2 – Ripples in the Water
Ten years ago
"Attention, girls! We will now come to your room assignments!" Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Crage Hall, called out to the chattering crowd of fresh students. The noises in the hall fell immediately silent and everyone focused on the authoritarian woman.
Standing in the front row, directly opposite the speaker's desk, Galinda eyed Madame Morrible appraisingly.
She was taller than most women Galinda knew—sturdy and clad in an unfashionable red dress. Her face was pale and strikingly rutted, which only added to her already strict appearance.
"Miss Aela, Blue Dormitory!"
Since her family name was probably among the last on the list, she used the time to continue her examination. Madame Morrible had white, strictly backcombed hair, which in Galinda's opinion looked rather artificial. She suspected that if the Madame ever turned her head too quickly, half of that hair might fall off.
Her gaze dropped to take in Madame Morrible's bizarre choice of jewellery. She wore at least six rings, each a different colour, along with a massive gold necklace featuring a dragonesque pendant and oversized, sparkling hoop earrings.
With all these trinkets and her wide mouth opening and closing, Galinda thought she looked like a decorated fish. She bit back a giggle but couldn't suppress a grin.
"Miss Upland, Pink Dormitory!"
Galinda's jaw dropped and the grin was gone. The Pink Dormitory? Hadn't her parents explicitly requested a private room for her? There was no way she was spending her time at Shiz crammed in with fourteen (!) other girls.
"Madame Morrible!" she called, rudely cutting the woman off and earning herself a stern glance.
"Yes, Miss..."
"Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands, Madame. If you will forgive my saying so, I think there is a mistake regarding my room assignment. I am supposed to have a private room."
The other girls started to whisper, but Galinda didn't care. They were probably envying her and that was just fine. Madame Morrible frowned and looked at her list.
"Pink Dormitory, that is what it says. And for your information, Crage Hall does not offer any private rooms for you girls."
With that, the headmistress obviously considered the debate finished and continued assigning the remaining girls.
Galinda looked left and right, letting her eyes wander over all the other girls and her potential roommates. She imagined that at least five of the fourteen girls would snore, three would leave their lamps on to read until late at night, two would giggle and talk about boys, three would spread their dirty clothes everywhere and the rest… the rest would surely drive her crazy, too.
Her first semester at Shiz University hadn't even started yet, and it was already doomed to be awful. Maybe if she talked to Madame Morrible in private and made her point clear, with the help of a little pout and a few tears... Galinda would see to get her rightful room, that much was certain.
As soon as Madame Morrible had wished them all a good first night, Galinda ignored all the other girls who already divided into groups and started making bathroom timetables, and quickly followed the headmistress out of the great hall.
"Madame, if you please? May I speak with you for another moment?" she called after her.
"Yes… Miss Upland?" she asked a little annoyed after she had turned around.
Galinda wrung her hands and put on the most desperate expression she was capable of.
"I am deeply sorry to bother you with this issue, but you see, my parents paid an extra fee for a private room, and I…" She let out a few delicate sobs before continuing, "I simply cannot share a dorm with so many other girls. It is against my nature. I am of the Arduennas, you see, and we are not meant to share rooms with fourteen other people."
Madame Morrible sighed and massaged her forehead.
"We are loners, so to speak. At least, when it comes to our sleeping habits." Which was nonsense, of course.
"How sad for you. Still, the problem is—"
"Please, Madame, I'll make sure my father makes a generous donation to the college, if only you could spare me from that awful dormitory!"
Galinda let out a few more heart-wrenching sobs and fixed the old woman with her most innocent look.
"For the sake of Oz, Miss Upland. Fine. You shall get a different room. Stop the sobbing already. It gives me a headache."
Galinda's expression changed from deep grief to pure happiness in an instant. However, before she could tell how grateful she was, Madame Morrible put up one of her bejewelled hands and warned, "Do not get too excited. As I told you, there are no private rooms at this college. There is one double room with a free bed, though. Room number twenty-two on the second floor. Miss Thropp has arrived a few days prior and already moved in."
"Thropp?" Galinda asked, wondering what it was that made this Thropp girl so special that she didn't have to wait for the room assignment like all the others.
"Yes, Elphaba Thropp. You may share a room with her—if that is truly what you so desperately wish."
Galinda nodded enthusiastically, and Madame Morrible waved her hand dismissively.
"I take it this discussion is over now. Good night."
Madame Morrible quickly spun around and strode down the hallway, leaving a trace of powdery scent behind. Galinda watched her a few more seconds and inwardly struck a winning pose. She then went to fetch her luggage before she searched for what was to be her room for the next three years.
When Galinda reached room twenty-two, she paused, staring at the door. Technically, it was her room now too, but not knocking first would feel inappropriate.
She waited for a reply. When none came after several seconds, she slowly turned the doorknob and eased the door open. She was blinded by the evening sun that beamed its gold-orange rays of light directly through the window at the opposite side of the room. Galinda shielded her eyes with her free hand and got a glimpse of a dark figure huddled on the bed to the left.
"Oh, good evening," she said, a little caught off guard.
She could make out only a silhouette against the blinding sun, but even so, she noticed the person made no effort to greet her or even look her way. Galinda shrugged and closed the door behind her before she dropped her suitcase and two bags on the empty bed. Perhaps this Thropp girl was just extremely shy.
Galinda turned around, intending to introduce herself properly, when she inhaled sharply and covered her mouth with both hands. The girl's face hid behind a book, but it was clear to see that her hands and arms were green! Like the frog in the pond. Green and awful.
After a few seconds, the book lowered, revealing a serious expression on a green face.
"Surprise," Elphaba said humourlessly before the book covered her face again.
The soft rustle of turning pages filled the room in silence. After a moment, Galinda managed to lower her hands from her mouth, her mind still blank. What was one even supposed to say to a green person? She watched Elphaba turn the pages, and, after a while, a thought crossed her mind—perhaps the Pink Dormitory hadn't been such a terrible choice after all. "Are you done staring? It won't wash out anytime soon."
The coarse voice broke Galinda from her thoughts. She blushed at being caught and quickly turned to her bags.
"I'm sorry," she then said without knowing why. Surely, something like that took time to get used to, didn't it?
"I'm sure you are," Elphaba replied with an irritated sigh.
About two weeks later, when Galinda entered the cafeteria one morning, the first thing she spotted was Pfannee waving frantically from the far end of the room.
Oh dear. That much enthusiasm this early? This couldn't be good. Still, she smiled, bright and composed as always, acknowledging her friend without rushing. Pfannee seemed satisfied and immediately leaned forward, no doubt resuming whatever delicious bit of gossip she had been sharing with Shenshen.
Galinda had befriended them on her second day at Shiz. It had been the obvious choice. They came from wealthy families, always knew the latest fashion trends, and possessed excellent table manners. Her parents would be oh so pleased—if only that had been the goal.
While Galinda stood in line for breakfast, she mulled over how to steer the conversation away from her friends' latest favourite topic. She had known the gossip would start sooner or later—after all, sharing a room with the infamous Elphaba Thropp was bound to draw attention. And indeed, once Pfannee and Shenshen had found out, it had become part of their daily routine to ridicule Elphaba's horrendous fashion sense. At first, Galinda had relished the gossip, happily joining in. But after a few days, the topic had grown tedious, especially since their target never seemed the least bit bothered by it.
It was Galinda's turn to grab a food tray, and she opted for cereal and a glass of orange juice. Equipped with her breakfast, she made her way to her friends' table and had barely set her tray down before Pfannee launched into a string of rapid-fire questions.
"Galinda, we've been wondering—aren't you scared she might do something terrifying while you sleep? Does she even sleep? Does she reek of moss? Where does she spend her free time? And is it true—"
"Pfannee, dearest," Galinda interrupted, lifting a hand, "I have no idea, and I'd rather keep it that way. It's bad enough that I have to spend every morning and evening with her," she added with an exaggerated eye-roll. "I have no intention of getting to know her any better."
She hoped that would be enough to steer the conversation elsewhere.
It wasn't.
"Hey, look who just dropped in," Shenshen said with a mischievous smile, nodding toward the cafeteria entrance. Pfannee and Galinda turned their heads in unison.
A slender young woman with long black hair, clad in a blue shift and black boots, moved toward their table, a worn-out, greyish schoolbag tucked beneath her right arm. Galinda barely spared her a glance, she already knew who it was.
As always, whispers and stifled giggles followed in Elphaba's wake. It happened wherever she went, no matter the time or place—probably the very reason she avoided crowded spaces unless absolutely necessary.
Galinda sighed and turned back to her plate, but that only seemed to encourage Shenshen and Pfannee.
"Hey there, artichoke," Pfannee called out. "You got lost!"
"This isn't the weekly market!" Shenshen added.
It wasn't exactly the most brilliant joke Galinda had ever heard, but when the girls erupted into laughter, she forced out a polite chuckle of her own and glanced up to see how Elphaba would react.
As Elphaba approached, she merely wiggled her fingers at them in mock greeting and said flatly, "You two numb nuts got me confused."
Pfannee and Shenshen glared at her, but Elphaba only slumped down a few chairs away from Galinda, utterly unbothered and entirely unladylike.
"Put your roots down somewhere else, we're having breakfast," Shenshen snapped.
Elphaba rummaged through her bag, rolling her eyes at the comment. Across the table, Pfannee and Shenshen shot pointed looks at Galinda, urging her to do something about the unwelcome presence.
Galinda shifted uncomfortably. There was something about Elphaba that unsettled her and made her fidgety whenever she looked at or even thought about her. Not that she thought about her often, of course. It was just… well, she was odd. And green, for Lurline's sake. Galinda had done her best to avoid any interaction, and she intended to keep it that way.
Right now, she would have preferred to ignore her altogether, but with her friends watching expectantly, she had no choice. Clearing her throat, she turned to Elphaba and said, "Miss Elphaba…"
No reaction.
She tried again, this time with more insistence. "Miss Elphaba!"
A glance, brief and unimpressed. Then, a curl of lips.
"I'm green, not deaf. If I don't respond, it's on purpose."
Galinda's spine stiffened. She ignored the heat creeping up her neck and forced as much venom into her voice as she could muster. "You're being rude and… and I think you should leave. Now."
It didn't come out nearly as commanding as she'd hoped. Where was her big mouth when she actually needed it?
Elphaba didn't even bother to look up from her sandwich—or swallow—before muttering, "I wouldn't want to miss the dazzling conversation you and your ninny friends are bound to have."
Galinda glanced over her shoulder. Pfannee and Shenshen bristled with outrage, their expressions darkening. When she turned back to Elphaba, she could have sworn she caught a flicker of amusement on her face, just for a second. Oh no. She wasn't about to let her sit there, smug and unbothered, with that nasty green face of hers.
"At least I have friends," she shot back. "Why don't you go bother someone else for a change? Oh, wait. You won't find anyone. No one wants to be around you. Even your crippled sister has people who'd rather spend time with her than you." She sat up straighter, chin lifted.
The words were sharp and cruel, she knew that. But before she could brace for the triumphant laughter from Pfannee and Shenshen, something unexpected happened.
Elphaba's face changed.
For the first time, Galinda saw something raw flicker in those dark eyes. A tight press of the lips. A slight tremor at the edges. And then, the unmistakable shimmer of tears.
Galinda had honestly wondered if Elphaba felt anything at all. But now, staring at her, she realized she'd hit a tender spot. And despite all her dislike, despite how badly she'd wanted to put Elphaba in her place, she suddenly felt… awful.
"Miss Elphaba—" she started, but Elphaba was already grabbing her bag. Without a word, she pushed back her chair, stood, and strode out of the cafeteria.
Shenshen nudged Galinda, grinning. "Oh, Galinda, that was too brilliant for words."
Galinda forced a shrug, but said nothing. As the others cackled and moved on, her gaze drifted to the empty seat across from her.
For some reason, she couldn't stop staring.
History with Dr Dillamond was always mind-numbingly dull, no matter the circumstances. Galinda had once thought—the very idea!—that a Goat professor's lecture on the Great Drought might at least be interesting. But she had quickly learned otherwise.
Today, she had been counting on it to be a distraction. Anything to pull her mind away from the morning's incident.
It wasn't working.
She sighed, dropping her pen and sinking further into her chair. No matter how hard she tried to focus, Dr Dillamond's droning voice blurred into nothing, his words slipping right past her. And, like an annoying little tune she couldn't shake, her thoughts kept circling back to the cafeteria.
She replayed it over and over. The things she had said, the look on Elphaba's face, the awful way it made her feel. Why did it even bother her this much?
She stole a glance toward the far-right side of the classroom, where Elphaba, as usual, sat alone. Probably scribbling notes furiously, hanging on to every word of Dr Dillamond's lecture. Or maybe, Galinda tensed slightly, plotting some terrible revenge.
But when her gaze finally found her roommate, all she saw was… nothing.
Elphaba's face was unreadable, her dark eyes fixed on the professor as if she had not a single care in the world. She barely moved, except to push her glasses up her nose every so often.
Galinda frowned.
She had never really looked at her before. Why would she? She knew all she needed to know—Elphaba was green, awkward, and dressed like someone who had never met a mirror. Plenty of reasons not to waste a second glance.
And yet, for some reason, Galinda found herself staring.
She wasn't sure what she was expecting. Maybe for Elphaba to sense her gaze and snap at her, or at least shift uncomfortably. But the girl remained as still as ever, seemingly oblivious.
Galinda's eyes drifted, tracing the sharp angles of Elphaba's face, the clean-cut jawline, the dark green lips, the straight nose, the slightly hollow cheeks that only accentuated her high cheekbones. From where she sat, she could see how the sunlight, streaming through the windows on the right-hand side of the room, caught in Elphaba's hair, revealing an unexpected silkiness. It gleamed where the light touched, deep and glossy, almost like black satin.
Her gaze lingered longer than she meant it to, and her thoughts wandered. Was there a reason for her greenness? An accident? A rare disease? Or had she simply been born that way? If so, were there others like her in Munchkinland? But then, why wasn't her sister green too?
A sudden collective movement and the rising hum of conversation snapped Galinda out of her thoughts. The lesson was finally over.
She packed her bag and started toward the door to join Pfannee and Shenshen, but as she reached the threshold, something made her pause. Elphaba was still at her table, lingering while the rest of the students filed out. A thick, peculiar-looking book was clutched tightly against her chest.
Galinda hesitated. Was she waiting to speak with Dr Dillamond? But why? Surely, she wouldn't tell on her? The last thing Galinda needed was to end up in Madame Morrible's bad graces.
Curiosity sparked.
She glanced around. No one else seemed to be paying attention. Then, as casually as possible, she drifted back into the room, moving slowly, carefully, until she was close enough to hear.
Dr Dillamond was wiping the chalkboard clean. Elphaba watched him for a moment, then spoke, her tone suddenly eager. "Dr Dillamond, would you mind if I asked you something?"
The Goat didn't turn from his task. "Certainly not. What is the matter?"
Elphaba closed the distance between them in a few quick strides, her excitement unmistakable. "I have this book, and I wondered if—"
"Galinda! Where in Lurline's name are you?" Pfannee's shrill voice rang out from the hallway.
Oh, drat.
Dr Dillamond startled, dropping his sponge. Elphaba's head snapped up, her narrowed eyes locking onto Galinda with a glare so sharp it could slice through glass.
Galinda bit her lip, willing herself not to panic as her cheeks burned. She cleared her throat, tucking a curl behind her ear to buy time. Then, in a voice far too high-pitched, she let out a forced giggle.
"Oh! Hello! I was just, erm… looking for… my pen! Yes, my pen! It must be… somewhere around here, I suppose! Tee-hee."
She trailed off, waiting for a response.
Dr Dillamond merely fetched a cloth and wiped his glasses—an impressive feat of dexterity for someone with hooves, she noted. Meanwhile, Elphaba exhaled sharply, shifting her weight and planting a hand on her hip, her scowl unwavering.
Galinda's heart pounded as she made a show of scanning the room. "It's a very pretty pen," she added unnecessarily. "Hmm… just where could it possibly be…"
She mimed searching for a few more agonizing seconds before abruptly slapping a hand to her forehead.
"Ah!" she squealed, startling both Elphaba and Dr Dillamond. "I just remembered—I lent it to Shenshen! She must have put it in her bag by mistake." Another nervous, breathy laugh escaped her.
Elphaba and Dr Dillamond exchanged a look. Neither spoke.
That was her cue to leave.
Without another word, Galinda whirled around and rushed out, her mortification trailing behind her like a bad perfume.