"In...sorcery?", Elphaba echoed incredulously.
"Yes my dear, you have a special talent! And my special talent is encouraging talent, you see? I shall take no other students and you will receive private tutoring lessons."
"What?"
Galinda couldn't believe what she heard. After all the efforts she put into her essay!
And then this Elphaba person came in, looking as ridiculous as it gets and suddenly she was supposed to be something special? Something more special than her?
"I have waited years to find someone as gifted as you, Elphaba and you know what? I will write to the Wizard instantly, he has to know about you as quickly as possible."
"Wait, you mean the Wizard? The Wizard of Oz?", Elphaba spluttered, heat rushing to her ears.
"Exactly, dearest, the Wizard, now if you will excuse me, I will put up the letter immediately. Just do your best and I am sure he will gladly agree to an audience."
"But Madame Morrible!"
"Not now, Miss Upland."
She made a dismissing hand gesture towards Galinda, who suddenly looked very pale.
"This...is not going at all how I planned it", she mumbled, furrowing her brows and looking a little lost.
"Maybe I should go lie down for a bit", she continued murmuring to herself, shaking her head as if to get rid of an unwanted memory.
In the meantime, Elphaba was sitting on the foot of the large staircase leading to the classrooms, overwhelmed by the recent events.
For the first time ever no one had scolded her for the strange things she caused at times!
For the first time, someone had appreciated her and called her talented!
It was surreal.
The Wizard of Oz. She was supposed to meet the Wizard of Oz.
Her big idol, the one person who could help her out of her misery!
He would see past her odd outward appearance and acknowledge her strengths, that she was sure of.
She would be his assistant and then, eventually they would form a team, the Wizard and her.
She got up and took out the map of the building. Her room was located in the east wing, apparently.
That was the opposite side of the building, seen from where she was now.
The halls had emptied once everyone had received the keys to their rooms and the evening sun fell through the large windows, tinting everything in a soft orange glow.
Humming, Elphaba passed door after door, playing out a long anticipated scenario in her head that involved the Wizard noticing how no one besides him was able to see past her green skin, labeling her strange and useless without even knowing her and then he'd offer her to change the colour of her skin, so she would be taken more seriously.
How wonderful this image was!
Finally they would appreciate her, like her, celebrate her!
Suddenly she saw it right in front of her, she couldn't stop the picture developing inside her head.
Celebration. Happiness. Cheering.
She saw a large crowd, people dressed in their best clothes, music and dancing everywhere.
And she knew in her heart that their cheering addressed her, it was because of her that they celebrated, they were all happy because of her!
This was everything she had ever dreamed of. And she would do everything to achieve this goal, she would give her very best in Madame Morrible's seminar and prove everybody wrong that didn't believe in her.
Her father. Even her sister. And she would show that wretched Galinda girl that she actually deserved all of this, because - as opposed to Galinda - Elphaba knew what hard work was and wasn't spoiled rotten.
Talking of Galinda.
Elphaba had arrived at her room. Her and Galinda's room.
Which Galinda had made very clear by putting up a large sign with her name in pink glitter letters on it.
Underneath that she had attached a sloppy piece of paper, dislplaying a hurriedly scribbled '& Elffapa'.
Elffapa. Really?