As the two reached the house, Boq came running out followed by Galinda and Nessa. "You two better remain hidden" he warned, "Avaric's declared Strip Poker. If he sees you guys, who knows what'll happen!"

"Strip Poker?" Elphaba's eyes lit up.

"Elphaba?" Nessa's voice went shaky. She watched a smile come across her sister's face. "Elphaba, please don't smile like that—it scares me."

"What's she doing?" asked Galinda.

"You don't want to know."

"But she will find out" cackled Elphaba as she entered the house.

Nessa buried her face into her hands. "Oh no!" she cried.

"Ha! Full house!" cheered Avaric, "Off with your shirt!"

The loser slumped in his seat as he tried to undo his buttons. Everyone laughed at his undershirt.

"That has to be the gayest shirt I've ever seen!" laughed the host, "A guy wearing pink!"

"It's because my sister washed it with her own clothes, okay?" the boy defended himself.

However, it didn't help with the situation. The laugher only grew stronger and louder.

"Avaric!" a voice called out.

Everyone turned to see Elphaba standing in the doorway.

"What do you want, greenie?" Avaric joked, "Have you come back for more?"

Elphaba only smiled. "Me and you, Avaric. One game Strip Poker; loser must appear to class Monday in their underwear."

Avaric smiled. How we would have loved to see Elphaba eight o'clock in Dillimond's class in only her bra and panties. "You're on" he gestured Elphaba to the other end of the table.

"Shall I deal?" she asked sitting down.

"Whatever suits you" was the reply.

Elphaba smiled as she shuffled the deck. She looked up to see her companions watching attentively. She winked to them. No one else seemed to notice, but they wouldn't understand it anyway. Only Nessa.

Having Avaric cut the deck she dealed the cards.

Everyone watched closely as the jerk and the witch played their hands.

"Check" Avaric said.

Elphaba placed her cards on the table: "Three of a kind, sixes."

Her opponent frowned, "Three of a kind, fours."

"The jacket, party-boy" the witch joked.

Avaric smiled as he removed his jacket. He was going to make plenty sure that he would not be the one to loose anymore clothing articles.

He slammed his hand on the table. "Runt!"

"Why did you play it?"

"Cause I thought I could get lucky."

"Well, you are" she placed her own down, "for I also have a runt."

"Yes!" Avaric threw his hands up in victory.

"However," she continued, "your high card is a Ten of Diamonds."

"So?"

"Mine is a Jack of Clubs."

"What?" he yelled.

"Belt please."

Avaric worked on his strategy. He had already been stripped down to his pants. He looked at Elphaba. All she had lost was that jacket Fiyero gave her. He smiled as he placed his cards on the table. "Flush!" he cried out.

"You win, Master Avaric" smiled the witch. She showed her own, "Four of a kind."

He laughed in pure victory. Elphaba reached to the back of her neck to undo the necklace. She placed it on the jacket.

Elphaba smiled at her friends. She could see that Nessa weren't too comfortable with the situation. The others just watched in amazement. She chuckled to herself, "Only Nessa knows."

"Two of a kind" declared Avaric.

"Three of a kind."

Avaric was beginning to feel rather embarrassed. He now sat before everyone in his boxers. "This will not go well come Monday" he thought.

He got lucky again the next hand. His high card of Queen of Diamonds beat Elphaba's Queen of Spades. She took off the shoes and placed them next to her little pile.

"Saving the goodies for last?" he joked.

She smiled, "You could say that."

Avaric did his best. He didn't want to be ridiculed the whole week for being beaten by the "green girl." He carefully chose his cards; which to discard, which to keep. Sweat poured down his brow. Finally, he placed his cards down. "Three of a kind, aces" he smiled evilly.

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. "Very impressive" she complimented, "However, I would have to say sorry, you lose."

"What?" he yelled.

Elphaba placed her cards down. "Four of a kind, twos."

"I can not believe this!"

"Boxers, please." the witch smiled.

Many of the girls averted their eyes as Avaric took off his boxers and added them to his pile of clothing. Picking them up, he used them to cover his nakedness as he dashed from their presence.

"See you Monday, Master Avaric!" jeered Elphaba as the others broke into laughter.

Many congratulated Elphaba on her game. She only smiled. "It was nothing" she replied. And it really wasn't.