Thank you so much for the reviews of the last chapter, they really keep me going when I'm feeling lazy or sometimes complacent. I'm sorry this took longer than usual, hope you like it though =)
Chapter 6
They had been given a few strange glances that day, especially from her 'friends' and also that Munchkin boy –was it Biq? Boq? Whatever – who incidentally had an empty seat next to him, who had been watching them both with an infinitely confused look on his face. Galinda hadn't cared.
Galinda stayed by Elphaba's side as they left the lecture theatre, muttering quietly, "Did you see the way that little Munchkin was looking at you?"
"Ha Boq, yes. Anyone would have thought I had taken out a sling shot and murdered his budgie." Elphaba murmured back with a snigger.
"He has a budgie?"
Elphaba sighed, "I was speaking metaphorically, Galinda. The budgie doesn't exist."
"Well of course it doesn't anymore, you murdered it with a sling shot!"
There was a distinct clap as Elphaba's palm made contact with her forehead, "Galinda, that's not-"
A giggle interrupted her; Galinda was biting her lip and trying not to smile, "I knew you were joking, Elphie, you twerp."
With a bark of laughter Elphaba responded, "Twerp? Who, in this day and age, uses the word 'twerp'? The last time I heard that used... incredible, I can't actually remember. Are you secretly a grandmother trapped in a young and beautiful body? Because if you are, please inform me immediately."
Galinda had stopped walking and had her arms crossed over her chest and her weight leaning on one leg, "Elphaba, I'm a trendsetter, it doesn't matter what I say. And if you want to give me a compliment you don't need to do it in such a backwards way."
Elphaba stood for a moment with her mouth hanging open, "But... I didn't compliment you."
Galinda tutted and carried on walking, "There you go again, as I recall you called me beautiful."
They were nearly at their dorm room, "Galinda, you already know you're beautiful. People tell you you're beautiful every day."
Galinda watched as Elphaba withdrew their room key from her deep pocket, thrusting it into the lock and twisting it around with a click. As Elphaba pulled the key from the lock she felt a small hand touch her arm and with a tense turn of her head her eyes locked with Galinda's. The stormy blue eyes were staring sincerely into her own, in a quiet voice she said, "It means a lot more when you say it, Elphaba."
Elphaba felt the heat rise to her face, muttering under her breath, "Don't." and brushing Galinda's hand away she stepped into their room and immediately grasped a book from the top of the pile, forcing her attention into it at any random page. A disgruntled blonde marched over to her dresser, muttering under her breath about not being appreciated, and took out a piece of paper, flourishing a pink, fluffy quill to accompany it; Dearest darlingest Momsie and Popsicle...
Galinda felt an unexpected palm rest on her shoulder, Elphaba's apologetic voice asking, "What are you writing, Missy?"
Galinda huffed and continued her writing in big elaborate swirls. She was not about to let Elphaba get away with the obvious brush off so easily, she'd have to work for it. Elphaba leaned closer noting the dramatically changed handwriting, "What's with your writing? It almost looks... frilly." Elphaba suppressed a shudder and continued to watch over her shoulder, reading the beginning line under her breath, "Galinda, why are you writing this as though it's addressed to a complete... twerp?"
Galinda suppressed a smile and jolted a shrug from her shoulders. Elphaba continued, "You're parents obviously don't know the real you."
Clenching her pen tighter she muttered, "I don't know what you're talking about."
With her hand on the back of Galinda's chair and the other on the desk, Elphaba spoke in a low voice, "This prissy and hyperbolic girl isn't you Galinda, so I'll ask you one question; why the masquerade?"
Galinda gulped, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear and frowning a little, finally she turned to face Elphaba, who was positioned incredibly close to her, the dark, almost black eyes boring into her own, giving nothing away. Galinda sighed and looked away, "You're as bad as I am Elphaba."
Elphaba manoeuvred to sit on the desk, "Are you sure about that?"
"Yes; I don't think we're as different as you think we are. You wear a mask too."
Elphaba gave a small smile, without thinking of the implications she slowly raised a hand and tilted Galinda's chin up with her index finger, the charged blue eyes that met her own spelled out honesty yet held the edge of defiance that she knew the beautiful girl was capable of; they left her a little dazed. The blonde's natural beauty seemed to radiate in all directions and Elphaba felt it tugging her in like it had so many before her.
Stroking her thumb over the blonde's chin she registered slightly that Galinda's breathing had increased, as had her own. Moving her face towards Galinda's so she was only inches away, she whispered, "You might be right there."
It was the flicker of uncertainty which crossed Galinda's face that reminded Elphaba where she was and who she was, with a swift movement she retracted her palm from Galinda's infinitely soft jaw line and moved towards the door.
Galinda was attempting to calm her heart rate, "Where are you going?"
Elphaba smiled wryly over her shoulder, "The library, where else?"
As soon as the door clicked to a close Galinda release a well suppressed huff and proceeded to kick her bed. What had come over her? These unexpected feelings of what she could only describe as lust whenever she and Elphaba were closer than the expected distance. She wanted to grasp at this redundant feeling with taloned fingers, wrestle it to the ground and squeeze at its lung pipe, muffling its existence. Though she could not contradict that she liked having Elphaba as a friend, but that's where it ended, it couldn't go further than that; it was just unheard of. But then again, how was there any denying the heat that coursed through her when Elphaba touched her? The trembling that was evoked within her as those deep brown eyed searched her own? But it was lunacy! And she had to try and stop it; restrain herself, refrain from touching her, keep her distance. The problem was; they didn't touch much already. Perhaps they shouldn't be friends anymore...
Galinda clutched her hands in her hair and gritted her teeth together, what am I going to do?
Elphaba was tossing and turning again in her sleep, murmuring the same thing she always murmured, give or take a few words, "I don't want to .. don't want to leave you.. but I .. but I have to.. I have to do this.."
Galinda was sat up in bed, grinding her teeth and looking over at the sleeping Elphaba. The loud sleeping Elphaba. Honestly, it was a miracle the girl didn't wake herself up! Sick to the teeth of being woken up at three o'clock in the morning every night, Galinda placed her feet on the floor and walked over to the green girl's side of the room. This really wasn't sticking to the plan of staying away from her, yet with the imminent prospect of developing bags under her eyes, it seemed like a good excuse.
She was about to reach over, about to rouse her from slumber, about to get some peace and quiet, when Elphaba murmured, "Glinda."
Galinda halted. Glinda? Surely Elphaba of all people would be able to pronounce her name correctly. Elphaba was opening and closing her green lips, shaping silent words, her eyebrows drawing together in the process. Galinda waited impatiently to hear more; savagely curious to know how she featured in Elphaba's dreams, "Glinda... I love.. have t –it's just... Hold out, if you can. Hold out, my sweet."
Elphaba fell silent. Silent and still.
Tears were gathering in Galinda's eyes, her confusion and frustration from earlier melting away in seconds. She crawled back to her bed, the huge question of What was Elphaba seeing? resonating around her brain. That night, before sleep claimed her, Elphaba's serene sleeping form was the last thing she saw.
R&R please, gives me a warm happy feeling when I see a review ^^