"Fiyero!"
The young prince looked up as he heard his name called. He had been sitting in the cafeteria, actually trying to read some of his own class notes. Galinda had walked up to him, and was shaking his shoulder. His first thought was not 'Hello, Galinda'. It was: "Where's Elphaba?"
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Back at our dorm I think. Anyway, she's actually who I wanted to talk to you about."
"Why? Is everything alright?" He asked, suddenly feeling concerned.
"What? Oh, no... She's fine." She sat down in the chair beside him. "Actually, well.. OK, this could be awkward. But I need to talk to you."
He felt uncomfortable. He was glad that Galinda still seemed to want to be friends with him, but they had only broken up a few days before. It was awkward, if nothing else. "What do you need to talk about?"
"Well..."
"Spit it out." He encouraged her, preparing himself for the worst.
"Do you like Elphaba?"
"Wha?" He hadn't quite been expecting that one, and was suddenly reeling to come up with an answer that was both honest, but wouldn't be hurtful.
"Yes or no. Do you like Elphaba?" She said slowly as if she was talking to a young, not particularly bright child.
"Umm. Yes. She's a good person, and-"
"Cut the crap. You know I didn't just mean as friends."
It was his turn to be surprised. "Did you just say 'crap'?" He shook his head. "Anyway.. well the answer is still yes."
He braced himself for her to be angry, hurt that he liked another girl so soon after their breakup. But instead she smiled. "Yes! I knew it!"
"You knew it?" He was horrified. "Does Elphaba 'know it'?"
Galinda shook her head. "Well, no. But..." She smiled, withholding the information.
"But..." He prompted from her.
"She likes you!" Galinda flat out squealed. "She likes you, you like her! It's perfect." But then her expression changed. "Only not so much, because she's too shy to do anything about it." The smile came back. "But that's where you come in."
"How so?"
"Well... c'mon. You like her, she likes you. Ask her out!"
"I can't do that."
She finally really frowned. "Why not? Don't you want to be with her? You just said you liked her-"
"Galinda! Calm down. It's not that I don't want to. It's just... well, what am I supposed to say? Elphaba, I just broke up with your best friend. Wanna go out with me?"
"Well no..." This was where Nessarose's advice came in. "You have to... woo her first! You know, flowers and moonlit carriage rides... the whole nine yards."
"This is never going to work." He said stubbornly.
"You don't know until you've tried."
However, Fiyero had been more right than Galinda would have liked to believe. The very next day, Fiyero was ready and waiting for the girls to exit their dorm. "Miss Elphaba, I was wondering if you would do me the honor of blessing me with your presence?"
Elphaba blinked a few times, clearly not feeling very awake, and shot Galinda a look. She narrowed her eyes at Fiyero and frowned. "What are you getting on about? If you want to walk with us, that's fine, but I'm too tired for you to be behaving oddly. I haven't had any caffeine yet, and do not want to start the day with a headache." Elphaba walked on ahead.
With a despairing look, Fiyero whispered to Galinda, "You said that stuff would work!"
"It should've..." She blew a stray wisp of blonde hair out of her face. "Maybe you aren't doing it right! Ask her if you could carry her books."
"I don't think-" He began to protest.
"Exactly, you don't think. Trust me. I'm a woman. Try again." She shooed him forward.
He groaned inwardly and approached Elphaba. "Elphie-"
"Don't call me that!"
"Elphaba, why don't you let me carry your books?" He said with his best smile. "You mentioned you were tired."
"Tired or not, I really don't need anyone else to carry my own books for me." She hugged the stack a little tighter and sped away, leaving a disappointed Fiyero and a frustrated Galinda.