AN: Yep. I broke them up. And it's not going to get any better soon... heheh. Thank you all so much for your reviews!

I love how you all loved the juice-and-coffee-line, because it was one of my own favourites; and I also love how you all thought Fiyero deserved the coffee, rather than the juice :P.

Chapter 22. Summer plans

After that, she did not speak to him again.

In class, she always sat beside Galinda, with the wall on her other side. She avoided him constantly and when she couldn't avoid him, she ignored him. It was clear that she was furious with him and he could understand that, he really could. The way he had treated her had been completely wrong and him kissing Cedence was just the final straw. He feared it was really over between them now and that, more than anything else, broke his heart.

When Nessa came to visit Elphaba in her dorm room one day, she found the green girl sitting on her bed with a letter, tears glistening on her cheeks.

"Fabala?" Nessarose asked in concern, wheeling herself closer. "What is it?"

"It's…" Elphaba sniffled. "It's a letter from father." She shook her head, chuckling mirthlessly. Then she threw the letter into Nessa's lap.

"He says that he is not very happy about it; but if Boq will escort us, we are allowed to spend a few weeks of the summer in the Vinkus."

Nessa, knowing that her sister had pleaded with their father to let them go so that she could be with Fiyero for part of the summer, grimaced sympathetically. "Oh."

Elphaba let herself fall back onto her bed. "Well, at least Father will be happy now," she said wryly. "We'll be home all summer long."

"Fabala," Nessa tried, "it could be a lot of fun, you know… you've always wanted to see other parts of Oz. This is your chance. I know you two broke up, but if Boq and Galinda were to come as well… can't we just all go there as friends?"

"Friends?!" Elphaba shook her head. "Never," she declared. "It's over, Nessa. If it were up to me, I wouldn't see him ever again. Unfortunately I can't help it, since he also goes to school here; but I'm not going to deliberately spend time with him. I'm not going."

"But what if I want to go?" said Nessa.

Elphaba shrugged. "Then go with Boq."

"Father wouldn't allow me to go alone with him."

"Nessa…" Elphaba sighed wearily. "Please. I'll do fun things with you this summer, I promise. I'll take you anywhere you'd like… as long as it's not anywhere near Fiyero."

Nessarose nodded, neatly folding the letter and placing it on Elphaba's bed. "I see."

"Was there anything in particular you came to talk to me about?" asked Elphaba, changing the subject.

Nessa shook her head. "Not really," she said. "I just wanted to chat a little."

"Shall we go for a walk?" her sister suggested. "It's a beautiful day."

Nessa agreed and they left together, walking down a path that would lead them around campus and past Suicide Canal for a bit. Nessa chattered on about Boq and how perfect he was, and how wonderful everything was going with their relationship. Elphaba tried to listen, but she just couldn't concentrate on Nessa's story; and when she caught sight of Fiyero sitting underneath a tree with Cedence, she didn't hear a word her sister said anymore. She pressed her lips together and looked away, boring her nails into the palm of her hand.

"Fabala?" Nessa said quietly. "Fiyero is coming this way."

Elphaba glanced up for a moment and when she saw that Fiyero was on his feet, she turned Nessa's chair and went in the opposite direction, walking a bit faster. She didn't look back. Nessa did and she saw the way Fiyero's shoulders slumped as he flopped back into the grass, looking miserable.

"I think he really regrets it, Elphaba," the youngest Thropp said.

Elphaba shook her head. "I don't care."

"Yes, you do," Nessa argued. "I know you still care about him, Fabala. You love him –"

"No, I don't," Elphaba bit at her sister. "Now would you please stop talking about Fiyero?"

"Fair enough," said Nessa primly, folding her hands in her lap. "But I think you're making a mistake."

Galinda said the same thing when she and Elphaba were alone in their shared dorm room that night.

"Elphie," she tried to reason with her friend, "he was sad because you broke up with him. He drank too much and he did some things he regrets now. It's not a big deal. He didn't have sex with anyone, he didn't murder anyone or beat anyone to pulp. He just kissed a girl. That's all."

"I could forgive him for that kiss, Glin," Elphaba said softly. "If it had only been that kiss. But it wasn't. It was everything. It was him struggling with Aliyra's death, him pining after Cedence because she looked like Aliyra… it was mostly just," she choked back a sob, determined not to cry over him, "just knowing that he would always love Aliyra more than he loves me, you know? He loved her so much, Glin, I could tell, and… and I'm not like that. I'm not that girl for him and I never was. She was. And maybe now Cedence will be."

"Oh, Elphie…" Galinda shook her head sadly. "Don't you see? He doesn't want Cedence, sweetie. He wants you."

"No, he doesn't," Elphaba said, crawling under the blankets. "He's better off without me, anyway." She distinguished the light on her nightstand. "Goodnight, Galinda."

"Goodnight, Elphie." Galinda sighed as she lay back, staring at the ceiling and wondering if there was anything she could do to help her friend.

The day before summer vacation would start, Cedence came to talk to Elphaba.

The green girl was just walking across campus after helping Nessa pack, intending to finish packing herself before their carriage would leave in a few hours, when the girl caught up with her.

"Elphaba?"

The dark-haired witch looked to the side and frowned. "Cedence."

The redhead flashed her a smile. "Hey. I was just wondering… can I talk to you for a clock-tick?"

Elphaba was utterly confused, but she tried not to let it show. "Um… sure?"

They sat down on a bench, Elphaba still completely bewildered. Why in Oz would Cedence, of all people, want to talk to her? Cedence was part of the popular crowd, after all; and aside from Fiyero and Galinda, none of them ever lowered themselves to the level of their less popular classmates… much less risked their reputation by being seen talking to the Artichoke.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" asked Elphaba.

Cedence shifted a little. "It's about Fiyero."

Immediately, Elphaba's eyes narrowed and she scowled, realising why Cedence was here. "Did he send you to talk to me? Really?"

"No!" the other girl protested. "No, he has nothing to do with this… he doesn't even know I'm talking to you. I promise."

Elphaba relaxed a little. "Then why?"

"Listen," Cedence said seriously. "I don't know exactly what's going on between you and Fiyero, and I don't need to know, either – it's none of my business."

Elphaba tilted her head a little to the side, intrigued despite herself.

"But I suspect it has something to do with him spending time with me," Cedence continued. "At least partly."

Elphaba did not deny that.

"And I just wanted to tell you that you have nothing to fear from me," the redhead told her. "I mean… Fiyero is nice enough, but there's nothing going on between us. There never has been. The fact that he kissed me the night of the ball was mostly just both him and me being kind of drunk, but it didn't mean anything to either of us. In fact, I have a boyfriend of my own – a sophomore." She shook her head. "Not that that matters, but… well… I can understand why you may have thought that something else was going on between us, and I just wanted to tell you that that's not the case. It never has been, it's not now, and it never will be. Just to make that clear."

Elphaba nodded slowly. "Okay."

Cedence rose to her feet again. "Well… okay, then. That was all, really." She smiled at Elphaba. "I hope you two will be okay," she said. "I think you're really cute together."

She left and Elphaba stayed on that bench for a while longer, lost in thought.

Dear Fiyero,

I just wanted to send you a quick message to ask you if our holiday at Adurin Iir is still on, and if Galinda will be able to make it as well? Boq would gladly accompany Fabala and me to the Vinkus. I am already looking forward to seeing it!

Poor Father is horribly confused – first Elphaba pleaded with him to let her go to the Vinkus in the summer, and now she flat-out refuses to go. I have tried to reason with her, but she just won't listen. I told Father a little about what is going on and about our plan, and he says that he is fine with me going as long as both Boq and Elphaba will be with me. Since there seems to be no way to talk Elphaba into coming, I suppose I will have to take more drastic measures.

Don't worry – we'll come. All of us.

I shall see you in a few weeks.

Sincerely,

Nessarose Thropp

Dear Nessa,

Thank you for your letter! I'm glad to hear that all three of you are coming, though admittedly I am a little worried to hear that Elphaba does not want to come and you are resorting to 'drastic measures'… however, if your 'drastic measures' mean that Fae gets to come to the Vinkus, then I won't question your methods. My parents would love to have you all here and I would, too, of course. You can stay here for two weeks in July. I tried to bargain for more, but there are some royal duties getting in the way, unfortunately.

Galinda was absolutely delighted at both the invitation and the plan. 'Operation Fiyeraba', she calls it. Honestly, I am not very hopeful about us getting back together. I've never seen Fae so angry and so cold at the same time. It's like she doesn't even care anymore. She doesn't cry, she doesn't even seem sad… I think she's over me already. I hope I'm wrong, but frankly, I don't think she loves me anymore.

Enough with the sad thoughts, though – we'll see when you all get here. Until then!

Fiyero

"Father," Nessarose announced one day during dinner, "do you remember that invitation I told you about? The one Fiyero Tiggular sent me?" She did not miss the way her sister tensed at his name.

"Yes, I remember," said Frexspar. "What about it?"

"Well," Nessa said, playing her part, "you said I could go if Boq and Fabala would escort me, and I asked Boq. He'd love to join us. Galinda is coming, too, so we'll all be in the Vinkus together for a few weeks in the summer. Can we go?"

Elphaba put down her knife and fork with a rather loud clinging sound. "No."

"But Fabala," Nessa said, making wide eyes at her sister and pouting. "I really, really want to go and see the Vinkus, and spend some time with our friends in the summer… it will be lovely. And if you won't go, then I can't go, either. Please?"

Elphaba shook her head violently. "Nessa, I am not going within a five-mile radius of that cheating piece of –"

"Elphaba," Frexspar said sharply. "That is enough."

The raven-haired girl closed her mouth and looked down at her plate.

"You will accompany Nessarose," Frex said.

Her head shot up again. "What? No! Father, you can't make me!"

"Elphaba, please," Nessa said, her lower lip trembling. "For me? Please?"

Elphaba looked at her younger sister, clearly torn. "Nessa…" she said pleadingly.

Nessarose gave the green girl her very best impression of a beaten puppy and Elphaba caved.

"Alright," she conceded with a grimace and a heavy sigh. "But I am not going anywhere near him, Nessa, and you can't make me."

"Fair enough," Nessa said, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Fabala."

Elphaba grumbled something under her breath, absolutely sure that she was going to regret this.

Operation Fiyeraba has begun!

Also, I started posting my new fic Days of summer and I would love for you to check it out :).