale girl moaned. "Go away." Edward chuckled.

"She wouldn't go any further," Elphaba informed him. "Maybe you should carry her." Edward didn't detect the teasing note in the green girl's voice. He scooped Bella up without hesitation.

"Put me down!" she cried weakly.

"I think I'll leave you two alone," Elphaba grinned, turning to head back to class. Maybe her actions in the parking lot hadn't screwed up the plot too much.

"Elphaba!" shouted an annoyingly familiar voice. The green girl didn't turn around as she felt someone come up behind her.

"Hello Fiyero," she said flatly.

"Are you still mad at me?" the Winkie prince pouted.

"Maybe…" Elphaba responded.

"So are you ditching?" he wondered.

"No," the green girl snapped. "Bella got sick in Biology and I was walking her to the nurse."

"So you're still afraid of having fun?"

"I am not afraid of having fun!"

"Prove it."

"How?" Elphaba snarled, turning to glower at him.

"Cut class with me," Fiyero dared. Immediately Elphaba was trapped. She hated to back down from a challenge, no matter how foolish it was.

"Fine," the green girl hissed reluctantly. "Just to prove I'm not afraid of having fun." A breathtaking smile lit the prince's face and Elphaba tried to ignore the fact that it made her heart beat faster. "So, what are we going to do?" she demanded. Fiyero's eyes flashed with mischief.