A/N: So this chapter is kind of filler, I suppose. I'll get back to the fashion show plot in the next chapter I promise. For some reason, I really wanted to write Avaric! Sorry if his character isn't right, I'm not exactly sure how he's supposed to be. Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews! They really mean the world to me. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked.
Elphaba groaned and placed a clammy green hand to her forehead. She had a sheen of sweat across her face, and, feeling it now with her hand, she felt another heat wave course through her. Her eyes flicked open, and her vision filled with a too perky looking Galinda. Elphaba groaned again but for different reasons this time.
"Oh good, you're awake again!" Galinda beamed, her golden hair glistening in the sunlight.
"Yes," Elphaba said simply. She wondered momentarily what day it was, and when she couldn't remember, she looked up at Galinda. "What day is it?"
"It's tomorrow!" Galinda squealed, pointing at the window where the sun's rays were peaking through.
Elphaba clutched her head with both hands and shuffled to sit up in her bed. "Galinda, please," Elphaba said weakly.
Galinda looked slightly repentant as she saw the pained look on her roommate's face. "Sorry, I just get excited sometimes."
Elphaba smiled slightly. "I know." She tried to remember the exact events of the past night, but it was all a blur. She vaguely remembered getting sick at the Ozdust, and Galinda and Fiyero helping her home and tucking her in bed. Oh the Ozdust. Fiyero and his hand and the spinning room and dancing and feeling things and Fiyero. Elphaba must have looked like she was going to be sick again because Galinda looked at her concernedly.
"Elphie? Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine," Elphaba said, feeling anything but what she said.
Galinda shook her head disapprovingly. "I told you not to drink! But you didn't listen to me!"
"Galinda, this was not the alcohol. Believe me, I can handle more than one glass of liquor before I get sick. No, it's something else."
"Oooh, maybe it's that tofu you had before we went to the Ozdust! That stuff was terriforous! It looked half rotten. I can't believe you ate it!"
Elphaba felt her stomach flip as she thought of the nearly rancid tofu she had consumed. "Well, it's so hard to find food that isn't made from animals. I can't be too picky. I had no idea it would make me sick. It honestly didn't taste that bad, at the time."
Galinda wrinkled her nose. "Whatever you say, Elphie. Do you want me to get you something to eat before I go shopping?"
"Ugh, no. I don't think I'd be able to keep it down."
"Well, okay then. I'll probably be gone all day. Fiyero said he has this romantic evening planned! Doesn't that sound gloriforous?"
"Splendacious even," Elphaba said, making fun of her roommate's unusual vocabulary. She grinned when Galinda didn't catch it.
"Exactly! I'll tell you all about it when I get back! Bye Elphieeeeeeee!" Galinda trotted out the room, leaving Elphaba in a contented silence.
Elphaba floated in and out of consciousness the rest of the day. She was content to lie in her bed, drowning in her sickness. It was cathartic, really, to have to do nothing besides sweat and vomit and sleep. By the time dinner rolled around, though, Elphaba's cycle of sweat, vomit, sleep was becoming tiring. She was growing restless and even a little hungry. She grabbed some loose fitting and comfortable clothes and pulled her thick hair into a haphazard ponytail.
She walked into the dining room quickly, eager to get her food and go back to her room. As she was leaving with food in hand, she was startled to hear her name called from across the room. When she looked up, she saw Galinda waving at her excitedly. Elphaba cautiously made her way over, wary of who Galinda was sitting with. Avaric, the one boy that Elphaba could say she truly hated, was sitting with her popular roommate.
"Elphie! I'm so glad you're feeling better!" Galinda gushed, moving over so that Elphaba could sit in the booth too.
"Oh, so the green bean was sick?" Avaric sneered from across the table.
Elphaba glared at him and coughed in his direction. "Oops, excuse me," she said as insincerely as she could.
"Seriously, Cucumber, if you get me sick, I will come after you."
"Oh really? I'd like to see you try."
"Guys!" Galinda said, throwing her hands in the air. "Quit it! Let's just sit here and enjoy our dinner, okay?"
"Fine," Avaric said, turning moodily back to his food.
"Sorry about him, Elphie. He's just in a bad mood," Galinda apologized.
"No need for you to apologize, Galinda. I'd rather hear it from the horse's mouth," Elphaba said, looking pointedly in Avaric's direction.
"Ha ha," Avaric said sarcastically.
"Elphie! Avaric! Please!"
Elphaba shrugged and grabbed an apple from her tray. "So where's Fiyero?" she asked, sinking her teeth into the apple's flesh.
"He's coming. He had to grab something from his room. Then we're going to the Emerald City to see a play! Isn't that wonderful?" Galinda bounced.
"Is this the romantic evening he had planned?"
"Yep," Galinda grinned. "The only downside is that sourpuss here has to come." She stuck her thumb in Avaric's direction. Avaric merely snorted and turned his head away from the two girls.
"Why?"
"Well, because he got us discount tickets. He did have a date, but she cancelled on him, which is why he's so moodified."
"I see," Elphaba said, grinning wickedly to herself. So Avaric had finally met a girl with some sense. It was nice to know that someone had finally put the jerk in his place.
Fiyero walked up then, his suit causing many people's heads to turn as he walked by. Elphaba couldn't blame them; he looked…terrific. Elphaba stopped herself from noticing his appearance. If she continued thinking of him like that, she was going to be continuously disappointed. Better to forget that he was a good-looking, nice, smart, wonderful prince sooner rather than later.
"Hello, dearest!" Galinda cooed as Fiyero sat next to Avaric.
"Hi, Galinda," he said. "Elphaba! What are you doing here?"
"Eating dinner," Elphaba said between bites from her apple.
He chuckled. "I can see that. It's good to see you're feeling better." He looked at her, his eyes looking through her like they had done the night before at the Ozdust. Elphaba squirmed, uncomfortable with having so much attention. "So, are you coming with us?"
Avaric snorted loudly. "Yeah, right. Like I'd take Cucumber here to see Wizomania. I'm pretty sure they'd kick her out of the theater."
Elphaba sent him a glare. "I'm pretty sure they don't allow animals in the theater, but somehow you manage to get in."
Fiyero laughed, and Galinda giggled nervously. Before Avaric could retaliate, Galinda spoke up. "You guys really should try to get along. Why don't you invite Elphie, Avaric? You do have an extra ticket."
Avaric looked at her incredulously. "Are you serious? Invite Asparagus? You must be delusional. I won't sit by that monster all night. No way."
Elphaba felt her skin prickle. "And I wouldn't be caught dead with this ogre. Look, I think I'm going to go back upstairs. Have fun, Galinda, Fiyero."
"Bye, greenie!" Avaric said happily.
"Wait," Fiyero said, grabbing Elphaba's hand before she could walk away. "Avaric, why don't you sit by Galinda?"
"Fiyero," Galinda said, her features showing her confusion.
"Fiyero, you don't have to do that. I don't really want to go anyways," Elphaba said, trying to pull her hand away.
"You would sit by greenie and keep her away from me? Why?" Avaric asked.
"Well, because you have an extra ticket. And I know that Elphaba has always wanted to go to the Emerald City."
"But Fiyero! This is supposed to be a romantic evening! Avaric is already ruining it! I can't handle sitting by him all night!" Galinda wailed.
"She's right. I'll go to the City some other time. I really have to get back upstairs."
Fiyero gave her a look that she didn't quite understand before he reluctantly released her hand. She smiled at Galinda and scowled at Avaric before turning away from the group. She took a deep breath as she left the dining room. What was Fiyero thinking? And why did it secretly make Elphaba very happy?