Question 5: Tell your partner a secret.

Nessa frowned at her notebook, as though if she stared hard enough at the words the question might change.

"What's wrong?" Galinda asked.

"I don't know if I have a secret," Nessa admitted. "I wouldn't know what to say."

"Would you like me to go first?" Galinda offered excitedly. "I have a wonderful secret!"

Nessa looked surprised, curious and grateful all at once as she nodded.

"Sure."

Galinda's face was alight as she leaned towards Nessa conspiratorially. She looked around carefully to see if anyone was within earshot, before speaking. There was a sense of déjà vu as she echoed the words she had confided to the older Thropp sister just not much more than a week ago.

"Fiyero and I are going to be married!"

Nessa was as surprised as her sister had been, and unknowingly gave the same response as her sister.

"He's asked you already?"

"Well, he doesn't know yet," Galinda admitted, slightly less giddy than she had been when she had confessed the same to Elphaba.

"But I just know it's true. We're so perfect together!"

Nessa gave an awkward smile. "You are," she agreed. "I'm sure you'd make a wonderful Vinkun princess."

Galinda giggled at the idea. "That's every girl's dream, isn't it?"

"To be a princess? I don't know. I'm quite happy simply to be Governor one day. And I somehow can't imagine Elphaba ever dreaming about being a princess."

Galinda laughed too.

"No, I can't imagine that either," she agreed. "Alright, Nessa. It's your turn. Can you think of something? It doesn't have to be anything big. Or if you do... you can confide in me. I promise. I won't tell anyone."

Somehow, Nessa believed her. Maybe it was the fact that Elphaba was friends with the blonde, and Elphaba was known for being a people person. Nessa could never remember Elphaba having any friends before, so the fact she had formed a friendship with Galinda spoke volumes to Nessarose.

And as much as Nessa loved her sister, there were things she couldn't say to her. Because although Elphaba would comfort her and reassure her, it wouldn't mean anything. Elphaba was her older sister, it was practically her job to comfort her... and what did Elphaba know about these things anyway?

"I don't think Boq likes me as much as I like him," Nessa said softly, lowering her gaze. "I mean, he's sweet and he's nice to me, but... I don't think he cares about me as much as I first thought."

"Oh Nessa, that's ridiculous!" Galinda said immediately, squishing down a wave of guilt.

"I'm sure Bick... Boq is crazy about you! Besides, you're beautiful and sweet. He's lucky to have you. Why would he be dating you if he didn't care about you?"

Nessa forced a smile. In her mind, "beautiful and sweet" was all very well, but she knew there was one reason why Boq would be with her. Pity. She got it all the time- for having no mother, for having Elphaba as a sister, for being stuck in this chair. And she suspected it was the latter that kept Boq with her, if he truly didn't care for her the way she did for him.

Nessa couldn't help but feel if she could walk, if she could be better, more independent, more... like Galinda, she and Boq could be happy. Sometimes Nessa felt like he was with her out of pity, or obligation. Like the fact she couldn't walk meant she wouldn't be able to take the truth, if he didn't... if he couldn't love her.

"I don't think it is enough," she said quietly.

Galinda looked at her thoughtfully, then looked at the last thing written in the notebook where the assignment was outlined and had an idea.

"Let's go."

"Go where?" Nessa frowned.

"You'll see," Galinda said mysteriously.


The costume room was silent.

Five words hung heavy in the air. Tell your partner a secret.

In Elphaba's mind, she had already shared far too much with Fiyero, and wasn't eager to have to say anything else. And Fiyero just wasn't sure what to say. Elphaba wasn't his first choice to confide in. Even if they had found some common ground.

But he knew enough by now to know that Elphaba wasn't going to give up anything before he did. He supposed it was self-defence, so if anything she said was used against her, she had some leverage over him. Even though Fiyero was pretty sure she'd be able to kick his ass, especially if she used magic.

"So, I'll go first, shall I?"

Even from across the room, Elphaba looked uncomfortably tense to him.

"We can just skip this one," she said quietly.

Fiyero raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Come on, Thropp. It doesn't have to be that big deal. Just something little."

"I don't have any secrets," Elphaba said bluntly, lying through her teeth.

Fiyero doubted that. "Elphaba, seriously. Just something."

"Why is this so important to you?" she demanded suspiciously. "I should think you'd be thrillified to skip part of the assignment."

Fiyero faltered momentarily. "I... I don't know. I just don't think it's that big of a drama, sharing secrets. Any of this. And... it hasn't been that bad so far, right? The assignment. As far as school work goes, I mean. And like I said, I don't think Dillamond is expecting deep, dark secrets. Just something. You must have something that can count."

Elphaba crossed her arms and said nothing, avoiding his gaze.

"Fine, I'll tell you one of my secrets and if you don't want to share, that's fine. I don't care."

"If you don't care why are you telling me one of yours?" Elphaba asked quietly.

Fiyero didn't know what to say.

"Maybe because this assignment hasn't been that bad. Getting to know you hasn't been that bad," he admitted. "And maybe even if I had a little secret, I feel I can trust you with it."

She finally looked at him. "A little secret? What is a little secret in your mind?"

Fiyero thought about that, deciding exactly what to tell her. Finally, he decided on something that probably wouldn't surprise her, but he hadn't actually ever told anyone before. Which was the definition of a secret, right?

"I don't want to be king."

Elphaba raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You don't want to be king?! What do you mean?"

He chuckled. "What do you think it means? I don't want to be king."

"But... why?!"

Fiyero found it quite funny how hard she was apparently finding to comprehend this. But he didn't let it show, in case she got mad. Because mad Elphaba... was actually scary. Not that he would ever admit that.

He shrugged. "Doesn't seem like fun."

She stared at him. "It doesn't seem like fun?!"

"Are you just going to repeat everything I say in incredulous tones?"

Her eyes narrowed, so he hastily moved on.

"Look, I just... all I'm saying is being king is not what I would choose to do."

"I'm pretty sure the point of being royalty is that you don't have a choice," Elphaba retorted.

"Which is my point," Fiyero countered.

Elphaba fell silent, remembering their earlier discussion about their futures.

"You could do so much good as king. Really make a difference."

"See, you mean "could" as in I will have the power to make a difference. Not the ability to make a difference."

"How do you know what I mean?" Elphaba demanded.

Fiyero looked at her in interest.

"Well, which is it? How do you mean it?"

Elphaba studied him for a long time, until he felt really uncomfortable under her gaze.

"Both."

He frowned. "Seriously?"

He'd quite often had the "you have the power to do good" speech before, but he didn't think he'd ever met someone who believed he had the ability to do good. That he would personally be able to make a difference because of who he was a person and not just his title.

"Of course you're going to have the power to make a difference, which you shouldn't take lightly. So many people have the ability to make a difference but don't have the power to do so. But you have to choose to use that power. But yes... I think you have the ability to make a difference and do good. Or you could have. If you focus and stop with this Dancing Through Life crap."

Fiyero let the dig at his life philosophy slide.

"Well, you're one of a few people who actually think that then. OK, so are you going to tell me anything or not? You don't have to."

Elphaba fell silent, so Fiyero figured she wasn't going to say anything.

"You were wrong, you know."

"I'm shocked. What was I wrong about?" he asked.

"Earlier. When you said nothing gets to me. You're wrong."

Fiyero said nothing, not sure what the right thing to say was.

Elphaba still wasn't looking at him, just vaguely in his direction.

"All the names people call me. They hurt. I'm used to them, but they still hurt. I just refuse to give them the satisfaction of knowing I care."

Fiyero knew enough to know that in Elphaba's mind, this was a huge secret. She was, in a way, giving up some of her power.

He remembered what he and Galinda had mentioned the night they watched Elphaba dance by herself in the middle of the OzDust.

"I'll say this much for her- she doesn't give a twig what anyone else thinks."

"Of course she does. She just pretends not to."

"Well... it works. And I think... you shouldn't have to be used to it. They're just jerks... and I'm probably one of them," he realised as an afterthought, cringing slightly and feeling guilty.

Elphaba smirked slightly. "There are worse ones than you. If "green girl" is the worst insult you can come up with, I think you have bigger issues."

Fiyero rolled his eyes, but he did surprisingly feel better.

Then he looked at her with a grin, and a look in his eye Elphaba didn't like.

"I have an idea for your photo."


By this time, Avaric was halfway through his third beer, and Boq was really over this.

"Tell your partner a secret," he read aloud, not really sure if Avaric was listening or was going to answer.

There was a pause and then Avaric belched.

"I am awesome."

Boq blinked. "Erm... ok."

"That's my secret," Avaric explained.

Boq frowned. "I don't think that... you know what, fine," he sighed, giving up. "That's great. Great secret."

Avaric glanced over at him. "What's yours? That you're in love with Galinda?"

The Munchkin boy gaped at him, even as his face turned bright red.

"What?!"

How could Avaric know that was what Boq had been thinking of?

"Although," Avaric continued, draining his beer bottle. "I don't think that counts. Because that's not a secret to anyone. Except your crippled fake girlfriend."

"Don't talk like that about Nessarose," Boq said in annoyance.

Avaric raised an eyebrow. "What? Crippled? Because she is. Or your fake girlfriend? Because she's that too."

"No-" Boq tried to defend himself.

"Really?" Avaric asked sceptically.

Boq hesitated. "Look, it's complicated."

"What's complicated?" Avaric demanded. "You have the hots for Galinda, right? Which, you know, I get, because she's a babe. But you know she's way out of your league, right?"

Boq spluttered, but Avaric didn't wait for an answer before continuing.

"So, now you're with the Thropp girl- the non-green one."

"Nessarose," Boq interrupted weakly.

"Whatever. And even though she's probably just as hot as Galinda, she's more in your league because of the cripple thing. But you still want Galinda. So the question is, why are you still with the cripple instead of making a move on Galinda?"

"I don't want to hurt Nessarose," Boq admitted. "She's really nice. And besides, Galinda's with Fiyero. She doesn't even know I exist. She doesn't even know my name."

"Sure she does, Bick," Avaric said dismissively.

"It's Boq," Boq corrected him wearily.

"Whatever. But if you want my advice-"

"I really, really don't."

"- You should dump the girl. Tiggular isn't known for long relationships so Galinda will be free sooner or later. And if she does become single and you're still with the other girl, it will all blow up in your face," Avaric predicted.

"You... you think I have a chance with Galinda?" Boq asked hopefully.

Avaric scoffed. "No. But it'll be hilarious to watch."

Boq slumped in his seat. "Oh. Great. Thanks for that."

Avaric grinned. "No worries. It's all part of my awesomeness."

Boq managed a grimace in reply.