I sighed and then said, "Glinda, I think I've got boy problems—someone here likes me and I think I like him, but if I don't, it will hurt him and if I do, I can't be with him, because of my status as the 'Wicked' Witch of the West." Glinda snickered and said, "Tell me everything, Elphie." I grinned and said, "Boy, have I missed that nickname." "Really?" she squealed. "Really—I don't let anyone, except for you, call me that." I informed her.
I led Glinda back to my room and sat down, beginning to tell her about the boy. "Okay, Glinda, have a seat. You can sit on my bed if you want." I told her. She smiled and flopped down, right next to me and said, "Start talking, Elphie." I grinned again and said, "Okay, remember that guy, I was fighting earlier, Alex?" "Yeah, what does he have to do with anything?" "He's the problem. He likes me, and I rejected him the first time I was here at Court, when I was eighteen—remember the story?" She nodded and I said, "Well, anyway, before you came, I made a serious slip and now he's convinced that I have feelings for him." "What did you say?" she asked. I sighed and said, "I said, 'Alex, I can't, not now. It's too dangerous. I won't be selfish and put you in danger...Okay, if I do have feelings for you, and I'm not saying I do. I'm just saying it wouldn't be fair to you for me to be selfish and be with you and make you be a hated person in Oz—make everyone want you dead.'" She nodded and said, "So, do you have feelings for him?" "Maybe," I said slowly. "I don't know, Glinda. Maybe I did, once. Maybe I still do. I'm not sure..."
Trailing off, I looked up to see Alex standing at the door. I grabbed a brush and heaved it at him, snarling, "Go away, Alex!" He walked over to me and said, "Now, Fabie, be reasonable." I scowled at him and pointed to the door. "Out!" I snapped. He rolled his eyes at me and, looking at Glinda, said, "Lady Glinda, may I ask your forgiveness for being so rude and not getting the whole story and basing my judgment of you only what I'd heard from everyone here at Court?" Glinda nodded and said, "I forgive you." Then they both looked at me and I said, "Okay, can you leave now, Alex?" He snickered and said, "So impatient to get rid of me, huh, Elphaba?"
I scowled and Glinda grinned and mouthed, "You like him." I glared at her and mouthed back, "Not helping." She giggled and motioned to Alex. He went over to her and she asked, "Do you want to make up for insulting me earlier?" "Yes, I would very much, Miss Glinda," he said. Glinda got up and whispered something in Alex's ear, as I just kept scowling. Pulling back, she said, "Stop scowling, Elphie. Your face will get stuck like that forever, and that would be hideodious." I glared at her and Alex left the room.
I sank back onto my bed and said, "OK, so I do like him. But, I don't want to hurt him—I can't do that—it was bad enough the first time..." "The first time?" she interrupted. "Sir Raoul of Goldenlake—he's my ex-boyfriend—we broke up after Doctor Dillamond was taken away." Glinda hugged me and said, "I'm sorry." "It's fine," I told her. "It wouldn't have worked out anyway. We were changing too much and I'm not that good with long-distance relationships—I was tired of constantly writing letters and wondering if my feelings were really the same." She smiled at me and said, "Elphie, there's this ball tonight and I was wondering could I give you a makeover?" I pulled away, stared at her, and didn't answer. Glinda, getting anxious, waved her hand back and forth in front of my face and called, "Elphie, earth to Elphie!" I grinned impishly at her and said, "Sure, Glinda, you can give me a makeover."
As Glinda was giving me my makeover, I saw her frown. "Elphie," she asked, "Didn't you ever get your ears pierced?" I shook my head and said, "I was a guy for eight years of my life, remember—during the time when most girls get their ears pierced." She grinned at me and left the room. "Glinda?" I called. "You're not finished—and I can't believe I'm saying this—you're not finished giving me my makeover." "I know," she called back. "I just need to talk to your mother." I groaned.
Glinda returned, leading Queen Lianne behind her. I sprang to my feet and quickly bowed to my mother. "Momma, what is it?" I asked. "Lady Glinda has informed that you do have your ears pierced. They shall be pierced today—take Glinda with you to see the healer I sent you to, when you first turned eleven." I nodded and said, "Yes, your Majesty."
Turning to Glinda, I grabbed her hand and said, "C'mon." I took Glinda straight to Mistress Cooper's house and knocked. "Mistress Cooper, this is Linda, my best friend—this other rich merchant's daughter—we grew up together and have been friends since the time we were two." I said. Glinda raised her eyebrows and I hissed, "Go with the story." She nodded and said, "Ella, here, never got her ears pierced and she'd like to get them pierced, today, please."
Mistress Cooper nodded and said, "Come in, both of you." We entered quickly and I said, "Okay, let's get my ears pierced already." Glinda grinned at me and we went and got my ears pierced. After my ears were pierced, I opened my eyes to see Mistress Cooper grinning at me. Scowling, I looked for Glinda. "Glinda?" I asked. "You fainted," she told me, before laughing hysterically.
I got up and returned to Court, along with Glinda. She finished giving my makeover, and left the room, again. I sighed and walked over to the mirror, studying my reflection looking for some familiar sign of me. I rolled my eyes and sat back on the bed. Glinda returned and said, "Um, Elphie?" I nodded and said, "What is it?" "I got this package for you—I told Duke Gareth I'd deliver it—it's from Alex." I took the package and slowly opened it—two beautiful emerald earrings was in it. I shook my head and said, "Oh, I've got to thank him, right away." She hugged and said, "Not yet—I'm not done yet." She carefully put the earrings in my ears and said, "Finished." I walked back over to the mirror and said, "I look..." "Beautiful," she finished. "I was going to say great, but beautiful works too." I told her. She hugged and said, "See you tonight at the ball." I grinned weakly back at her and said, "Where are you going?" "To get changed, and then you're going to escort me into the ballroom, tonight." she told me.
I nodded, anxiously. She hugged and said, "Sit on the bed, before you start freaking out on me, Elphie." I nodded wordlessly, sitting on my bed.