Author's Note: Iam sorry it has been a bit longer than usual. I don't know how many of you are aware of where I live. I live in the US. As many of you probably know, this week my country elected a racist, sexist, bigoted rapist to the presidency. You probably won't be hearing anything good about my country for the next four years. I'm sorry for anything he does or says. I didn't vote for him.
Chapter 17: Shiz, the Next Week
"Oooh! Look at you!"
Elphaba resisted the urge to roll her eyes for what must've been the tenth time that evening. "It's just a dress and a little make-up, Glinda." She felt silly, in truth. No pretty ruffles, no amount of paint on her eyes or her cheeks could conceal her strangeness, her otherness. The dress was heavy and stiff, and she wasn't even certain she could walk around like this.
All week, she'd considered if she should just tell Boq she'd changed her mind. This dance was a bad idea. It wouldn't hide her illicit marriage, only draw attention to her. Besides, she didn't much care to do what Fiyero wanted, anyway. Why did pleasing him matter? She had the strongest urge to tear the dress off, rip it to pieces, and refuse to leave the room when Boq arrived to escort her.
But she stood in front of the mirror nonetheless, not able to look directly at it. Glinda fussed about her, flitting from place to place in her own dress. Elphaba took a heavy breath and stared at her feet. At least she'd been able to find comfortable shoes that Glinda had accepted. She frowned, wondering if she'd be expected to dance.
"Elphie? Are you well? You know, you've been a little down the past week or so. I thought perhaps you'd just been having a bad day or two, but you're not the same. What's wrong?"
She had dreaded this question, had worked hard to make certain Glinda wouldn't ask. But apparently, she hadn't hid it well enough. Nothing was wrong, not really. Things had simply changed with Fiyero. Reality had hit her. She never should've let reality go in the first place, anyway. There was nothing bad about reality, necessarily. She wasn't upset about it, or sad. In fact, it was for the best. Still, she hadn't wanted to go into detail with her roommate this time. If she lied, however, Glinda only had to touch her to know it. "We don't have time for this conversation," she said carefully. "The dance starts soon, and there's no use getting ourselves all worked up." How foolish that sounded!
It worked, though. "That's probably best. But we will talk about it. I promise."
She bit her freshly colored lip. "Right." She'd have to start thinking of an answer that sounded credible, one Glinda wouldn't question. But she'd have to make it through this ridiculous dance, first. Fiyero would be there, watching her, and she didn't think she could stand his pathetic needy glances. While they'd been still angry at one another when they'd last spoken, she'd caught him looking at her across the lecture hall in life sciences, and he didn't seem mad. Elphaba shook her head. She didn't care if he was mad!
There was a fierce knock at the door, and Glinda bounced up and grabbed for it. Crope and Boq stood there. Crope was Glinda's closest male friend, and he was Gillikinese. Of course, it was obvious Crope was not exactly attracted to women, but bringing a date of the same gender would be frowned upon at this dance, and he'd asked Glinda if she'd care to go with him. Glinda, now less focused on finding an eligible bachelor than she had been at the beginning of the school year, set out to do this favor for her friend.
Both young men carried corsages for their dates, their boutonniere's already fasted to their shabby suits. Under Nanny's watchful eye, Glinda let both men step inside. Nessa had pulled into the room, as well. She wasn't going to the dance - had managed to get a waiver because of her disability. Elphaba was secretly jealous of this, and hated herself because of it.
"Good evening, Elphaba," Boq said, his voice slightly higher than usual. He thrust the corsage out in front of him.
She held out her wrist and helped him attach it as she heard Glinda and Crope muttering faintly in the background. Elphaba took a deep breath and closed her eyes, reminding herself that this would be over by the end of the night and it wouldn't be awful. "Good evening, Boq." She had forced smiles before, but never as much as this. Her face hurt and she felt uneasy.
As she, Glinda, Boq and Crope walked towards the large lecture hall that was to be their ballroom for the evening, her thoughts turned to Fiyero again, though she didn't want them to. She found herself wondering what he'd be wearing, what he would think of her dress… no! Elphaba shook her head violently. She didn't care.
"Everything well, Elphie?" Glinda asked, noticing her bizarre action.
"I'm fine, thank you."
"I'm very excited for tonight," Boq commented. "We're going to have a great time."
"Of course," Elphaba replied mechanically.
Glinda shot her a look. "I think we'll all have a lovely time. I just hope I don't spill anything on my brand new dress. That always seems to happen to me," she pouted.
Crope laughed. "Maybe we ought to get you a bib, then. Although I don't suppose that's very fashionable."
She clasped tightly at the skirt of her dress, attempting not to trip over it. One night, she kept repeating in her head. Just one night. As they walked into the lecture hall, she was still thinking it, ignoring the mindless chatter of her peers.
Tables were set up with mint colored table cloths all around the lecture hall that usually held those ridiculously uncomfortable desks with the tiny metallic chairs attached. Candles adorned each table, and a space had been cleared in the center of the room for dancing. Musicians played towards the front of the room, and Morrible was there to greet them as they walked in.
"Miss Elphaba, Master Boq, how good to see you. I see old friendships can blossom, no?" Her face wrinkled into a toothy smile.
"We're…" Elphaba stopped herself before correcting the woman, who had already moved on to greeting Glinda and Crope. The more people who thought there was something going on between she and Boq, the better, right?
Glinda nudged her shoulder and she followed where she was told. They ended up at a table that seated six. The four of them sat along with Avaric and Shen-Shen. At the table next to them, Pfanee sat with an older boy whose name Elphaba didn't know. Tibbet and Fiyero were there chatting amicably, as neither one of them had brought a date. The other two chairs at that table were empty. As they sat down, Fiyero looked up at her for a brief moment, but quickly turned his head away.
There were a few couples shyly attempting to dance at the center of the room, and it made Elphaba queasy just to think about. She'd have to dance with Boq, wouldn't she? How awkward would that be, with this fumbling, bumbling boy who would likely step on her feet? She shuddered.
"Well, Miss Elphaba, you almost look normal," Avaric remarked.
Shen-Shen smacked him playfully on the arm. "He's not being snarky, I promise," she insisted. "You do look nice, Miss Elphaba."
She didn't believe it, but spared a quick, "Thank you, I guess."
There was a clatter from the table next to them and she turned to see Fiyero had spilled a glass of water all over the table and himself. His cheeks darkened and he muttered something that she couldn't hear over the music.
Glinda leaned over, "He probably got a look at you in that dress and was so stunned." She whispered into Elphaba's ear, grinning coyly.
And Elphaba couldn't help admitting to herself that she enjoyed the way he looked, though she preferred seeing him as she usually did, hair tousled, muscles coated in a thin sheen of sweat, naked… She glared at Glinda. "Stop that." Elphaba wasn't sure if she was talking to Glinda to to her imagination. These thoughts were no good. She and Fiyero wouldn't even be at the inn this weekend because of this dance. It was Saturday night. Her father had understood, when she'd explained the plan and why she needed to attend. He'd praised her for her genius, though she insisted the whole time that it wasn't her idea, but Fiyero's.
And in that moment, she felt his eyes on her again. Each time she looked, however, he wasn't staring. Was she imagining it? Maybe he didn't even care that she was there. After all, she didn't care that he was present, did she? No, of course not. This was ridiculous!
Decided, she stood up and looked at Boq. "Let's dance."
Everyone at their table and the table beside them stared at her, shocked that she'd be the first to suggest such a thing. After recovering from his surprise, Boq stood. "Why not?" He smiled at her. "We're going to be expected to, after all." Bowing, he took her hand gingerly in his.
She noticed how sweaty his palms were, and tried not to yank her hand away. The two of them walked hastily to the dance floor, and stood awkwardly for a moment. Elphaba was regretting doing this and was wondering how to put it off for another hour when Boq hesitantly placed a hand on her waist. She stilled a shudder at the unwelcome touch.
Suddenly, she saw FIyero get up and walk out of the lecture hall. Good. This would be easier without his constant and obnoxious staring. Elphaba placed a hand delicately on Boq's shoulder, and her other hand stayed in his as they began to fumble around the dance floor.
Even Elphaba had been given dance training, and she'd been constantly reminded not to stare at her own feet. But that was exactly what she did, in unending fear of tripping over the clumsy boy in front of her. And it was difficult! Though she was certain he, too, had been given dance training, he appeared to have no idea what he was doing. It also felt odd - Boq was a head shorter than her, so if she wasn't looking at her feet, she was looking at the top of his head!
By the time one song had played through, she needed a breath of fresh air. She went back to the table and hastily excused herself. She flew the hall towards the front door.
She never made it. Fiyero ran into her as she turned a corner, and he grabbed her by the shoulders, kissing her hard. And, even knowing that she shouldn't, she kissed him back. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she grabbed him, pulling him closer. Without a word, he pulled her into a storage closet, breathless. His eyes were wild, and she knew without asking what he wanted - no, needed - from her. Another kiss stole any uncertainty away.
He bent her over a broken desk, eagerly pulling up the skirts of her dress. There would be no foreplay or conversation tonight. Fiyero couldn't help himself, and she smiled at the thought. It aroused her to know how he wanted her. She wiggled her hips in invitation. In seconds, he was inside her, pressing her into the wood of the desk and she whimpered at the depth he achieved. His hand came around and clamped over her mouth.
"Hush," he grunted, thrusting heavily, "damn it, Elphaba. You in that dress. It isn't fair. Not being with you this weekend was bad enough, but that dress… fuck." He rammed himself into her and she felt her eyes widen. They were in complete darkness. Neither of them had bothered to even turn on the light.
This shouldn't be a rush, but it was. She should've pushed him away, told him she wasn't in the mood, but of course that would've been a lie. From the beginning of the night, her mind had been on him - just his body, of course. As he plundered her, tore into her, she clutched at the surface of the desk, her knuckles tight. Another whimper escaped, but was muffled by his hand still covering her mouth. She pressed back towards him, letting him go even deeper and bit back a scream as he brushed against the sweetness inside of her, begging for release.
He drew her hips closer, his right hand practically bruising the side of her body as he did it. It was then that she realized: he was angry. This wasn't affection; this was frustration. He didn't want to want her like this, either. But he did. And that made her like it even more. She gave into the haze of their fevered sex as it washed over her, tearing through her and burning through her veins. Elphaba bit down on one of his fingers as she climaxed, and he followed soon after.
He stepped back almost immediately and flicked on the light. He looked at her for a moment as she turned to face him, pulling her clothing back on properly, making sure not to forget anything. Fiyero's face softened in that moment, and he slowly cupped her cheek and kissed her.
When he drew back, she slapped him.
He blinked, but did not appear hurt. "What was that for?"
She gestured to the skirt of her dress. It was torn two inches from the hem upwards. "You ruined my dress. You know, the dress you seemed so damned fond of? How am I going to explain that?" Elphaba demanded.
He shrugged, sticking the bleeding finger she had bitten into his mouth. "Make something up. I'll have to."
She glared at him, suddenly reminded why she'd wanted to stay away from him. "Ugh!" Elphaba made to leave, but his fingers wrapped around her wrist.
"Don't. I'll go first." He dropped her hand and was gone within moments.
She took a deep breath as she surveyed the room. Somehow it didn't seem as though they'd been violently going at it only moments ago, though when she took a step she could feel it. Her body practically convulsed with the memory. After a few ticks, she flicked the light off and left, as well. Sweet Oz, she could barely walk knowing she'd have to go back in there and face everyone. Wasn't there some way she could get out of it?
And that was when it hit her. She could fix both of her problems: the dress and leaving the dance. So, as she stepped back into the lecture hall, Elphaba "tripped" on the hem of her dress, falling in a heap to the floor.
Boq and Glinda came running almost as soon as it happened. "Elphie, Elphie, are you well?" Her roommate crouched near her.
"Can I help?" Boq hovered.
"I… I'm not feeling well. And now I've torn my dress," she murmured sadly. "I just want to go back to Crage Hall." She clambered to her feet, refusing to take the hands that were outstretched to her.
Crope meandered over as well, doing his due diligence as Glinda's date. "Everything right?"
Glinda looked from Elphaba to Boq, then threw a glance towards the tables they'd been sitting at. Then she turned back to Crope. "Will you walk us back to Crage?"
Crope grinned. "An excuse to get out of here early? Are you kidding me? I'd skip the whole way there!"
Boq stood, biting his lip. "Should I come with?"
"Oh, don't ruin your night on my account," Elphaba said quickly. "Please, stay, for my sake. Enjoy the dance enough for both of us."
"Ahh… right, then. I hope you feel better." Boq patted her on the shoulder. He sulked back over to the tables to join the rest of their friends.
Crope and Glinda chatted aimlessly about each of their friend's fashion choices as they made their way back to the dorm. Elphaba had considered limping, but decided that it was too much of a show. So she merely ambled back normally, staying silent the whole way.
The moment the door shut behind them and it was just the two girls, Glinda turned to Elphaba. "You didn't rip your dress when you tripped." It was not a question, nor was it an accusation.
"I didn't." Elphaba didn't care to lie.
"He was bleeding. How did he hurt his finger?"
"I bit it." She grinned.
"Elphaba!" Glinda exclaimed. "I mean, I thought maybe he'd accidentally… you bit him?"
"He had his hand over my mouth." She shrugged and began to pull her dress off. "I mean, he was trying to make certain I was quiet so no one came upon us, but he did ask for it."
"And where, exactly, were you?"
"Some storage closet. It wasn't planned, if that's what you're thinking."
"I almost wish it was. Actions planned are usually orchestrated more carefully than anything done by impulse, Elphie. You are so lucky no one caught you! You should've seen how he looked when he came back to the table… all sweaty."
Elphaba tried not to smile at that. "Apparently tearing my dress was a lot of work," she replied evenly. "At least I covered for it."
"He said something about being overheated in his suit. I think he covered well enough. But really, that wasn't planned? You both left around the same time."
"I just needed to get away from Boq and from everyone. I hadn't even thought about the fact that Fiyero wasn't there, Glinda. I won't lie. I knew he had stepped out. But I wasn't thinking about it when I walked out there. He caught me in the hall." Maybe this would help her. A scandalous rendezvous with Fiyero would be just the thing that would keep her roommate from thinking there was anything wrong. And of course, nothing was wrong. Nothing.
"You're practically turning purple," Glinda commented, gesturing to her hip.
Elphaba examined herself to find she was developing quite the nasty bruise. He really had grabbed her too hard. She hadn't noticed, caught up in the moment herself. "Oops."
"Is sex really so violent?"
"When it's rushed, it can be," she said. But there had been more than a rush. There had been whatever fury hung between the two of them after their last discussion at the inn. She'd rattled his cage and his hackles had risen. It appeared he still wasn't past it. Neither was she. And she never would be.
"Elphie, I know you're dreadfully fond of him, but really, you must be careful."
Elphaba almost laughed. Fond of him? She'd never cared less about something in her life! But if she told Glinda that, she'd want to know why. And it hurt too much to explain. "I know, I know."
The blonde sighed heavily. "And you know, it's disrespectful to Boq to do that. I know the two of you went as friends, but it's still rude."
"Well, Boq never needs to know. I realize I shouldn't have done it, Glinda. I'm sorry."
"This night has not gone how I expected," Glinda commented.
"I should think not."
