Chapter Six: Practice Makes Perfect

"You're really going to do this?" Glinda asked, hands on her hips. They were about to meet the group for dinner. Fiyero was going to be at their door any moment to walk with them.

"Yes. Glinda, I know you don't approve. But think of the situation he's in. It's unfair. This gives him a chance at his own life, and it gives me a way to irritate my father. It's a win-win situation."

"Have you told Nessa? Nanny?"

"No. I figure they'll figure it out tonight just like everyone else."

"They will not appreciate that."

"That's not my concern. I don't know what I'm doing, Glinda. I need someone to back me up, so I'd feel better if he's there to lie about it with me." A knock came at the door. "That would be him. Look, I get that you think it's crazy, but be nice to him, will you?"

"Why do you care?" The blonde demanded.

"Because he's still my friend." She opened the door. "Good evening, Fiyero."

Glinda stood beside her. "Yes, good evening, Fiyero." She rolled her eyes.

"She thinks we're crazy." Elphaba told him.

"We might be." He laughed. "Glinda, you can at least understand why I'm doing this, right?"

"Perhaps. Now, if the two of you are going to act like a couple, you might want to practice in front of me first." She examined the two of them. "Fiyero, take Elphaba's hand."

Elphaba tried to ignore the way she felt her body warm when he grasped her hand. "Is that good enough?" She asked.

"Not like that. If you two really liked one another, you'd intertwine your fingers." Glinda held her hands in front of her and demonstrated for them.

Fiyero slipped his fingers between hers. "Better?"

"Yes. Now, you don't have to do that the whole night, but on occasion. Or maybe you could just put your hand over hers once in a while. You'll sit next to one another, of course. And Elphaba, don't look like that. You look like, well, a fish out of water, if you'll excuse me for saying so. Smile at him, would you? And look into his eyes once in a while, not at the floor. He's got the look down. You don't."

She gazed up at him and gave him a small smile, mumbling. "Maybe you should've picked someone who knows what they're doing."

"Still not quite right, Elphie." Glinda chided across the room.

"I think I picked the right girl," he said quietly so Glinda wouldn't hear.

"That's kind of you." She murmured, trying hard to hold his eyes with her own.

"That's it. You've got it, Elphaba." Glinda said, "You look convincing now."

Elphaba wasn't sure exactly what she'd been doing that changed, but she supposed she'd get the hang of this eventually. "Can we please go now, then?"

The three of them walked in silence to the cafe which only made Elphaba more keenly aware of how small her hand felt in his, how sweaty her palms must be. She wondered if he noticed. And then she wondered why she cared. As they approached the door, he pulled her away from Glinda's prying eyes. "This is your last chance to back out, Elphaba."

She almost did. Every part of her was screaming that this was the most ridiculous thing she had ever done and she should put a stop to it before it became a complete disaster, but she couldn't bear the disappointment that would bring to him, already imagining the sadness in his eyes. "Let's do this, Fiyero."

Glinda was already seated when they got inside to the group, and she watched them critically. Elphaba wasn't certain she liked Glinda analyzing her every move. She turned and looked at Fiyero, who was giving her a dopey grin that she couldn't help but think was the slightest bit endearing.

"What is this?" Tibbett asked, gesturing to the couple.

"What does it look like?" Fiyero replied. He must be as uncomfortable with outright lying as she was, and that was going to cause a problem if they didn't get used to it fast.

"Fabala?" Nessa raised her eyebrows at her older sister as Elphaba and Fiyero took seats next to each other and he finally dropped her hand. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

She could feel blood rushing to her cheeks, but she thought that maybe blushing wouldn't hurt in this situation. "Fiyero and I got to talking one day and it just happened."

"We've been spending a little time together," he added. "I like it."

So far neither one of them had directly lied. Nessa merely shook her head. "We'll talk more about this another time."

Nanny didn't say a word and sat there staring at the two of them with some sort of confusion.

"Fiyero, you can do better." Avaric commented.

"I beg to differ." Fiyero replied, putting his hand over hers on the table. She tried not to jump when he did.

"I think it's cute," Glinda said with finality. "If they like each other, let them be. We don't go around harassing you and Shen-Shen, Avaric."

Crope studied them for a moment. "I can see it."

"Um, thanks?" Elphaba wasn't sure what that meant.

Everyone laughed and the topic was dropped for the rest of the evening.

When they finished eating, Fiyero walked her home - accompanied by Glinda of course. As soon as everyone else was out of earshot, he asked Glinda, "How'd we do?"

"Not bad. I might have bought it if I didn't know better. You two actually do make a cute couple." She shrugged. "Elphaba, you're probably in for a long talk with Nessa and Nanny, though."

"I know." She wrinkled her nose. "I'll handle it."

"They won't be happy about this, will they?" Fiyero asked.

"No, they won't. To be honest, it's part of the reason I'm doing this. My father's reaction is going to be the worst, actually. He wants me to find a man, of course, but I'm pretty sure he would prefer if that man were Munchkin or Gillikinese and worshipped the Unnamed God."

"So you are getting something out of this." He observed.

"Yes. I'm showing my father, for the millionth time, that I don't do what he wants me to do. I also think I'll be relieved when the nagging about acting marriageable and courtship stops." She stopped as she unlocked their door.

Fiyero followed them inside for a quick moment. "I'm glad this helps you, too, I guess. It makes a little more sense now why you agreed."

"Not to me," Glinda muttered, though Elphaba could tell Fiyero hadn't heard.

"Anyway," she said quickly, "later this week in your room?"

"Yes." He bit his lip for a moment. "I think this is going to work out just fine."

"I'll admit I wasn't so sure it would," she told him.

"Neither was I. But like I said, I chose the right girl."

Glinda snorted from the other side of the room.

"I'd better get going. I'll see you after class on Wednesday, then." He kissed her on the cheek and she flinched. "Just practicing." And then he was gone.

Elphaba shut the door behind him and glared at her roommate. "Stop giving me that look."

But Glinda merely shook her head in disdain. "You know, I was going to try, one more time, to talk you out of this ridiculous ploy. But looking at you now, Elphie, I can tell there's no point. You are already in way too deep."