Ten
Elphaba sighed wearily as she studied her reflection in the staff bathroom mirror of Identity. She had just finished a six hour opening shift, and was just freshening up before running off to Shiz for her afternoon classes.
Elphaba didn't like Tuesdays, even if it did give her the opportunity to get a morning shift before classes. She much preferred to have her classes in the mornings, when her brain was at its freshest.
But Elphaba wasn't really in the mood to work this morning, or even to go to class. She suspected she might be coming down with a cold or the flu. She had been exhausted for days, and it taken her twenty minutes to find the energy to get out of bed that morning. She'd felt dizzy her whole shift, and wasn't feeling much better now. Elphaba was pretty sure it was just a sign she needed to eat something, but she would have no time before her class began.
Tiredly, she untied her apron and took it off. She had a headache, and so she untied the bun her hair was in, hoping to relieve some pressure on her scalp. Running a hand through her hair, she lightly massaged her head.
"You off to class?" Ankita asked, coming into the bathroom.
Elphaba nodded. "Yeah. I was just wondering whether I'd have time to change before I go, but I don't think so."
Ankita did a small double take on her way to a cubicle and frowned at Elphaba. "Have you lost weight?"
"Just a little. Mid-term stress, I think," Elphaba shrugged.
It was more than a little, as best as she could figure, she'd lost about ten pounds in the past few weeks. But she figured it was nothing, she had been busy lately and mid-terms had taken a lot out of her.
"Bye," she said to Ankita, and left the bathroom.
Elphaba hurried to the campus as fast as she could, mindful of the time, and made it to the classroom with mere minutes to spare. Feeling dizzy again, she sank into the first available seat near the door, and took deep breaths.
"Hey, Fae," Fiyero greeted her as he walked into the room and past her seat.
Elphaba was surprised he was in class, but didn't have time to question it before he was out of earshot.
"Hey, Fae," mimicked Cailean as he followed Fiyero.
"Lady Fae," Fyonn tipped an imaginary hat at her as he passed.
Elphaba rolled her eyes, and said nothing. She focused her energy on organising her notebook and pen so that she was ready for when Dr Dillamond arrived and began the lecture.
With just over a minute to go, Galinda and her friends entered the room and headed to the seats where they usually sat. Elphaba happened to catch Galinda's eye as the blonde walked past, and the blonde regarded her coldly before walking off. Elphaba had never been more sick of Galinda's attitude than she had been in the past few weeks. She was tired of her condescending "I'm better than everyone" mind-set, and the way she looked at Elphaba as though she were dirt.
But since Galinda and Fiyero had broken up, Elphaba had to admit something had changed. Galinda seemed to have a new strategy- a mixture of ignoring Elphaba, and glaring at her furiously as though Elphaba was to blame for Fiyero ending their relationship. Elphaba's only clue as to why this could be was the thought that perhaps Galinda had had an issue with Elphaba and Fiyero doing an assignment together, but Elphaba still wasn't sure how that made the end of their relationship her fault.
Elphaba usually enjoyed history, but the day's lecture dragged by. Elphaba could think of nothing else except going back to the crapartment and having a nap, she had absolutely no energy.
"Hey, Elphaba? Do you want to get a coffee?" Nessarose called out to her, wheeling up to her as students began filing out the door and Elphaba was packing her things away.
"Not today, thanks. I've got things to do," Elphaba explained.
Boq smiled. "No problem. See you later."
"Bye."
Elphaba stood up from her seat, and closed her eyes briefly as a wave of vertigo hit her once more. She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed out the door, intending to head home. As she walked down the hall, she passed Galinda and her friends. And once again, the blonde was staring daggers at Elphaba. And this time, Elphaba snapped.
"What is your problem?" she snapped, striding up to her.
Galinda appeared genuinely taken aback. "Excuse me?"
"I get it, you hate me," Elphaba said hotly. "You're better than me, prettier, more popular, whatever. I'm over it. But I'm not here to torture you, or to make your life miserable. I'm just here. So, whatever your issue is, deal with it."
Galinda stared at her for a moment, then narrowed her eyes. "No, you're here to make everyone's lives miserable, aren't you?"
Then she swept away, followed by Pfannee, Shen-Shen and Milla.
"Can you believe the nerve of her?" Pfannee exclaimed as they headed down the stairs.
"Just attacking you in public like that!" Shen-Shen added.
Galinda nodded in agreement, although her mind was elsewhere. Abruptly, there was a large thud from behind them and several people gasped. Galinda turned to see what the fuss was about, and jumped aside with an involuntary shriek as a green and black blur passed her.
With her heart beating wildly in her chest, Galinda held a hand up to her throat as her brain caught up with what her eyes were seeing. Elphaba was lying unconscious at the foot of the stairs, with blood oozing down her face.
"Oh my Oz!" Milla whispered, sounding as shaken as Galinda felt.
It had all happened so fast, Galinda could only stand there as the Munchkin boy- what was his name? Bick? Boq, rushed over from where he had been standing with Nessarose.
"Elphaba?" he asked worriedly, kneeling down next to her.
"What happened?" Milla asked a boy standing nearby.
"She was coming down the stairs and then she just… fell," he shrugged.
"You mean she tripped?" Pfannee sniggered.
"No, she fell," another girl chimed in. "I think she fainted."
Nessarose suddenly appeared next to Elphaba's prone figure, with Dr Behn.
"This is boring," Shen-Shen announced. "Can we go?"
It took Galinda a moment to tear her eyes away from the scene before them. "Sure, let's go to my room," she suggested.
As the girls headed towards Galinda's dorm room, they didn't give Elphaba a second thought. Well, some of them didn't.
For all those people who didn't like Elphaba, the news of her collapse spread hastily across campus. But it was still an hour before the news reached Fiyero, who had escaped the buildings as soon as Dr Dillamond dismissed them and hurried with Cailean and Fyonn to the Wilted Rose for coffee, so that Fyonn could chat up the cute barista who was due to start her shift at the same time as class ended.
As they sat there drinking their coffees, and watching Fyonn make a fool of himself trying to gain the barista girl's attention, a group of students entered, all chattering excitedly about something.
"What's the goss?" Cailean called out to them, and Fiyero shook his head hopelessly.
Honestly, Cailean was worse than half of the girls on campus when it came to gossip. He knew all the latest gossip and rumours- those that he hadn't started himself, of course.
"The green girl collapsed," a girl answered Cailean's question, and Fiyero's smile faded.
Elphaba had collapsed? For there was only one green girl, there was no one else it could be.
"What happened? Where is she?" he asked, leaning over too.
The girl shrugged. "I don't know. Dr Benh got an ambulance; I guess she's at the hospital."
"When was this?" Cailean demanded, outraged he had missed the scene.
"About an hour ago."
"Damn Fyonn," Cailean pouted. "If we didn't have to rush over here after class, we would have seen it!"
"Yeah, that's the awful part," Fiyero agreed sarcastically. Then he stood up. "I'm going to go to the hospital. See what I can find out."
"Good idea," Cailean agreed. "Let me know what happens, will you?"
Fiyero rolled his eyes and left the cafe.
Fiyero could admit he was worried about Elphaba. What could have happened to cause her to collapse? But it was only when he was nearly at the hospital he realised a problem- the hospital would not give out any information to non-family members. And Elphaba was an orphan. His best hope was that a teacher was with her, who would be able to tell him something.
But he was surprised as he headed towards the room number the nurse in the lobby had given him, and saw Nessarose and Boq in the waiting room.
"Fiyero?" Nessarose frowned when she saw him approaching, looking surprised.
Fiyero couldn't blame her, but chose to ignore it. "Hi. How's Elphaba? What happened?"
Boq and Nessa exchanged a glance before Boq answered. "She fainted. She fell down the stairs and cut her head. The doctor stitched it up, six stitches but he says it's along her hairline so the scar won't be too visible."
"But why did she faint?" Fiyero pressed.
Nessarose looked saddened as she replied. "The doctor said she was showing early signs of malnutrition and possible pneumonia. They're wondering if she has an eating disorder."
Fiyero was stunned for a moment. Then, abruptly, he recalled what Elphaba had said that day in her apartment. "Call me crazy but if there's a choice about paying my bills and decorating the place, I'm going to go with the bills." His heart sank as he wondered just how often Elphaba had had to make the same decision between bills and food.
"She doesn't have an eating disorder," he said quietly. "She's broke."
Nessa looked horrified. "What? But... she works... so much."
"Yeah, and how well do you think being a waitress pays?" Fiyero retorted. "It's what? Minimum wage and tips? And that has to cover her rent, bills, living expenses, school stuff and food?"
There was silence for a moment. "Why wouldn't she say anything?" Boq wondered aloud.
"Why would she?" Fiyero pointed out.
Then he thought of something else. "Wait, how did you find all this out? Is there a teacher here?"
Nessa blushed. "No, I... I said Elphaba was my sister. We didn't think they'd tell anything to a non-family member."
"And we figured it was more likely Nessa was a relative than I was," Boq chimed in.
"And they believed you?" Fiyero asked, impressed.
"At first I think they weren't sure, but only because I'm... I'm not green," Nessarose admitted. "But I convinced them."
"So, is she awake?" Fiyero questioned, but Nessarose shook her head.
"No, she's sleeping. Should I tell the doctors? That she doesn't have an eating disorder?"
Fiyero hesitated, and then shook his head. "I don't know. It might raise more questions about why she's suffering, but you're not. If you're supposedly sisters and all."
Boq agreed with Fiyero. "Plus, all they're doing is getting nutrients and food into her now."
"They want her to talk to a psychologist," Nessarose reminded him.
The Munchkin shrugged. "That might do Elphaba some good. To have someone to talk to. It can't hurt anyway."
"Although you might want to fill Elphaba in on the 'sister' thing before then," Fiyero chimed in helpfully.
"Oh yeah... I guess that would help," Boq agreed.
"Are you guys sticking around?"
"I am," Nessarose replied. "Boq has a class in an hour."
"I thought I'd stop in at Identity on my way back, and let them know what's going on," Boq added.
"Would you let Elphaba know I came to see her? Tell her I'll come by tomorrow," Fiyero asked.
Nessa nodded. "Sure. I was going to ask her if she'd like me to get some things for her. Although I'm not sure where she lives..."
"I know!" Fiyero offered. "I could get some stuff, and bring it with me tomorrow?"
"That'd be great," Nessarose said gratefully. "I'll get you her key, it's in her bag."
Nessa wheeled herself away and Boq turned to Fiyero.
"So, why are you here? I didn't know you and Elphaba were friends."
"I didn't know you and Elphaba were friends," Fiyero retorted, deflecting the question.
"We've hung out a few times," Boq shrugged. "Nessa and I figured we were as close to friends as Elphaba had. And we were worried. The way she fell... it was scary," he admitted.
Fiyero and Boq left together, and Fiyero decided to go with Boq to Identity.
"Why?" he asked suspiciously.
"Their cheesecake is really good," Fiyero deadpanned in reply.
Boq gave a half-shrug. Their cheesecake was really good.
"Hi, can we speak to the manager, please?" Boq asked the first waitress he saw as they entered.
"And I'll have a piece of cheesecake, please," Fiyero grinned at her charmingly.
Boq shot him an exasperated look, but then added in a low voice, "Make that two, please."
"Sure," the waitress nodded, and hurried away.
It wasn't long before a man came out and introduced himself as the manager.
"Can I help you gentlemen?"
Fiyero answered before Boq could. "We're friends with Elphaba. There was an incident at Shiz today, she fainted."
Alun looked concerned. "Is she alright?"
"She's in the hospital, at least overnight," Boq replied. "We thought we should come tell you in case she was supposed to work tomorrow."
"I don't understand, she worked this morning and she seemed fine," Alun frowned.
Boq and Fiyero exchanged a look, unsure how to answer. "We're not really sure," Fiyero lied eventually.
They had discussed it briefly on the way, and debated whether to tell them the real reason. Fiyero didn't think Elphaba would be too keen about them knowing the truth.
"I appreciate you coming to let us know," Alun said as he left.
"No worries," Boq said politely.
As Alun excused himself and left, he looked at Fiyero. "I'm going back to the hospital afterwards to see Elphaba and get Nessa. You don't want to come?"
Fiyero did, but he shook his head. "No, thanks. I'll let her rest; we don't want to crowd her with too many visitors. I'll just see her tomorrow."
Boq agreed. But they never imagined who would go visit Elphaba that night.