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Glinda wakes up early in the morning. She has no idea what woke her up, but she needs to go to the bathroom. When she goes back to her bed, she takes a quick look at Elphie, who is still sound asleep. Glinda crawls into her own bed. Her eyes fly open again immediately after they have closed. She gets out of bed and looks at Elphie again. She wakes up Elphie.
"Elphie, is it really you?"
Glin, what's wrong?'' Elphie asks in a sleepy voice. "Do you have a nightmare, come and lie in bed with me." Elphie is already moving.
Glinda continues to tug on Elphie's shoulder.
"Glin, stop it. I'm awake. What is wrong?''
Glinda pulls the covers off Elphie. There she sees Elphie's long body.
''Heey, Glin, what's going on?'' Elphie asks angrily who is now fully awake.
"You're an adult again."
Elphie looks confused. "Of course, I'm an adult. I am 23 years old. What are you talking about? Are you ill? Still too much alcohol in your blood?"
Glinda jumps on top of Elphie and starts kissing her on the cheek and mouth. "You're back." She says between kisses.
Elphie lets it happen for a while, because she notices that Glinda needs it, but she doesn't get it. "Honey, let's take it easy." Elphie pushes Glinda up. "What are you talking about?" They both sit up straight.
"After Friday night's party, I did something stupid." Glinda begins.
"Yesterday's Party."
''Yesterday? Elphie, what day is it today?"
''Saturday.''
''Ooh. Okay, listen to my story without interruptions."
Elphie looks worried and nods.
Glinda tells everything. Elphie stays true to her word and says nothing.
''That is not possible.'' Elphie says when Glinda is done. Elphie gets up and starts pacing. "I don't know anything more about it. This is not a joke, because you don't make jokes like that. But it's not real. It can't be real."
Glinda points to her pyjamas. "Then why are you wearing pink pyjamas with hearts?"
Elphie looks shocked at what she is wearing. She turns red. She looks around to think of a logical explanation.
"Look at your bed. There is your cuddly toy and there is your doll. That's where the children's books are." Glinda continues.
''But, but.'' Elphie starts shaking her head. "How?" asks Elphie defeated. As she sits back on the bed.
"Shall you put on your pyjamas first? I can't concentrate with pyjamas like that,'' says Glinda laughing.
Elphie looks furiously at Glinda. But soon she bursts into laughter too. "Oooh Oz how could this have happened?" she asks again when they are almost laughing.
Glinda wipes away a tear. "I'm glad we can laugh about it." She looks at Elphie and slowly kisses her on the mouth. "I'm so glad you're back."
"Me too." Elphie starts to take off her pyjamas, but she can't. Glinda starts laughing again.
"Need help?" she asks innocently. ''I have been able to practice dressing children in recent days.''
Elphie looks furious again. ''Not funny.''
"Actually, it is funny," says Glinda with a giggle.
Elphie rolls her eyes. But nods anyway. With a lot of help and threats of scissors, they managed to get Elphie out of the clothes that are much too small. They lie down in Glinda's bed together. Glinda retells the story. This time Elphie asks questions. "How can you be so calm?"
Glinda shrugs. "On the outside I was very calm, but inside I was going crazy. I couldn't think about anything else but you."
''You are great. How did you break the spell?'' Elphie asks after a kiss.
Glinda shrugs. ''I have no idea. You have longed for your friends more than for your mother. Maybe it helped that I didn't look. ''
"I don't think magic works like that."
"I told Boq that too, but he didn't believe me.''
''Now he's definitely not going to believe you anymore, because it happened twice while you were sleeping. Or you snore too loud that you can't hear it all."
Glinda slaps Elphie hard on the shoulder. ''You're mean. You used to get away with it, but not anymore."
"Don't hit I'm only 3 years old."
Glinda starts tickling Elphie. Elphie tries to crawl away, but Glinda holds her tight. ''I've been training. Lifting a three-year-old is quite heavy."
Elphie laughs until she surrenders. "You're amazing, did you know that. I knew everything would be fine."
"You're sweet, but you didn't even know you were under a spell."
"Small detail."
Before Glinda can respond. The alarm goes off. "Oh yes, we agreed with the others to come up with another plan."
"Have you really tried everything for me?"
Glinda nods. "It wasn't the same without you."
Glinda and Elphie are getting ready. Of course, Elphie finishes much earlier than Glinda. She sits down at her desk. Indeed, she sees several drawings that were clearly made by a child. She can't believe it all happened, but it's proof enough. She puts her head in her hands. She tries to understand what happened.
Glinda comes out of the bathroom. She feels that Elphie needs something she can understand. She takes the brush and begins to loosen Elphie's braid.
Elphie looks up in surprise and turns around. ''What are you doing?''
I'm going to brush and braid your hair again." Glinda says simply.
"You know I don't like it when you touch my hair."
"Well, I recently learned from little Elphie that your mother used to do it too. Apparently, she did it when you were very busy and had to be patient. Then you calmed down."
Elphie raises her eyebrow. "That..." Elphie wants to say it's bullshit, but a little voice in her head says it's right.
Glinda smiles as she sees Elphie relax. Elphie is lost in her thoughts and Glinda continues with Elphie's hair.
''What else have you learned from little Elphie?'' Elphie whispers.
"That your mother's favorite color is red. That she liked to read in the garden. She always made cakes with you, which you sometimes brought to the neighbours. That you were a good sister before Nessa was born. That you always read a book together."
Elphie smiles. "Yes, the story about the rabbit who went on a journey alone, but eventually returned home. I've read that book a hundred times with my mother."
''You always call your mother mommy." Glinda fixes Elphie's hair and kisses her cheek.
"Thank you." whispers Elphie. "You always know what I need,"
"That's why I'm your girlfriend."
Elphie gives Glinda a kiss and turns to her desk. She looks at her reports and sees that it's all messed up. "Glin, what happened to my reports?"
Glinda smiles sheepishly. "That happened when we were looking for paper for you. You had to have something to do so I could run errands.'' Glinda apologizes.
Elphie rubs her forehead. ''I am not angry. I will make everything right again."
"Are you working on it for a long time?''
Elphie shrugs.
Glinda starts filing her nails, which she has neglected for too long. She looks at the clock every now and then and sees that it's time to go. "Elphie, honey, are you almost done."
"Almost," mutters Elphie.
"I'm going. I'll meet you in the cafeteria."
Elphie nods absently.
XXX
''Oooh Glinda, good to see you. We have a solution,'' says Nessa when Glinda sits down.
Glinda starts to say something but is immediately interrupted.
"Wait for the boys to get here."
Glinda nods. She wants to tell the good news to everyone at the same time.
"Did you get any sleep?" Nessa asks worriedly. She thinks Glinda looks tired.
"It was a short night." Glinda says truthfully.
Fortunately, it is not yet very busy with students, because most of them are now free on Monday morning due to the conference.
They don't have to wait long. Here come the boys with the food.
Glinda opens her mouth to talk, but Boq is first. "Have you told Nessa yet?"
Nessa shakes her head.
''But.''
"No, listen." Fiyero says seriously. "We're not going to risk your career. Elphaba wouldn't want it either. You don't have Madame Morrible class until Wednesday. Before then, we need to get Elphaba back to normal. So, we just keep Elphie hidden in your room."
Bob nods. "We can buy some more toys to keep her busy. We can also take turns going to your room to check that she is still playing well. Maybe we could take her outside between classes. We know that children like to run. Or we check that she goes to the toilet properly."
Nessa wrinkled her nose. "You make it sound like my sister is a dog."
Fiyero and Glinda suppress a laugh and Boq blushes. ''I don't mean it like that. I mean we can divide the tasks. The three of us can have a look in Madame Morrible's room for other books. Maybe we missed something."
Before Glinda can say anything else, Nessa start to say something. With a sigh, Glinda leans back in her chair.
"Please, Glinda, it wouldn't be fair if you had to leave school for one stupid mistake, which is totally understandable after all that's happened. Even I wish I had done something different. So, when you leave school, I have to go too."
''Then I'm going too.'' says Boq feeling self-confidence. "We're all to blame."
"I don't," says Fiyero with a mouth full of food. "But without you, school is useless. Elphie just lets me learn."
"Besides, I don't think Elphie wants to go to school without you." says Boq to Glinda.
''You see, I won't get my diploma anyway. So, I'll stop when you al stop."
The group of friends look at each other seriously but lovingly. Glinda gets tears in her eyes. "Do you all really want to leave school because I might be expelled because of a mistake?"
Everyone nods.
''You are the best friends I could wish for. It's so. I don't know. There are no words for it.''
"I think it's very sweet that you all want to drop out of school, but I can't allow that." A voice sounds from behind.
"Elphaba, you have really bad timing. Can't you see we're in a tender moment here?'' says Fiyero irritated.
Glinda smiles to Elphaba. "This is true friendship."
The rest only now realize who they stand for. Nessa immediately rolls into Elphie. Elphie hugs her sister. "Ooh Elphaba. I am so sorry. Is everything all right? How did you grow up again?'' Nessa looks questioningly at Elphaba and then at Glinda.
Boq also hugs Elphaba.
"Why are you only telling me now?" Nessa asks.
"You were telling your story. I couldn't get through.'' Glinda defends herself.
"But how did you come back?"
Elphie shrugs. "Glinda is a better sorceress than we think."
Glinda begins to blush. She tells everything that happened.
''So, while no one is looking.'' says Boq thoughtfully.
Elphaba and Glinda roll their eyes. "Magic doesn't work that way." they say in unison.
''But it happened anyway,'' says Fiyero wisely, after he eats his last pancake.
Elphie gives him a death look.
"Well, you all woke up early on your day off." A voice chirp from behind.
Doctor Dillamond.'' Elphie says surprised. "What a nice surprise. Are you back already?"
"Yes, but it was a tiring journey and weekend. So, you're free for the rest of the day."
Fiyero jumps up with enthusiasm.
''Unless you still have homework that you didn't do over the weekend.'' Dillamond says sternly.
The group looks at each other. They hadn't done any homework over the weekend.
"Nessa is it okay if you can work for someone else. I need some rest.'' says Madame Morrible who arrives at the table.
''That is a good idea. We'll do homework together.'' Elphie says before anyone can say anything.
''Didn't you do your homework?'' the teachers ask confused.
Elphie shrugs. ''Sometimes spending time with your friends is more important. It was my sister's birthday yesterday."
Nessa begins to blush.
The teachers look at each other confused as the rest of the group gives each other mean looks. "I'm okay with anything as long as it happens." Madame Morrible says bluntly. "Are you going to do your homework with your sister, Nessa?"
"Of course, Madame." says Nessa politely. "Elphaba, can you help me?"
Elphaba nods and walks after her sister.
"Oz we completely forgot about homework," says Fiyero, laying his head on the table.
''And don't forget the party,'' says Boq.
Fiyero gives him a death look.
''What? You would throw a party so everyone would shut up about Elphie."
"Boq, sometimes you're not funny." says Fiyero irritated.
''You still have to pay for last Friday and you have to organize a new one.''
''Can you believe it all happened in a weekend. It feels like a lifetime.'' Glinda says as she grabs a sandwich.
"Maybe Elphie wants to do all our work, since we've worked hard for her," says Fiyero hopefully.
''Unfortunately, that is never going to happen.'' says Elphie who is already back.
''Where's Nessa?'' asks Boq surprised.
"Nessa really wanted to talk to me alone. She told me things about my mother, Things I only found out about this morning and more. Don't know. It's nice to hear things about my mom. But it's weird that I find out through my sister, who has it from little me. It's so confusing.
Fiyero looks at Elphie with an open mouth. It also sounds confusing. You're giving me such a headache."
Before Elphie can say anything, Glinda takes her hand. "It's weird too."
''Yes, how do you feel?'' asks Boq.
Elphie shrugs. "Like I just said, it's confusing. So, I think that is how I feel.'' She looks at Glinda and squeezes her hand.
With one look, Glinda knows exactly how Elphie must have felt. In the beginning of the relationship, she learned which looks go with which emotion. This is the look of fear.
"But now I'm mostly relieved that everything went well. Thanks for asking.'' Elphie continues. She doesn't like exposing her emotions. She learned early on that you shouldn't show emotion when people make comments to her. Because then it will only get worse.
Boq nods understandably.
"But Nessa said things will be different from now on. That's why she only went to do homework. She wants to be more independent. A lot must have happened in one weekend. What have been your best experiences?'' Elphaba says to change the subject.
Fiyero looks suddenly very happy. "You called me smart. And you REALLY meant it.'' says Fiyero proudly.
Elphie starts laughing. "Didn't you dream that?"
"No, little Elphie thinks I'm smart. She adored me."
The others nod.
Elphie puts her head in her hands, she starts to blush and growls" Oz, I'll never get the end of this, will I?"
''Nope'' says Fiyero satisfied.
"Why did I think you were the smartest boy?"
Fiyero began to tell everything cheerfully.
Elphie has to laugh when he tells a piece of one of the stories from his memory in a funny voice.
Maybe that's your way of learning. I'll put the history of Oz in a children's book, then you can read it to me in a funny voice.'' Elphie laughs.
Everyone laughs along. Boq and Glinda clear the table, as Glinda senses that Elphie wants a moment alone with Fiyero.
Elphie nods to Glinda.
''Fiyero, I want to thank you for everything you've done for me and Glinda.'' Elphie says seriously.
''That's what we're friends for.'' Fiyero says seriously. "Besides, you're too cute to leave alone."
Elphie begins to blush. "Shut up, I'm trying to be nice here."
"You're nicer when you're three years old."
Elphie laughs. "You are amazing and smart." She gets up and walks away.
Fiyero stares at her with an open mouth.
''Are you done catching flies?'' asks Boq who has walked to the table.
''She thinks I'm smart.'' Fiyero exclaims, cheering.
Boq starts laughing. "Yes, you must have had a daydream."
Elphie turns around and sees that the boys are arguing with each other.
Glinda links her arm into Elphie's. "Were you able to say what you wanted to say to Fiyero?"
"Yes, but no one will believe him, and I will be silent as a grave."
Glinda smiles.
Everybody goes to their rooms to get their homework. Since the weather is nice, they sit outside. Everything is made quickly with the help of Elphie. True to her word, Elphie says nothing about the conversation between her and Fiyero. But to everyone's surprise, Fiyero also keeps his mouth shut.
The group grabs lunch and sit on the grass. Nessa leaves the group and returns with a stack of photos.
Glinda giggles. "It's such a good idea that you took pictures. We will never forget these memories.'' She looks at some photos of the Emerald City.
Boq takes Nessa's hand and acknowledges Nessa's actions.
Elphie blushes as she lays herself asleep in her Shiz bed with her stuffed toy.
''Aaah Elphie, you're so cute.'' Fiyero says laughing.
"Just wait, I will find a picture with you and you stuffed toy," says Elphie.
''Nope. Because you think I'm smart. And mine stuffed toy isn't in my bed in Shiz."
Elphie growled.
The rest laughs.
''Would you like to change something.'' Glinda whispers.
Elphie gives Glinda a loving look. "Nope." She quickly kisses Glinda on the cheek. The other view experiences the other way.
''Come on we have a party to organize,'' says Fiyero as he stands up.
"One more?" Elphie asks, helping Glinda to get up. ''I thought we still have to pay for Nessa's birthday?"
Fiyero growls. "Why do people keep reminding me of that?"
''Because otherwise you forget.'' says Boq dryly.
"Thanks for your trust, friend." Fiyero says sarcastically.
Boq walks next to Nessa. ''I'm going to organize the party; I think this party will be more fun than the last party.'' Nessa says with a smile.
''But seriously, why do we have to organize another party? I was looking forward to a quiet weekend.'' Elphie says as she follows the group that goes to the Ozdust.
"That's a different story." Glinda says.
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Thank you so much for reading the story. Leave a review I'd like to know what you think of the story. Until the next story