Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked.

Eira was at ballet practice and it was obvious she had become great friends with Rhea. The two would laugh at their new little inside jokes and forget that there were other people staring at them. However, at the end of the practice, Hallie couldn't stand to watch her best friend humiliate herself associating with the third class girl. She and a bunch of other girls walked over to them and confronted their leader. "What are you doing?" Hallie asked. Eira and Rhea's smiles dropped at her tone.

"Nothing," Eira said.

"Seems like you're friends with this girl," Hallie rudely pointed at Rhea and gave her a disgusted look.

"You don't have to say we're friends," Rhea whispered to Eira. For a moment, the Thropp girl considered this. If she admitted to being friends with Rhea, then she'd ruin her social status and lose all of her friends. However, once she thought about it, those other girls (Hallie included) weren't really her friends and never got to know who she truly was, and didn't care to, either. Rhea was the only one who questioned her about her mother and whatnot. The girl with the orange hair was her best friend and the only friend that mattered to her. Being seven, it didn't take long for her to become friends with her. Seven is usually a simple age.

Eira surprised everyone when she took Rhea's pale hand in her dark one. "Her name is Rhea and she's my friend, my best friend." Everyone including her best friend, gasped at her words. She could have decided to stay popular, but she didn't. She'd rather have one amazing friend than a bunch of airheads that probably only liked her because of her family. Speechless, Hallie and the other girls sauntered off towards the other side of the ballet studio.

"You didn't have to do that," Rhea said to Eira with tears falling down her cheeks. "You lost your status."

"It doesn't matter," Eira said as she watched the other girls' retreating forms. "They didn't really know me anyway. Besides, I think my mommy would be proud."

"I'm sure she would," Rhea said. "Listen, my foster mommy is here. I've got to go. And thank you. I promise I'll make it up to you."

"There's nothing for you to thank me for or make up for. I'm your friend and that's what friends do. My grandmother says friends stick up for each other."

"I wouldn't know. I'll see you soon." And Rhea was harshly dragged off and out of the building. Eira thought about her words I wouldn't know. What did she mean? Then it dawned on her; Rhea had never had a real friend before. It hurt her to even think that a sweet girl like Rhea was generally picked on or excluded from the fun and games. Eira couldn't believe she had been so terribly mean to her.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw the woman dressed in black pass the studio. Eira managed to slip out unnoticed (because honestly, who would ever pay attention to her anymore?) and ran to catch up with her. For an unknown reason, she was drawn to her. "Hey, it's me!" she said happily. The woman stopped and looked down at her.

"What are you doing running around in your tutu? Are you running away again?" the woman said, and Eira could tell she was smiling underneath her veil.

"No. I saw you and wanted to say hi and tell you about my new friend, Rhea. But being her friend, I lost my other friends. And I don't know…should I still be her friend or ditch her and gain lots more?" Eira questioned.

"Oh, so you've come to me about advice. Sorry, but I never really had a lot of friends growing up. I wouldn't know the right thing to do."

"But you're really smart, I think. What would you do? Have one really good friend or a lot of friends?" Eira questioned.

"I would want one good friend," the woman said to her.

"But what good could come of one friend?" Eira questioned. She wanted to be absolutely certain that she should pursue her friendship with Rhea and not the rest of the society girls. After all, shouldn't she want good connections growing up and not poor ones? She had been learning that in her classes lately for school had started up again.

"A lifetime of memories, and a friend who's really your friend, not people who just like you for your status. I'm assuming you're of a higher class, correct? And who exactly are you?" the woman in black questioned her.

"I can't tell you who I am because then you might think of me differently," Eira replied. "If you knowed who I was, then things would be different, and I like things the way they are now."

"Whatever you think," the woman said.

"I've been thinking to write my mommy a letter to tell her how I feel. Actually, my new bestest friend gave me the idea in ballet today. What do you think?"

"I think that is a great idea," the woman said. "Now, get back before your grandmother worries again."

"Okay!" Eira said and hugged the woman. She tensed, but awkwardly put her arms around the girl. Eira was confused at her odd reaction to touch, but shrugged it off. Older people were odd and strange to her still, and she decided not to understand them. "I'll see you another day!" she exclaimed and ran off to Glinda who had begun to worry.

"Oh there you are! Where did you run off to?" Glinda questioned. Eira remembered her promise about how she wouldn't run off like last time. She recalled how hurt her grandmother had been when she thought she had lost Eira.

"The bathroom," she lied. She hated lying, so she just changed the subject. "Can you help me write a letter to mommy?"

"Of course," Glinda smiled at her.

"I love you," Eira said and held the blonde's hand in her own. She could tell the older woman's skin was beginning to thin. She was beginning to see the bluish veins in more detail these days. She wondered if this would happen to her, although she doubted it because her skin was much darker in contrast to Glinda's.

"And I love you, too," Glinda said as she led the girl to the carriage waiting for them.