3.) Longing and Loathing.
"How did you do that?" Madame Morrible asked in quiet disbelief.
"How did she do that?" Galinda echoed in a nervous whisper to her fellow students, who were equally stunned. Some still trembled with the intensity of the feeling of angst in the air, which had almost seemed to wash over them during the bizarre occurrence.
Elphaba was squirming inside. Of course she hadn't wanted that to happen. She had already sabotaged the calm and inconspicuous first impression that she had planned to give at the university. How she had dreamed of the variety in Shiz. She hadn't paused from rejoicing in the idea that her differences might for once be celebrated, of how university life might help her, or even others find some comfort in her uniqueness. Those gawps and looks of disgust when she had entered the main hall had been such a harsh anticlimax. Of course, by now, Elphaba's natural reaction to this was instinctive defence and infuriation. Ironically, this antagonistic defence might have caused as much damage to her reputation. She knew it and she scolded herself; as once again, she had only herself to blame. It was so very hard to find the correct balance-if there was one at all-between standing your ground and tolerance. Now, there was this dramatic episode too and indeed, Elphaba Thropp was now, once more, securely sealed with the weird and frightening label. Again, she was the outcast she needn't necessarily have been and what was worse, she knew she might have jeopardised and sealed her poor sister's social fate too. Her only hope was an apology. She didn't look at the crowd of hostile stares which waited for an explanation. Despite the amount of times she'd stood alone confronting a sea of horror-stricken faces, it never got easier.
"Elphaba!" Nessarose's voice quivered too, but in a tone that suggested more agitation than fear as she reprimanded her sister. "You promised that things would be different here!"
"You mean, this has happened before?" Madame Morrible inquired. Elphaba gave a small nod.
"Something just comes over me sometimes." Elphaba began to explain. She closed her eyes and pursed her lips for a moment, as if to steady herself. "Something I can't describe." She slowly knelt down next to her sister, who seemed to wince, exhaling sharply and looking at the floor. Elphaba took her hand. "I'm sorry Nessa."
"WHAT?" Madame Morrible exclaimed loudly. For the first time in what had seemed like an age to Elphaba, the students looked at the perplexed headmistress instead. "Never apologise for talent! Talent is a gift and that is my special gift…encouraging talent!" She stepped briskly towards Elphaba and looked at her with an eager smile. "My dear, have you ever considered a career in sorcery?"
This reaction was far from the solemn and subdued acceptance of apology and dismissal that Elphaba had expected. Somewhat taken aback, she proceeded to answer Madame Morrible's question honestly.
"Well, no..."
"Miss Elphaba I shall tutor you myself, privately. I shall take no other students!"
Galinda, in turn, looked at Pfannee and Shenshen who were sat either side of her, with a look displaying sheer despair. She rose to her feet to object, but Madame was already prepared to leave the hall, her plump arm around the shoulders of an intrigued Elphaba, who appeared to be smiling with genuine merriment for the first time that day. "All of you to your dormitories now, and get settled in." Madame Morrible instructed the rest of the students. With that she escorted Elphaba, who pushed her sister's chair in front of her, elsewhere for a discussion.
Pfannee and Shenshen stood up and each linked an arm of the flabbergasted Galinda with their own.
"Don't worry Galinda, I'm sure Madame Morrible will soon reconsider." Shenshen reassured confidently.
"She'll soon see your potential over that calamity cabbage!" Pfannee seconded. Shenshen giggled at the analogy but Galinda only watched in silence as Elphaba, Nessarose and Madame Morrible exited the room through the great mahogany door. Something was wrong, everything was wrong. Galinda Upland hadn't got her own way. Not once!
"I think…" she stammered and her two friends waited intently for the rest of the sentence. "I think I need some air." Boq, having been watching intently and having mustered up the courage, opened his mouth to offer assistance to the beautiful damsel in distress, but Galinda was quickly swept away by her two friends. The captivated Munchkin boy could only mentally note down everything he could about her alluring features to serve his memory until the next time he would have the fortune of seeing her.
After her most unexpected and elating meeting with Madame Morrible, Elphaba set about locating her room. It didn't take her long as it wasn't far from Madame Morrible's private compartment. This gave Elphaba some peace of mind as Nessarose wouldn't be far away should she need help. Elphaba now felt better about the separate room situation. During her talk with Madame Morrible she had begun to feel much more reassured that Nessa was in good hands under the watchful eye of the headmistress herself, who seemed kind and capable. The headmistress was adamant about caring for and watching Nessarose herself.
"This is my university and thus, I feel dutified to the governor that we do all we can to see to your sister's needs, Miss Elphaba." She had explained when Elphaba once again bought the subject up. "It will benefit you too to have time to focus on the development of your special talent and respective individual studies." In sympathy toward Elphaba's concern however, she did permit that she could feel quite welcome to visit her sister whenever she requested or required Elphaba's presence. Elphaba decided that she had done her best to resolve the matter. Madame seemed adamant, Nessa seemed content and that would do. Elphaba was in too good a mood to argue after what had unfolded while having tea with the headmistress. The downside that still remained of course, was sharing a room with that sickly Upland girl. Elphaba turned the tarnished, bronze key in the door and stepped inside. She prayed silently that Galinda would be off somewhere better. She was quite relieved to see that the prayer was apparently answered. There was no sign of her unlikely roomie at all in fact-no possessions, no sign of the better bed of the two having been claimed. At first this surprised Elphaba, until she thought to herself that first days anywhere for popular people were probably like being the first to the food market-you got to pick the best candidates for friendship like you got to pick the ripest tomatoes for a stew…but then Galinda had already pretty much bought up the whole stall. Maybe she was just off making a fuss about the room allocation issue itself. Elphaba didn't dwell on this for too long, for she didn't really care what Galinda and her fan club were up to. Her head was spinning with giddy excitement over much more interesting matters which had been discussed with Madame Morrible. She placed her case on the simple wooden desk and sat back on the nearest bed of the two. Having a south facing room located at the very top of the university's south wing provided a breathtaking view. It was like nothing Elphaba had ever seen. Far in the distance, she could have sworn the sky was almost taking on a green pigment. Indeed, far in the distance, was the grandeur of Emerald City and the Wonderful Wizard himself. Far in the distance, and unbeknownst to them, they awaited her.
Elphaba pondered on the recent encounter. In her cluttered little office, full of trinkets and all kinds of obscure paraphernalia, Madame Morrible had poured Elphaba peppermint tea and spoken emphatically of her desire to begin regular seminars right away, in order that she could see Elphaba's true potential. Elphaba had never considered that this strange quirk she had tried to suppress, these out-of-body displays of emotion could have been a talent, even a power.
"Miss Elphaba," Madame Morrible had begun, in a tone displaying both intense delight and considerable seriousness. "So many years I have waited for a gift like yours to appear. My dear, I shall write to the Wizard and once and tell him of you in advance."
"The Wizard?" Elphaba had practically choked on the sweet tea that she had just sipped. Madame Morrible only smiled at the girl's predictable astonishment and smiled.
"My dear, with a talent like yours, if one works hard…why, there may well be simply no limitations on ones future." Elphaba still couldn't get over it. The Wizard of Oz was going to hear about her, Elphaba Thropp. The beautifully tragic nuisance was of interest to the Wizard himself?- the great and powerful Oz who did everything for its citizens-the most wonderful man in the Land who people, Elphaba included, only dreamed of catching a glimpse of? Elphaba might meet him! All of a sudden Elphaba had a vision, almost a prophecy and thus a new purpose for herself and her time at Shiz University. It didn't matter if she didn't make a single friend. It didn't matter if not one of them understood her now, because once day her hard work would pay off. She would meet the Wizard and she would too do good unto Oz. Why, she could even merit working hand in hand with the glorious Oz one day! He would see past her looks, he would see her for who she truly was, he would nurture her superiorities and in turn, under his powerful acclamation, all of Oz would accept her, even love her. Her father and her sister would be proud of her. Someday, there would be celebration throughout the Land of Oz, all to do with her. She swore it to herself there and then. For the first time in a long while, perhaps even ever, Elphaba Thropp found inspiration in the idea of being different.
A noise of a door slamming way down the corridor alerted Elphaba out of her train of thought. She realised that she ought to unpack before her roommate arrived in order to prevent the embarrassment of doing it while she did. She had spotted Galinda's luggage earlier-pristine, white leather casing with a monogrammed G in swirly, gold, lettering…who else would have bothered? What was more; there were at least five of them, in various shapes and sizes. Elphaba's few, old possessions in her damaged, simple suitcase would be a laughing stock which she decided with little difficulty that she'd rather avoid. Her plan to get ahead of the game was at once squandered, however, as the doorknob shook violently and in came a somewhat flustered Galinda. She was followed by two other girls, who struggled with the white cases which looked just as Elphaba had remembered them to. Not one of the girls seemed to register Elphaba's presence. She probably could have unpacked completely un-noticed, but instead she took a notebook out of her satchel and sat at the desk where an inkwell and two feather pens were neatly placed. She decided she should write to her father to explain about the room mix-up before he received two separate bills for two separate rooms and assumed that Elphaba was neglecting her duty to her sister.
'My Dear Father,
There has been some confusion over rooming here at Shiz. I do not want you to worry, of course I will care for Nessa, but it has become apparent that it is not possible for us to share a room. The headmistress insists on being involved in Nessarose's care and that she shares her compartment, for your own peace of mind. She is a kind woman and she has permitted me to visit Nessa as and when it is necessary or of her preference. I have been placed with another girl, Galinda Upland who is…'
Elphaba stopped for a minute to listen to the conversation Galinda and her friends were having. Her father didn't care for gossip so she hoped to overhear something suitable about her roommate that she could scribble in just to make things quicker and easier. No doubt it wouldn't take Galinda long to come out with something impressive about herself in front of these two new recruits…?
"I just can't believe this!" Oh sweet Oz, she was still on about the room. Galinda's voice was of an even higher pitch than usual in her outrage and it irritated Elphaba like crazy. She wondered if it was indeed possible to speak any higher and if it was, whether even Dogs would understand what was being said. "To give my suite to that ridiculous Prinella girl."
"Oh Galinda but your parents will hear and they will be outraged!" one of her friends assured. "They will complain and Madame will have to give it back to you."
"You're right!" Galinda agreed. She had got herself so tense that she appeared close to tears. "I shall write to them right away."
"Oh Galinda, will you be alright?"
"Yes. I'll be fine." Galinda said, forcing a smile. "You have both been most helpfulacious. I have been rude to keeperate you for so long." Elphaba rolled her eyes at the painfully obvious and desperate attempt Galinda was making to show off her use of language, which mimicked that of Madame Morrible. It was as if she'd suddenly remembered to try to incorporate it into her speech. Apparently it genuinely rubbed off onto some of the longer-established Shiz students. Elphaba had been told so in Madame's office by a prefect, but it certainly didn't engrain itself on those who were destined to fit in or be scholars after just a few hours at Shiz.
"Oh goodness, no, you were quite correct and welcomated to." One of Galinda's friends assured, joining in, as if this was their own trendy slang which united them somehow.
"I'll see you at supper Galinda. Come and get me if you need me."
"And me!"
Elphaba wondered what it must be like to have two people, each battling to do more for you than the other. She wondered even more what it must be like to want to be at someone like the high-maintenance Galinda's beck and call. She supposed there would have to be something glorious that you got in return to motivate you. However, she was most familiar with the feeling of longing to be the favourite-maybe that was it. After more extended niceties and conversing, Galinda's two faithful sidekicks left…and for the first time, the two unlikely roomies were alone together. Elphaba looked awkwardly around the room while Galinda began to unpack. Elphaba was intrigued to see what her roommate could possibly have bought with her in so many trunks and cases. Galinda, still looking unimpressed after her day of misfortune carefully opened the first case and Elphaba couldn't help but look on in amazement as at least ten pairs of almost identical shoes were revealed. The only thing that set them apart in fact, to Elphaba at least, was the colour of each pair! When Galinda opened the second case and revealed ten more, Elphaba looked at her feet, where, as expected, she saw her only pair of simple, brown walking boots and she couldn't contain her laughter. Maybe it was nervous laughter, after all, she had no idea what to talk about with this girl and she'd had enough uncomfortable silences for one day. Perhaps it was just the realisation of how different the two of them clearly were. Whatever it was, Galinda thought she knew.
"I'm glad you think it's funny." Galinda snapped. "People not getting what's rightfully theirs." Elphaba looked again at the heap of shoes and struggled not to laugh even more. What an unfathomably spoilt and ghastly thing she was. "I am entitled to that room…oh, you wouldn't understand."
"You're right, I wouldn't." Elphaba shook her head.
"This is all your fault too, I hope you know that. If you had sorted out your room assignment before coming here nothing could have possibly gone wrong."
"You mean, like you did?" Elphaba grinned.
"What's more, to have interrupted me while I was speaking to Madame Morrible about a serious matter such as my education? I have never known such rudeness in my whole life."
"You? You wouldn't know rudeness if it hit you like a ton of bricks!" Galinda's pulse began to rush a little too quickly and her cheeks flushed pink.
"Well you wouldn't know dress-sense if it hit you like a ton of bricks!"
"Ooh, ouch!" Elphaba said sarcastically, laughing all the more. "Miss Galinda you appear to be most confused about who you are trying to insult."
"Well quite. I shall have to write to dearest Momsie and Popsicle and inform them that my new roomie is most unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe! I can't say I've ever spoken with anyone capable of photosynthesis before!"
"Oh and a green reference now? About as original as if I were to call you a centipede."
Elphaba scooped up a handful of the ridiculous pile of multi-coloured shoes and let them cascade back down onto the bed. Galinda looked on in fury at Elphaba having touched her precious collection. Her voiced lowered in anger.
"You want to make fun of my shoes? Fine go ahead, but be prepared for me to make fun of your lacking them." Elphaba raised her eyebrows. Could this obnoxious creature be any dumber? Did she not realise that if dress sense was an unsuccessful blow, shoes were most likely to be too? "Or maybe…" she continued, "Maybe we should talk to your sister about that, about her new shoes. Let's talk to the daughter that's clearly the only one your father cares about." Galinda was shocking herself with her cruelty but she had had a hard day and Elphaba had pushed her. Galinda felt a little uneasy as Elphaba went silent and glared at her. She suddenly remembered the event from earlier and what had happened when Elphaba got too angry.
"You don't know anything about my father or my family." Elphaba growled with a look of utter detestation.
"Nor you and nor do I wish to."
"Likewise." Elphaba hissed, folding her arms more tightly. Galinda took a deep breath and thought carefully about her next words. There were a million truths that she could quite easily have told Elphaba at that moment, but priding herself on being a good young lady, she decided it was time to respond as her parents would have wanted her to. She would rise above this nonsense.
"Miss Elphaba…you certainly do not seem to bring out the good in me, nor I in you…" 'If there should be any in you' Galinda managed to think and not say. "As a typically good human being, I suggest that we refrain from speaking to each other unless entirely necessary."
"Well, we agree on something." Elphaba concurred. The feeling of loathing that had swept over each of them had come on so fast that it was quite exhilarating. Neither of them saw it going away any time soon. Every tiny, irritating trait about the other made their blood curdle and their flesh begin to crawl. Both of the girls recognised that it was best to stop this quarrel there and then.
"Indeed we do. Let us be glad."
"Let us be grateful." Elphaba agreed. There was a pause as the two girls turned to separate activities, but it wasn't long until Galinda spoke again.
"Now, if you don't mind, I shall take this bed." Galinda said, in a calmer tone. "It is nearer the window and the sunlight agrees with my hair."
Elphaba marvelled at the idea of this request apparently being 'entirely necessary', but not wanting to waste anymore breath, she threw her satchel to the other bed and went back to her letter. She filled in the gap in her writing from earlier with the attribute that she had decided best summed her roommate up.
'I have been placed with another girl, Galinda Upland who is…blonde.'