Chapter Thirteen: Loved
Dr. Nikidik assigned a project during life sciences their first week back from the winter holidays, "destroying all weekend plans", as Avaric muttered.
Clapping his hands together at the end of the lecture (alarming the students, the majority of whom had fallen asleep during his mumblings), he said, "I want you all to go out and learn something for yourselves. That's why I'm assigning a project -"
The students groaned.
Dr. Nikidik continued, "Choose a life sciences subject of your choice…"
"Yes!" Elphaba exclaimed.
"And, with or without a partner, starting next week, you will teach the class a thirty-minute lesson on it in an undetermined order. Obviously, it's due next week. Class dismissed."
"Elphaba!" Fiyero made his way towards Elphaba before she could leave class.
Boq saw his intention and immediately said, "No way, Fiyero, she's working with me."
"Did she say that herself?" Fiyero challenged.
"Uh, not yet… Elphie?"
She laughed. "Never in my life have I left so loved."
"Well, it's because you're really good at this life sciences thing. I need you." Boq said.
"I'd like to work with you, Elphaba, just because I enjoy spending time with you. I wouldn't use you like Boq." Fiyero said, touching her arm.
Momentarily stunned by the Arjiki boy's touch, she almost stumbled down the stairs fo the building where the lecture had been held. "Oops."
Fiyero, being a gentleman, caught her easily. "You okay?"
"Yeah." She blinked slowly, noting that he'd stolen the opportunity to put an arm around her, if only for a moment. She shuddered a little when he let go.
"See? I'm thoughtful. I'm the one you should work with."
Boq glared at him.
"As much as I'd love to see you two fight over me," Elphaba chided gently, "I'd rather work by myself. You two could work together, though." Grinning, she walked off, leaving Fiyero and Boq gaping behind her.
"Seriously," Boq commented, "you'd think she'd take the chance to have a social life. For once, people actually wanted to work with her, even if it was only for her brains."
"Maybe you only wanted to work with her for her brains." Fiyero disagreed.
"Fiyero, man, she's gone, we both lost, you can stop pretending."
"I wasn't pretending!"
Boq held up his hands, "All right, all right."
"I really do like being around her."
"Is there something going on between you two? I mean, at the reception…"
Fiyero nodded, flushing slightly.
"So, are you two, like, boyfriend and girlfriend, or what?"
"Yup." Fiyero shrugged.
"But she wouldn't dance…"
"She's just that way." Fiyero sighed.
"Well," Boq shrugged, as well. "Want to go back to my dorm and get this ridiculous project started?"
Fiyero followed Boq to his dorm. "What do you want to do the project on?"
"I'm not sure," Boq said, flipping through his textbook. "I'll bet you I know what Elphaba's going to do."
"Something about Animals?"
"Of course. Something about the difference and how they're just as good as humans. It wouldn't surprise me at all. It does kind of suck that she wouldn't work with anyone. I don't know about you, but I could've used those brains."
"Me, too. I could've used to the time with her, really."
"Don't you guys go out?"
"Well, not really. We've only been 'dating' for a week or so now."
"Tell me you're going out this weekend."
"We were supposed to go for a picnic, but I realized how much colder it is out here."
"It's warming up."
"Not enough for a picnic."
"Wait a week or two."
"I can't. I want to spend as much time with her as possible."
"You really like her, don't you?"
Fiyero nodded vigorously.
"Whoa. I never though anyone could ever like Elphaba like that."
Fiyero raised his eyebrows. "Why not?"
"It's Elphaba, of all people."
Fiyero laughed. "I don't know. There's just something about…"
"Something about her? That's how I feel about Miss Glinda sometimes."
"I will never understand that infatuation."
"No one does. I don't, even. She's so beautiful."
"Have you told her that?"
"She's not one to take a compliment from me very well. And, about Elphaba, it certainly can't be her looks that you like…"
Fiyero glared at Boq. "What makes you think that? I think she's attractive in her own way."
"Okay, okay, whatever you say. What do you like about her?"
"I hate being quizzed like this." Fiyero said pointedly.
"Sorry."
"It's okay. What should we do?"
"I have no idea."
"Hmmm. We could always do Animals versus animals."
"Elphie would kill us."
Chuckling, he agreed, "Yes, she would."
"This is going to be one difficult project to do without her."
"You never realize how much you depend on her until she's gone."
"That's for sure," Boq assented. "Back to work."
"What should we do?"
"Magicked antlers…"